Pubdate: Wed, 10 Dec 2014
Source: Washington Times (DC)
Copyright: 2014 The Washington Times, LLC.
Contact:  http://www.washingtontimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/492
Authors: Andrea Noble and Tom Howell Jr.

BUDGET RIDER WOULD RESCIND D.C. POT LAW

Amendment Leaves City Leaders Scrambling

The District's effort to tax and sell marijuana fell victim to 
federal budget negotiations, when lawmakers on Capitol Hill Tuesday 
inserted a amendment into a massive $1.1 trillion spending bill that 
effectively overturns a voter-approved ballot initiative legalizing the drug.

The "rider," which Republicans had indicated they would attach to the 
spending bill, "prohibits both federal and local funds from being 
used to implement a referendum legalizing recreational marijuana use 
in the District," according to a summary of the bill posted on the 
House Appropriations Committee website.

It is similar to language first introduced in a failed amendment to a 
spending bill earlier this year by Rep. Andy Harris, Maryland 
Republican, who has publicly opposed loosening marijuana laws because 
of the effect it would have on children's health.

The rider came after discussions that had reportedly centered around 
blocking a plan to open legal pot shops in the nation's capital that 
would be regulated and taxed by the city.

The amendment left D.C. leaders scrambling over what to do next.

Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser offered no clear explanation of how she 
would proceed when asked earlier in the day about the situation.

"I call on all members of Congress to respect the will of D.C. voters 
and reject any attempts to violate our right to self-governance," Mr. 
Bowser said in a written response to questions. "In the meantime, the 
Council and I will move forward to implement the law in a thoughtful 
and responsible way."

Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District's nonvoting 
congressional representative, said Tuesday afternoon that she had no 
confirmation of the language of a rider, and that Democrats had 
assured her that negotiations were continuing on the matter.

"We are still fighting and talking to the relevant leaders to do all 
we can to protect D.C.'s marijuana legalization law," Mrs. Norton 
said, noting the marijuana initiative that legalized home cultivation 
and possession of up to 2 ounces of the drug passed by 70 percent of 
voters on Nov. 4. "We want them to leave what the voters have done alone."

The rider - an unrelated amendment often attached to large bills that 
likely will not be vetoed as a result of their addition - undercuts 
legislation under consideration in the D.C. Council that would 
establish the regulatory framework for marijuana sales rather than 
undo the legalization initiative.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he was opposed to the rider 
but that if the language makes it into the appropriations bill, it 
may likely be passed.

"If they put it in there, it's going to be hard to take it out over 
here, but I oppose it," said Mr. Reid, Nevada Democrat. Malik 
Burnett, policy manager at the Drug Policy Alliance, said Congress' 
continuing interference in the District's local marijuana laws was 
"very problematic.

"I think it's very telling: The fact the federal government is having 
trouble writing this rider is because they effectively don't know how 
to do this," Mr. Burnett said. "All this confusion speaks to the fact 
that the federal government shouldn't be interfering in the District 
of Columbia."

D.C. Council member David Grosso, at-large independent who introduced 
the measure to regulate marijuana, encouraged residents to contact 
ranking members of the appropriations committees to object to the riders.

"It is disheartening and frustrating to learn that once again the 
District of Columbia is being used as a political pawn by the 
Congress," Mr. Grosso said. "To undermine the vote of the people - 
taxpayers - does not foster or promote the 'limited government' 
stance House Republicans claim they stand for; it's uninformed 
paternalistic meddling."

Congress has used budget riders as a tool to block legislation 
members considered controversial in the past. The District's medical 
marijuana program was blocked from taking effect for more than a 
decade through riders.

Mrs. Norton, who has routinely spoken out against attempts by 
Congress to interfere in local laws, was dismayed by the idea that 
the District would be used as a bargaining chip in the larger 
appropriations package.

"I would be at a loss to explain why Democrats would agree to block 
D.C. marijuana legalization on their watch," Mrs. Norton said. 
"Republicans will control Congress in less than a month. I don't know 
why Democrats would give them a head start in interfering with the 
District's local laws."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom