Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016
Floor Speech
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Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Chair, I rise to offer a bipartisan amendment with Mr. Massie to restore power to the States to regulate the cultivation of industrial hemp within their own borders. The House adopted this amendment last year with strong support from both sides of the aisle.
This amendment is very simple. It would move our country in line with industrialized countries around the world that long ago recognized the importance of industrial hemp as a natural resource, an agricultural commodity, and a versatile component that is now found in more than 25,000 commercial products.
In fact, not only does this amendment bring America in line with much of the rest of the industrialized world, it brings America back in line with our country's history. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew it. The first drafts of our Constitution and first laws were written on paper made from it.
During World War II, the USDA encouraged patriotic American farmers to raise it for the war effort. They even produced a slick promotional film titled ``Hemp for Victory.'' Now, at least 23 States have passed laws to allow farmers to grow it, too.
Unfortunately, the Federal Government stands in the way of family farmers who want to grow hemp. The senseless classification of hemp as a schedule I drug contributes nothing to public safety; instead, it robs our farm economies of a potentially multibillion-dollar crop that is used to make everything from rope to soap.
The amendment would simply allow farmers to grow hemp in accordance with their own State's laws. The amendment does not eliminate regulation in hemp cultivation; it simply divests the Department of Justice and the DEA of their ability to treat hemp like marijuana because hemp is not marijuana.
So far, 23 States have passed laws to allow farmers to grow hemp. Right now, farmers in California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia are waiting for the Federal Government to get out of the way.
Because the Department of Justice refuses to acknowledge what Washington and Jefferson knew, that hemp is an agricultural commodity and not marijuana, these State laws take a back seat to Federal overreach.
I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan amendment, and I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Massie), my cosponsor.
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Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Chair, as we have heard this evening, it makes no sense that industrial hemp is legal to have and legal to use in manufacturing but can't be grown by our own farmers. Right now the companies that are manufacturing with hemp have to import it from places like Canada and China. They should be able to grow it in our own country.
Please support this bipartisan amendment. Industrial hemp is grown differently from marijuana. It looks different. The enforcers can tell it apart. Let's let our farmers grow industrial hemp. Please support this amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
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