A Bipartisan Omnibus Bill Is Gaining Steam in Congress
WASHINGTON – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) reportedly is discussing with other congressional leaders a bipartisan omnibus cannabis bill that would grant new provisions for small business loans, criminal justice reform, medical research, veteran support, and banking access for the legal cannabis industry. Schumer met with Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) in early June at an International Cannabis Bar Association conference where the two discussed the potential for a bipartisan effort to tackle criminal justice and banking reform measures. According to Politico, they specifically talked about the possibility of combining the Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungement (HOPE) Act sponsored by Reps. Joyce and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Act introduced by Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO). As a standalone bill, SAFE passed in the House last year by a vote of 321 to 101, with 106 Republicans voting in favor of the federal banking reforms. H...