Two Oregon Democratic lawmakers on Thursday introduced an aggressive package of bills that aims to protect existing state marijuana laws while at the same time paving the way for the federal regulation of the burgeoning cannabis industry.
Senator Ron Wyden and Representatives Earl Blumenauer introduced The Path to Marijuana Reform Act, which permit states to create and regulate their own regulatory policies free from federal interference. The bold legislation also calls for removing cannabis from the U.S. Controlled Substances Act.
“The federal government must respect the decision Oregonians made at the polls and allow law-abiding marijuana businesses to go to the bank just like any other legal business.” Wyden said. “This three-step approach will spur job growth and boost our economy all while ensuring the industry is being held to a fair standard.”
The three steps Wyden refers to are clearly outlined in the proposal:
Small Business Tax Equity Act
This legislation would repeal the tax penalty that singles out state-legal marijuana businesses and bars them from claiming deductions and tax credits.
Responsibly Addressing The Marijuana Policy Gap Act
This legislation would reduce the gap between Federal and State law by removing federal criminal penalties and civil asset forfeiture for individuals and businesses acting in compliance with state law. It would also reduce barriers for state-legal marijuana businesses by ensuring access to banking, bankruptcy protection, marijuana research, and advertising. It would protect individual marijuana consumers in states that have legalized marijuana, by providing an expungement process for certain marijuana violations, ensuring access to public housing and federal financial aid for higher education, and ensuring that a person cannot be deported or denied entry to the U.S. solely for consuming marijuana in compliance with state law. Finally, it would remove unfair burdens by ensuring veterans have access to state-legal medical marijuana, and protecting Native American tribes from punishment under federal marijuana laws.
Marijuana Revenue And Regulation Act
This legislation would responsibly deschedule, tax, and regulate marijuana. It would impose an excise tax on marijuana products similar to current federal excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco, escalating annually to a top rate equal to 25 percent of the sales price. Marijuana producers, importers, and wholesalers would be required to obtain a permit from the Department of Treasury, and the marijuana industry would be regulated in a manner similar to alcohol. Strict rules would prohibit sale or distribution of marijuana in states where it is illegal under state law.
The legislation “is another sign that the growing public support for ending our failed war on cannabis consumers nationwide is continuing to translate into political support amongst federal officials,” said Erik Altieri, executive director of NORML, a top marijuana reform group. “With marijuana legalization being supported by 60 percent of all Americans while Congress’ approval rating is in the low teens, ending our country’s disastrous prohibition against marijuana would not just be good policy, but good politics.”
Oregon is one of eight states where adult recreational marijuana is legal. There are 29 states that have medical marijuana programs. More than 60 million Americans over the age of 21 live in states that allow some form of marijuana consumption. And poll after poll consistently shows that about 60 percent of Americans support legalization of cannabis.
“Too many people are trapped between federal and state laws,” Blumenauer said. “It’s not right, and it’s not fair. We need change now – and this bill is the way to do it.”
Source
This is great. Let your Representative and Senators know about these reforms. Let them know you back them and that you want them to back them as well. The more of us they hear from the better.
Showing posts with label senator ron wyden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label senator ron wyden. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Join Senator Rand Paul in opposing CISA
From Campaign For Liberty:
The Senate intends to pass a new warrantless surveillance bill granting government broad new authorities for collecting your personal information from private businesses, and it's up to you and me to stop them.
On Wednesday the Senate may hold its first vote on the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA), S. 754.
Promoted as a "much-needed" "cybersecurity" bill, Congress devised a new way for intelligence agencies to collect your emails and sensitive data.
The bill "encourages" private companies like Google, Facebook, and Yahoo to monitor their networks and share "cyber threat indicators" broadly with agencies like the FBI, NSA, and CIA.
Worse yet, the bill allows the government to share and use your information for reasons completely unrelated to cybersecurity!
And on top of all that, this bill grants companies immunity to ensure they give the government as much information as possible...
Without having to make any effort to redact your sensitive information.
Let that sink in for a moment...
The same government that can't protect its own data on 22.1 million federal employees, contractors, and their families and friends wants private businesses to share your personal information freely with them.
And if (more likely, when) your information is misused either by government agencies, private businesses, or both, you will be unable to hold anyone accountable.
Ray, you and I can both see this isn't going to end well.
CISA is justified as necessary to stop hackers...
But sharing your Google searches and emails with Homeland Security will not stop hackers.
In fact, nothing in this bill would stop any of the cyber-attacks publicized in the press this year.
When it comes down to it, this is nothing more than a new warrantless surveillance bill.
Congress should be rolling back intelligence agencies' surveillance powers, not granting new ones.
Recently, the President of the American Library Association, Sari Feldman, spoke out against the bill saying,
"When librarians oppose a bill with 'information sharing' in its name you can be sure that the bill is decidedly more than advertised."
Businesses like Twitter, Yelp, Facebook, and Google all oppose this bill.
You only need to look at who is sponsoring this bill to realize it isn't for your benefit or mine.
Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Richard Burr (R-NC), two of the biggest surveillance state proponents in the Senate, are working diligently to ram this legislation through.
And that makes the first potential vote on Wednesday crucial.
Per standing Senate rules, the Senate needs 60 votes to proceed on the bill.
Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), have all vocally opposed this legislation.
But it's going to take an outpouring of opposition from grassroots Americans like you to stop this warrantless surveillance bill from passing the Senate.
That's why it's vital you sign your emergency "Stop the Surveillance State!" Fax Petitions to your U.S. Senators today.
These petitions let your senators know you see right through the thin façade of "cybersecurity" and recognize this bill for what it is - a new warrantless surveillance bill.
At a time when Congress needs to do more to rein in the intelligence agencies to protect your privacy, many senators are trying to expand the surveillance state.
Let them know you'll have nothing of it.
Please take action today, then forward this email to your friends and family and ask them to sign their emergency "Stop the Surveillance State!" Fax Petitions as well.
Public pressure matters. And if you remain silent, don't look to blame others later for your lost liberties.
It's time the American people stand up and say, "Enough is enough!"
In Liberty,
Tim Shoemaker
Director of Legislation
To sign the petition
The Senate intends to pass a new warrantless surveillance bill granting government broad new authorities for collecting your personal information from private businesses, and it's up to you and me to stop them.
On Wednesday the Senate may hold its first vote on the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA), S. 754.
Promoted as a "much-needed" "cybersecurity" bill, Congress devised a new way for intelligence agencies to collect your emails and sensitive data.
The bill "encourages" private companies like Google, Facebook, and Yahoo to monitor their networks and share "cyber threat indicators" broadly with agencies like the FBI, NSA, and CIA.
Worse yet, the bill allows the government to share and use your information for reasons completely unrelated to cybersecurity!
And on top of all that, this bill grants companies immunity to ensure they give the government as much information as possible...
Without having to make any effort to redact your sensitive information.
Let that sink in for a moment...
The same government that can't protect its own data on 22.1 million federal employees, contractors, and their families and friends wants private businesses to share your personal information freely with them.
And if (more likely, when) your information is misused either by government agencies, private businesses, or both, you will be unable to hold anyone accountable.
Ray, you and I can both see this isn't going to end well.
CISA is justified as necessary to stop hackers...
But sharing your Google searches and emails with Homeland Security will not stop hackers.
In fact, nothing in this bill would stop any of the cyber-attacks publicized in the press this year.
When it comes down to it, this is nothing more than a new warrantless surveillance bill.
Congress should be rolling back intelligence agencies' surveillance powers, not granting new ones.
Recently, the President of the American Library Association, Sari Feldman, spoke out against the bill saying,
"When librarians oppose a bill with 'information sharing' in its name you can be sure that the bill is decidedly more than advertised."
Businesses like Twitter, Yelp, Facebook, and Google all oppose this bill.
You only need to look at who is sponsoring this bill to realize it isn't for your benefit or mine.
Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Richard Burr (R-NC), two of the biggest surveillance state proponents in the Senate, are working diligently to ram this legislation through.
And that makes the first potential vote on Wednesday crucial.
Per standing Senate rules, the Senate needs 60 votes to proceed on the bill.
Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), have all vocally opposed this legislation.
But it's going to take an outpouring of opposition from grassroots Americans like you to stop this warrantless surveillance bill from passing the Senate.
That's why it's vital you sign your emergency "Stop the Surveillance State!" Fax Petitions to your U.S. Senators today.
These petitions let your senators know you see right through the thin façade of "cybersecurity" and recognize this bill for what it is - a new warrantless surveillance bill.
At a time when Congress needs to do more to rein in the intelligence agencies to protect your privacy, many senators are trying to expand the surveillance state.
Let them know you'll have nothing of it.
Please take action today, then forward this email to your friends and family and ask them to sign their emergency "Stop the Surveillance State!" Fax Petitions as well.
Public pressure matters. And if you remain silent, don't look to blame others later for your lost liberties.
It's time the American people stand up and say, "Enough is enough!"
In Liberty,
Tim Shoemaker
Director of Legislation
To sign the petition
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Keep up the presure to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership
From Fight For The Future:
In this email I’m going to tell you something awesome and then ask you to do something important. Ready?
Last night, we helped organize a protest outside an upscale restaurant in Washington, DC where Senator Ron Wyden had planned to hold a fundraising dinner. We had two dozen people there ready to hold a giant illuminated “Save the Internet / Stop the TPP” sign right outside the windows where his funders would be dining, but the Senator and his donors were nowhere to be seen. It turns out he decided to CANCEL his fundraising dinner rather than have his donors walk past our protest!
This is good news. It means Senator Wyden is really feeling the heat. But we need to keep the pressure on. He is literally making his decision about whether to support Fast Track legislation right now.
Call Senator Ron Wyden right now and ask his staff if they told his donors the truth about why they cancelled his fundraising dinner last night? Then tell him to oppose Fast Track for the TPP. Here are his numbers: (202) 224-5244 and (503) 326-7525 (go ahead and call both!)
We’ve been staying laser-focused on Senator Ron Wyden in recent weeks, because right now he literally holds the keys to the future of the Internet. Senator Wyden has been engaged in backroom negotiations with key Republicans over so-called “Fast Track” / Trade Promotion Authority legislation, a bill that would give the Executive Branch massive new powers to negotiate trade pacts like the TPP in secret and then ram them through Congress with no meaningful debate or amendments, just a simple up or down vote.
Just yesterday, Senator Orinn Hatch told media outlets that he was submitting his “final deal” Fast Track proposal to Senator Wyden by the end of the day. The Senator is thinking long and hard right now about what he is going to do. We need to make sure he hears from as many Internet users as possible TODAY calling for him to do the right thing, stand up for REAL transparency, and oppose Fast Track for the TPP.
Please pick up the phone and call Senator Wyden right now: (202) 224-5244 and (503) 326-7525
Speak from your heart, but be polite. Not sure what to say? Try this: “I’m calling to ask Senator Wyden to oppose Fast Track for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and I’d like to know whether the Senator told his donors the truth about why he cancelled his fundraising dinner in Washington, DC last night.”
Can’t call? Click here to chip in $10 to help keep the pressure on and stop the TPP.
Senator Wyden cancelled his fundraising dinner last night because he didn’t want to face protesters calling for him to protect Internet freedom. Let’s show him that he can run, but he can’t hide. If we can get him to do the right thing and walk away from this deal, we’ll be closer than ever to stopping the Trans-Pacific Partnership completely. If Fast Track fails, the whole TPP trade deal could come crashing down.
And that brings us one step closer to *ending* trade agreements as a backdoor route for lobbyists pushing bad Internet policy. The Internet’s greatest foes at the RIAA and MPAA have been using these secretive trade agreements to force bad Internet policy on the entire world for decades. We've finally figured out how to stop them; it just takes one last push.
We are low on funds to fight Fast Track and the TPP, but we’re still kicking butt. Please chip in $10 to stop the next SOPA from being passed in secret.
Thanks for all you’ve done! More soon,
-Evan at FFTF
P.S. If you can’t call or donate right now, that’s cool! Click here to tweet or email Senator Wyden today!
It doesn't matter when you call you can leave a voicemail if the office is closed. So if internet freedom means anything to you then put the pressure on Senator Wyden to do the right thing and oppose TPP.
In this email I’m going to tell you something awesome and then ask you to do something important. Ready?
Last night, we helped organize a protest outside an upscale restaurant in Washington, DC where Senator Ron Wyden had planned to hold a fundraising dinner. We had two dozen people there ready to hold a giant illuminated “Save the Internet / Stop the TPP” sign right outside the windows where his funders would be dining, but the Senator and his donors were nowhere to be seen. It turns out he decided to CANCEL his fundraising dinner rather than have his donors walk past our protest!
This is good news. It means Senator Wyden is really feeling the heat. But we need to keep the pressure on. He is literally making his decision about whether to support Fast Track legislation right now.
Call Senator Ron Wyden right now and ask his staff if they told his donors the truth about why they cancelled his fundraising dinner last night? Then tell him to oppose Fast Track for the TPP. Here are his numbers: (202) 224-5244 and (503) 326-7525 (go ahead and call both!)
We’ve been staying laser-focused on Senator Ron Wyden in recent weeks, because right now he literally holds the keys to the future of the Internet. Senator Wyden has been engaged in backroom negotiations with key Republicans over so-called “Fast Track” / Trade Promotion Authority legislation, a bill that would give the Executive Branch massive new powers to negotiate trade pacts like the TPP in secret and then ram them through Congress with no meaningful debate or amendments, just a simple up or down vote.
Just yesterday, Senator Orinn Hatch told media outlets that he was submitting his “final deal” Fast Track proposal to Senator Wyden by the end of the day. The Senator is thinking long and hard right now about what he is going to do. We need to make sure he hears from as many Internet users as possible TODAY calling for him to do the right thing, stand up for REAL transparency, and oppose Fast Track for the TPP.
Please pick up the phone and call Senator Wyden right now: (202) 224-5244 and (503) 326-7525
Speak from your heart, but be polite. Not sure what to say? Try this: “I’m calling to ask Senator Wyden to oppose Fast Track for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and I’d like to know whether the Senator told his donors the truth about why he cancelled his fundraising dinner in Washington, DC last night.”
Can’t call? Click here to chip in $10 to help keep the pressure on and stop the TPP.
Senator Wyden cancelled his fundraising dinner last night because he didn’t want to face protesters calling for him to protect Internet freedom. Let’s show him that he can run, but he can’t hide. If we can get him to do the right thing and walk away from this deal, we’ll be closer than ever to stopping the Trans-Pacific Partnership completely. If Fast Track fails, the whole TPP trade deal could come crashing down.
And that brings us one step closer to *ending* trade agreements as a backdoor route for lobbyists pushing bad Internet policy. The Internet’s greatest foes at the RIAA and MPAA have been using these secretive trade agreements to force bad Internet policy on the entire world for decades. We've finally figured out how to stop them; it just takes one last push.
We are low on funds to fight Fast Track and the TPP, but we’re still kicking butt. Please chip in $10 to stop the next SOPA from being passed in secret.
Thanks for all you’ve done! More soon,
-Evan at FFTF
P.S. If you can’t call or donate right now, that’s cool! Click here to tweet or email Senator Wyden today!
It doesn't matter when you call you can leave a voicemail if the office is closed. So if internet freedom means anything to you then put the pressure on Senator Wyden to do the right thing and oppose TPP.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Tell Senator Wyden not to cave on TPP
Dear Fight for the Future member,
Urgent action needed to stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership censorship deal!
It’s Saturday. I wish I wasn’t working today, but something urgent has come up and we need to ask you to take action. TODAY.
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has long been a champion of Internet freedom causes, but now he’s saying he wants to negotiate with Republicans to make sure that Fast Track legislation passes, which would then hastily ram through the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, a massive trade deal that we know contains extreme provisions that could lead to widespread Internet censorship.
Senator Wyden needs to hear from you right now. Click here to tell him to be a hero to the Internet, not a traitor!
The Senator is hosting a town hall meeting tonight, and he’ll most certainly be talking about trade issues and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. We need to make sure he feels the heat all day today. Let’s remind him who’s side he’s on: the Internet’s!
Thanks, have a great weekend,
-Evan from Fight for the Future
P.S. Senator Wyden is especially sensitive to what he sees on Twitter. Will you retweet this tweet? That would be a big help. Thanks!
Urgent action needed to stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership censorship deal!
It’s Saturday. I wish I wasn’t working today, but something urgent has come up and we need to ask you to take action. TODAY.
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has long been a champion of Internet freedom causes, but now he’s saying he wants to negotiate with Republicans to make sure that Fast Track legislation passes, which would then hastily ram through the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, a massive trade deal that we know contains extreme provisions that could lead to widespread Internet censorship.
Senator Wyden needs to hear from you right now. Click here to tell him to be a hero to the Internet, not a traitor!
The Senator is hosting a town hall meeting tonight, and he’ll most certainly be talking about trade issues and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. We need to make sure he feels the heat all day today. Let’s remind him who’s side he’s on: the Internet’s!
Thanks, have a great weekend,
-Evan from Fight for the Future
P.S. Senator Wyden is especially sensitive to what he sees on Twitter. Will you retweet this tweet? That would be a big help. Thanks!
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