blumneauer.jpg
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Portland, center, talks with Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., head turned toward Blumenauer, at a memorial service last month for former Gov. Vic Atiyeh. Blumenauer and Bonamici were both praised for their voting record on drug issues by a group seeking to revamp federal drug laws. (Michael Lloyd/The Oregonian)
Drug Policy Action, the New York-based group that is a major financial supporter of the marijuana legalization measure on the Oregon ballot, on Wednesday released new congressional ratings guide that gives high marks to Oregon’s U.S. House members.
The group has sought to legalize marijuana and wants to reduce the use of incarceration in drug crimes.It focused on seven key votes related to allowing states to set their own marijuana policy, reducing the budget for the Drug Enforcement Administration and permitting the cultivation of industrial hemp.
Grant Smith, an official at Drug Policy Action said in a news release that the group believes it now has a “working bipartisan majority” in Congress and is “witnessing a fundamental shift in how members of Congress assess the war on drugs and are nearing a tipping point in favor of sweeping changes to U.S. drug policy.”
Drug Policy Action named Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., as one of its 10 “2014 Champions of Reform” for voting with the group on seven key votes and for introducing legislation to allow states to develop their own policies on marijuana legalization. Blumenauer also founded the Sensible Drug Policy Working Group along with Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., the group noted, and he has been an outspoken proponent of Oregon’s legalization measure.
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., received an honorable mention for backing the group on all seven votes and sponsoring legislation to allow states to cultivate industrial hemp.
Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., also stuck with the group on all seven votes. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., voted with the group on six of seven votes and Rep. Greg Walden, the sole Republican in the delegation, stuck with the group on five of seven votes.
Drug Policy Action did not rate the Senate, saying that it has not had enough votes on the issue in recent years to grade senators on the issue. However, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., has made national news in recent weeks after becoming the first senator to express support for legalizing marijuana.
– Jeff Mapes
Group opposing 'war on drugs' gives Oregon's congressional delegation high marks
No comments:
Post a Comment