Political Quotes

“we are working on the very important Defense bill, but I just wanted to take a few minutes to discuss another topic. For some time, with the support of the Senate majority leader, Mr. McConnell, Senator Merkley and Senator Paul and I have all been trying to change Federal law so farmers across the country can secure the green light to grow hemp in America. About a year ago, I came to the floor of the Senate with a basket of hemp products to highlight that this is a particularly important time in the debate--a time in history when we have kind of reflected on what this issue has been about. I have talked about how hemp products are made in this country, sold in this country, and consumed in our country, but they are not 100-percent American products. They can't be fully red, white, and blue products because the law says the hemp used to make them cannot be grown on a large-scale basis here at home. Another year has gone by since the majority leader, Senator Merkley, Senator Paul, and I teamed up, and unfortunately industrial hemp continues to be on the controlled substances list. Because of that unjustified status, hard-working farmers in Oregon and across our country have been deprived of the opportunity and benefits of a crop that has enormous economic potential--all because there has been this misinterpretation that in some way this is affiliated with marijuana. Industrial hemp and marijuana come from the same plant species.…”