Barbara Lee: “Let me reemphasize what the gentlewoman just said. I was so proud to vote for the Heroes Act twice nearly 8 months ago.…”

“Let me reemphasize what the gentlewoman just said. I was so proud to vote for the Heroes Act twice nearly 8 months ago. I think that we have to move forward and continue to negotiate, and, hopefully, we will get some votes on the other side of the aisle to help save lives and to help save businesses and to help our economic recovery. But I was proud to have voted for that twice already. Thank you to Congresswoman Jackson Lee for her tremendous leadership in bringing this bill to the floor, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, the MORE Act. Let me thank Chairman Nadler and our fellow co-chair of the Cannabis Caucus, Congressman Earl Blumenauer, our respective staffs, and everyone for their effort, including the House Judiciary staff, for your hard work and for helping to bring this bill together to the floor. Also, I have to call your attention to the advocates for their dedication to educating the public on this issue. This bill is an important racial justice measure. It is the product of years of work by so many activists and advocates and young people, and it is long overdue. Yes, I have worked to end the war on drugs for many years. The MORE Act includes my legislation, the Marijuana Justice Act and the REFER Act, which are the first marijuana racial justice bills introduced in Congress.…”