Congressman Rogers Votes Against Decriminalizing Marijuana

WASHINGTON, DC — House Democrats on Capitol Hill passed a bill today that funnels taxpayer dollars to the marijuana industry, decriminalizes marijuana, and creates an Office of Cannabis Justice to erase prior convictions for marijuana-related offenses. Congressman Hal Rogers voted against the bill, citing its disregard for science and the nation’s drug abuse epidemic.

“Drug overdose death rates reached a historic high in America last year. This is no time to add fuel to the fire by opening the floodgates to this long-time gateway drug,” said Congressman Rogers, co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse. “Studies have long shown that marijuana directly affects memory and learning, and increases certain mental health disorders in some people. The federal government should not be investing Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars in marijuana and retroactively giving criminals a free pass.”

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, H.R. 3617 would remove marijuana from the federally controlled substances list, with no concern for workplace safety, doubling the risk of addiction, and no common-sense safety measures for our schools.

According to the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), recent studies found 55% more industrial accidents and 85% more injuries among employees who tested positive for marijuana compared to those who tested negative.

The legislation also requires federal courts to expuge prior marijuana-related convictions and to conduct re-sentencing hearings.

“Liberal extremists want to reward convicted criminals once again. The negative impact of marijuana is well-documented by law enforcement and medical professionals. We should be passing legislation that makes America stronger, not more addicted,” said Congressman Rogers.

The legislation now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

For more information about Congressman Rogers’ work in Washington and in Kentucky, visit https://halrogers.house.gov.