Congress
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) is one of 10 task force members.
Congress Forms "Over-Criminalization" Task Force
Remember when we used to say "You don't have to make a federal case out of it?" Well, we did. Now, we have more than 4,500 federal criminal laws, and some members of Congress are ready to do something about it.
US Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA)
Justice Safety Valve Act Introduced in House
With the introduction of the Justice Safety Valve Act of 2013 in the House this week, now both houses of Congress have the sentencing reform bill before them.
Steve Cohen (house.gov)
Bill Filed to Create National Marijuana Commission
US Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis has introduced a bill that would create a national marijuana policy commission similar to the 1971 Shafer Commission.
Earl Blumenauer at Brookings marijuana legalization forum, April 2013
Congressman Predicts Current Congress Will Legalize Hemp
[image:1 align:right caption:true]I attended a forum on marijuana legalization at The Brookings Insti
Illinois State House
Illinois House of Representatives Passes Medical Marijuana Bill
[image:1 align:right caption:true]Word just came out that the Illinois House has passed medical marijuana legislation, after several tries. Now it has to go to the Senate.
Russell Simmons, 2012 Tribeca Film Festival (courtesy David Shankbone via Wikimedia)
Celebrities Urge Obama Forward on Drug, Sentencing Reform [FEATURE]
A slew of celebrities, including some not-so-usual suspects (the Kardashians!?), as well as faith, academic, and media figures, have signed on to a letter to President Obama urging him to press forward on drug and sentencing reform.
Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Rand Paul (R-KY)
Sens. Leahy, Paul Introduce Federal Mandatory Minimum Reform Bill [FEATURE]
Sens. Pat Leahy (D) and Rand Paul (R) have joined together to introduce a mandatory minimum sentence reform bill. The bill would expand the "safety valve" to all federal offenses, not just selected drug offenses.
Pat Leahy & Rand Paul
Sens. Leahy and Paul Introduce Bill to Undo Mandatory Minimum Sentencing
[image:1 align:right caption:true]Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Rand Paul (R-KY) have introduced S.
Kentucky Republicans McConnell and Paul are supporting hemp legislation in the Senate
Bipartisan Hemp, Medical Marijuana Bills Introduced in Congress [FEATURE]
With the introduction of medical marijuana and hemp bills this week, along with marijuana legalization legislation introduced earlier this month, Congress has a full-blown marijuana agenda before it this session. And now, it has an emerging cannabis caucus.