Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives formally attached a cannabis banking reform amendment to large-scale legislation dealing with innovation and manufacturing. Following the approval of the amendment from sponsor Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) on a voice vote as part of an ‘en bloc group’ with other amendments, the chamber passed the package on Feb. 3 in a 262-168 vote. On the heels of its latest and sixth attempt to get the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act across the finish line, Perlmutter discussed some of the prospects of his proposal in an interview with Yahoo Finance on Friday. While Senate leadership has pushed to pass comprehensive legalization first, the congressman is optimistic regarding his bipartisan incremental reform, Marijuana Moment writes. “Every [House] Democrat and at least half the Republicans have supported SAFE Banking, and I am confident that the Senate will take it up,” Perlmutter said. Commenting on efforts of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and his colleagues to legalize the plant and their prioritization of the broad legalization legislation, which they plan to officially file in April, he said that he’s “questioned whether they have the votes to get something of that magnitude through the Senate, which has not even had a hearing really on marijuana in 50 plus years.”
Benzinga Staff Writer, The Fresh Toast, 02/15/2022 06:00:00