Kudos to Rep. Eric Swalwell, the southern East Bay’s new Congress member, for co-sponsoring the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act, the States’ Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act, and other marijuana reform bills. Thanks too to our local activists and supporters who helped bring this issue to Rep. Swalwell’s attention.
– Dale Gieringer, Cal NORML
Former Prosecutor Rep. Swalwell Announces Support for Rational Federal Marijuana Policy
WASHINGTON DC – Congressman Eric Swalwell (CA-15) co-sponsored several bills that treat marijuana in a rational way and allow more freedom at the state level. Swalwell is a former prosecutor and understands the effort devoted to the war on drugs, but he believes that local law enforcement officials should have the opportunity to devote more resources to other, more serious matters without federal interference. According to a recent Gallup poll, 64 percent of Americans believe that the federal government should no longer enforce federal prohibitions on marijuana in states that have voted to legalize it.
“I believe that citizens in states across the county should be empowered to make their own decisions as to how to treat marijuana,” said Swalwell. “The people of California voted to allow patients access to medical marijuana, and the federal government should not stand in their way. Likewise as a prosecutor, I saw firsthand the needs of local law enforcement, and we should be directing the hundreds of millions of dollars currently spent on marijuana enforcement to more serious priorities. These bills are good for the economy, patients and states’ rights.”
Congressman Swalwell co-sponsored:
• H.R. 499, the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act
• H.R. 501, the Marijuana Tax Equity Act
• H.R. 689, the States’ Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act
• H.R. 710, the Truth in Trials Act
• H.R. 784, the States’ Medical Marijuana Property Rights Protection Act
Congressman Swalwell is the representative from the 15th Congressional District of California, which includes portions of the East Bay (Hayward, Livermore, Los Gatos, Cupertino). He is a member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, where he serves as Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Energy, and the Committee on Homeland Security.
