On the recordDecember 3, 2020
In my city of Philadelphia and across the country, people of color are thrown in jail more and with harsher sentences than White people for the same cannabis-related crimes. Cannabis is one of the fastest growing U.S. industries, but Federal law keeps many businesses of color out of this market. That is why I urge my colleagues to support passage of a jobs bill, the MORE Act. It would decriminalize cannabis at the Federal level and expunge prior Federal convictions related to marijuana. Half of all States have already decriminalized cannabis. This jobs bill would also create the opportunity trust fund, which would generate grant programs to provide services and funds to those most negatively impacted by the war on drugs. This includes the equitable cannabis licensing program that I introduced in the Homegrown Act. The House and Senate need to pass the MORE Act now, as the growing cannabis industry is an important economic development tool for communities of color like mine. Let's pass this jobs bill. ____________________
