2022: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment
And Expungement Act, Which Established Federal Bonding, Permitting And
Operational Requirements For Cannabis Businesses And Prohibited Small
Business Administration Programs From Discriminating Against
Cannabis-Related Businesses. In April 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the MORE Act, which in part would
"establish federal bonding, permitting and operational requirements for
cannabis businesses. It would prohibit SBA programs from declining
services to a business solely because it is a cannabis-related business
and prohibit the denial of any federal public benefits to an individual
on the basis of cannabis use or possession." The vote was on passage.
The House passed the bill by a vote of 220-204, thus the bill was sent
to the Senate. [House Vote 107,
4/1/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/1/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3617]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted For An Amendment That Would Authorize $10
Million To Conduct A Study On Technologies And Ways Law Enforcement May
Use To Determine Marijuana Impairment Of Drivers. In April 2022,
according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for an amendment
to the MORE Act, which would "authorize $10 million for the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, within one year of enactment, to
conduct a study on technologies and methods that law enforcement may use
to determine whether a driver is impaired by marijuana." The vote was on
the adoption of an amendment. The House adopted the amendment by a vote
of 243-172. [House Vote 103,
4/1/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/1/22;
Congressional Actions, H.Amdt.
188;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3617]
2020: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted For Allowing Employers To Maintain
Authority To Drug Test An Employee Or Applicant For Cannabis Usage. In
December 2020, during House consideration of the Marijuana Opportunity
Reinvestment and Expungement Act, Fitzpatrick voted for "motion to
recommit the bill to the House Judiciary Committee with instructions to
report it back immediately with an amendment that would maintain the
authority of employers to test an employee or applicant for cannabis use
'to ensure workplace and public safety."' The vote was on recommitting
the bill. The House rejected the motion by a vote of 174-218. [House
Vote 234, 12/4/20;
Congressional Quarterly,
12/4/20; Congressional Actions,
H.R.
3884]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment
And Expungement Act, Which Decriminalized The Use And Possession Of
Marijuana At The Federal Level And Expunged All Previous Arrests And
Convictions For Non-Violent Marijuana Offenses. In April 2022,
according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the MORE
Act, which in part would "decriminalize the use and possession of
marijuana at the federal level. It would remove marijuana from the
federal controlled substances list, eliminate federal criminal penalties
for cannabis offenses and provide for the expungement of all previous
arrests and convictions for nonviolent federal cannabis offenses." The
vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 220-204,
thus the bill was sent to the Senate. [House Vote 107,
4/1/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/1/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3617]
The Bill Required The Government Accountability Office To Study
The Societal Impacts Of Recreational Marijuana Legalization And
Replaced The References Of "Marijuana" In Current Law With The Term
"Cannabis." According to Congressional Quarterly, "It would
require the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on
the societal impacts of recreational cannabis legalization by
states. It would strike references of 'marihuana' and 'marijuana' in
existing law and replace them with 'cannabis.'" [Congressional
Quarterly, 4/1/22]
The Bill Prohibited Federal Programs From Denying Public Benefits
To Individuals Based On Cannabis Use Or Possession. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "prohibit the denial of any federal public
benefits to an individual on the basis of cannabis use or
possession." [Congressional Quarterly,
4/1/22]
The Measure Would Federally Remove Cannabis From The List Of
Controlled Substances And Pursue Expungements Of Records For Federal
Convictions Of Marijuana-Related Offenses. According to Forbes,
"The House in April of 2022 also passed the more sweeping Marijuana
Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, as it did in
the last session of Congress. Similar to a previous draft of CAOA,
the MORE Act would also remove cannabis from the federal list of
controlled substances and heavily pursues expungements for related
federal convictions." [Forbes,
5/16/22]
The Bill Would Create A Procedure For Certain Individuals To Have
Their Federal Cannabis Convicting Expunges And Sentences
Reevaluated. According to Congressional Quarterly, "It would also
create a process for some people to get federal cannabis convictions
expunged and sentences reviewed." [Congressional Quarterly,
4/1/22]
Republicans Argued The Bill Did Not Adequately Address The Legal
Age For Recreational Marijuana Use, The Differences Between Cannabis
And Hemp, And Marijuana Use Among Motorists. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "Republicans pushed back on the bill,
arguing that it doesn't sufficiently address the question of what
the legal age for use should be; the differences between marijuana
and hemp, a concern among agriculture interests; and use among
motorists." [Congressional Quarterly,
4/1/22]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Marijuana Opportunity
Reinvestment And Expungement (MORE) Act. In April 2022, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the "Latta, R-Ohio,
motion to recommit the bill to the House Judiciary Committee." The vote
was on a motion to recommit. The House rejected the motion by a vote of
202-220. [House Vote 106,
4/1/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/1/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3617]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Marijuana Opportunity
Reinvestment And Expungement (MORE) Act. In March 2022, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the "adoption of the
rule (H Res 1017) that would provide for House floor consideration of
the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act (HR
3617) and the Affordable Insulin Now Act (HR 6833). The rule would
provide for up to one hour of general debate on each bill. It would
provide for floor consideration of three amendments to HR 3617." The
vote was on the adoption of the rule. The House adopted the rule by a
vote of 219-202. [House Vote 99,
3/31/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/31/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3617;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
1017]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Marijuana Opportunity
Reinvestment And Expungement (MORE) Act. In March 2022, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the "motion to order
the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment)
on the rule (H Res 1017) that would provide for House floor
consideration of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement
(MORE) Act (HR 3617) and the Affordable Insulin Now Act (HR 6833). The
rule would provide for up to one hour of general debate on each bill. It
would provide for floor consideration of three amendments to HR 3617."
The vote was on a motion to order the previous question. The House
agreed to the motion by a vote of 219-202. [House Vote 98,
3/31/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/31/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3617;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
1017]
2020: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment
And Expungement Act, Which Included Decriminalizing Cannabis At The
Federal Level, Imposing A Tax On Cannabis Products, Establishing
Programs For Communities Impacted By The War On Drugs, And Prohibiting
The Denial Of Benefits For Cannabis-Related Convictions. In December
2020, Fitzpatrick voted against the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment
and Expungement Act of 2019 which would, according to Congressional
Quarterly, "decriminalize the use and possession of marijuana at the
federal level. It would remove marijuana from the federal controlled
substances list, eliminate federal criminal penalties for cannabis
offenses and provide for the expungement of all previous arrests and
convictions for non-violent federal cannabis offenses. It would create a
federal excise tax on cannabis products manufactured in or imported into
the United States, set at 5% for two years and gradually increasing to
8%. It would also create an annual 'occupational tax' of $1,000 for
each cannabis production or export warehouse facility. It would
establish a Treasury Department trust fund from tax proceeds, from which
40% would be available for Small Business Administration loan and
licensing programs for the cannabis industry and 60% would be available
for programs of a new Cannabis Justice Office within the Justice
Department. The new office would administer a community reinvestment
grant program for nonprofits to administer services for individuals
adversely impacted by the war on drugs, including job training, reentry
services, literacy programs, legal aid and substance use disorder
services. Among other provisions, it would establish federal bonding,
permitting and operational requirements for cannabis businesses. It
would prohibit SBA programs from declining services to a business solely
because it is a cannabis-related business and prohibit the denial of any
federal public benefits to an individual on the basis of cannabis use or
possession. It would require the Labor Statistics Bureau to compile and
publish demographic data on cannabis industry business owners and
employees. It would require the Government Accountability Office to
conduct a study on the societal impacts of recreational cannabis
legalization by states. It would strike references of 'marihuana' and
'marijuana' in existing law and replace them with 'cannabis.'" The vote
was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 228-164. The
House did not take substantive action on the bill. [House Vote 235,
12/4/20; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/4/20;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3884]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against An Amendment That Would
Prohibit The Denial Of Benefits To An Individual Under Immigration Law
Based On Marijuana Use Or Possession That Would No Longer Be Prohibited
By The MORE Act. In March 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly,
Fitzpatrick effectively voted against the manager's amendment to the
MORE Act, which would "clarify language prohibiting the denial of
benefits to an individual under immigration law based on any actions
relating to marijuana use or possession that would no longer be
prohibited under the bill's provisions." The vote was on the adoption
of the rule. The House adopted the rule by a vote of 219-202, thus the
manager's amendment was automatically adopted. [House Vote 99,
3/31/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/31/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3617;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
1017]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted Against An Amendment That Would Prohibit The
Denial Of A Security Clearance Based On Past Or Current Marijuana Use
And Require Federal Agencies To Review And Reevaluate Each Decision Made
After May 1971 To Deny Or Rescind Someone's Security Clearance Based On
Their Marijuana Use. In April 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against an amendment to the MORE Act, which
would "prohibit the denial or revocation of a security clearance based
on past or present marijuana use. It would require each federal agency,
within one year of enactment, to review and reassess each decision made
on or after May 1, 1971, to deny or rescind an individual's security
clearance based on past or present marijuana use." The vote was on the
adoption of an amendment. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of
209-214. [House Vote 105,
4/1/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/1/22;
Congressional Actions, H.Amdt.
190;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3617]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment
And Expungement Act, Which Created A Federal Excise Tax On Cannabis
Products And An Annual "Occupational Tax" For Cannabis Production Or
Export Warehouse Facilities And Established A Treasury Department Trust
Fund Using The Tax Revenue. In April 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the MORE Act, which in part would
"create a federal excise tax on cannabis products manufactured in or
imported into the United States, set at 5 percent for two years and
gradually increasing to 8 percent. It would also create an annual
'occupational tax' of $1,000 for each cannabis production or export
warehouse facility. It would establish a Treasury Department trust fund
from tax proceeds." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill
by a vote of 220-204, thus the bill was sent to the Senate. [House Vote
107, 4/1/22;
Congressional Quarterly,
4/1/22; Congressional Actions,
H.R.
3617]
40% Of The Treasury Department Trust Fund Would Be Available For
Small Business Administration Loan And Licensing Programs For The
Cannabis Industry, Especially Socially And Economically
Disadvantaged Businesses Owners And Communities Greatly Impacted By
The War On Drugs. According to Congressional Quarterly, "It would
establish a Treasury Department trust fund from tax proceeds, from
which 40 percent of funding would be available for Small Business
Administration loan and licensing programs for the cannabis
industry, focused on socially and economically disadvantaged
business owners and individuals adversely impacted by the war on
drugs." [Congressional Quarterly,
4/1/22]
60% Of The Treasury Department Trust Fund Would Be Available For A
New Cannabis Justice Office, Which Would Manage A Community
Reinvestment Grant Program To Provide Services For Communities
Impacted By The War On Drugs, Such As Job Training, Literacy
Support, Legal Aid, And Substance Abuse Services. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "60 percent of funding would be available
for programs of a new Cannabis Justice Office within the Justice
Department, which would administer a community reinvestment grant
program for nonprofits to administer services for individuals
adversely impacted by the war on drugs, including job training,
reentry services, literacy programs, legal aid and substance use
disorder services." [Congressional Quarterly,
4/1/22]
The House Bill Proposed A 5% Excise Tax Rate That Would Increase
To 8% Over Five Years, Which Would Generate Up To $8.1 Billion By
2031, According To The Congressional Budget Office. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "The House bill calls for a 5 percent rate
that would inch up to 8 percent over five years. The Congressional
Budget Office estimates the House bill could generate $8.1 billion
by 2031, some of which would be used to fund programs in communities
most affected by the war on drugs." [Congressional Quarterly,
4/1/22]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted For An Amendment That Would Require Studies On
The Impacts Of Legalizing Recreational Marijuana On The Workplace,
Schools And School-Aged Children And Require Development Of Best
Practices For Employers Updating Their Policies Regarding The Use Of
Recreational Cannabis And Best Practices To Protect Children From Any
Negative Impacts From Marijuana Legalization. In April 2022, according
to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for an amendment to the
MORE Act, which would "require the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health to conduct a study on the impacts of the legalization
of recreational cannabis by states on the workplace and develop best
practices for employers that are transitioning their policies related to
the use of recreational cannabis, prioritizing employers engaged in
federal infrastructure projects, transportation, public safety and
national security. It would also require the Education Department to
conduct a study on the impact of the legalization of recreational
cannabis by states on schools and school-aged children and develop best
practices for educators and administrators to protect school-aged
children from any negative impacts of such legalization." The vote was
on the adoption of an amendment. The House adopted the amendment by a
vote of 234-189. [House Vote 104,
4/1/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/1/22;
Congressional Actions, H.Amdt.
189;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3617]