The key committee of the US Congress is calling on a greater effort to eliminate illegal marijuana crops that “are not sanctioned” under state or tribal laws, and also to tackle money laundering problems associated with Chinese cannabis business.
House Appropriations Committee reports included sections that target bad actors within the marijuana industry.
In the same way as previous sessions, in the language used in the Interior, Environment, and Other Agencies appropriations legislation, it is stated that “the committee knows that illegal marijuana cultivation occurs on California public lands.”
The report states that “These illegal activities have a harmful impact on the public, the soil and the wildlife.” It also adds that the members of the group support Forest Services’ “efforts” to create tools for detecting and eradicating grow sites. This includes a possible remote-sensing study of Federal Public Lands in order to identify growing sites and provide cost estimates for reclamation.
Forest Services and Bureau of Land Management have been directed to collaborate with local, state and tribal governments to “the maximum extent of their ability” on surveying, reclaiming and prevention activities, as well as to help prevent criminals from moving to non-Federal land to grow illegal crops.
The covered agencies will also be required to collaborate with the Justice Department (JD) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security(DHS) in order to “eliminate any grow operations not approved by state or tribal authorities, and to provide to the Committee a report on their efforts as well as the estimated costs for reclamation no later than 180 calendar days after the passage of the Act.”
This is the complete text:
“Marijuana on Public Lands.—The Committee is aware that trespassers illegally grow marijuana on public lands in California. The public, wildlife, and water are all negatively affected by these illegal activities. The Committee encourages Forest Service to work on tools for detecting and eliminating grow sites. These include a remote sensing survey to help identify and remove grow sites. It also allows for cost estimates to be developed for reclamation. The Committee instructs Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in continuing to work with local and tribal governments to ensure that they are able to provide the best possible assistance to them, especially when it comes to surveying, reclaiming, and preventing illegal grows on non-federal land. In addition, the Committee requires each agency to develop with Departments of Justice and Homeland Security a strategy to eliminate any grow operations which are not sanctioned or approved by the State and Tribal Authorities. They must also report their progress and estimate of reclamation costs to the Committee not later than the 180th day following the passing of this Act. The Committee also encourages Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations, to use novel models in order to detect illegal marijuana growing sites on Forest System Land.”
The Interior and Environmental Funding bill and its report were approved on Tuesday by the Panel.
Another report—which is being attached to appropriations legislation covering Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)—focuses on combating money laundering by cannabis businesses associated with the Chinese Community Party (CCP).
The directive states that agencies “must use funds allocated to anti-money-laundering programs to investigate possible money-laundering schemes involving CCP connected marijuana businesses and entities that provide financial services to those businesses.”
This is the text.
“CCP Money Laundering.—The Committee directs the Department to utilize funds directed to anti-money laundering programs to investigate potential money laundering schemes involving CCP-connected marijuana businesses and entities providing financial services to these businesses. “The Department shall also provide a detailed report of its activities in 120 days after the enactment.”
CJS’s underlying bill, which contains provisions that prevent the Justice Department reclassifying marijuana, has proven to be more controversial. The legislation would also maintain a separate longstanding rider protecting state medical cannabis programs from federal interference—though with new language authorizing enhanced penalties for sales near schools and parks.
CJS also maintains a long-standing provision that prevents DOJ interference with state hemp research programs.
As lawmakers were leaving the capital to go on August break, the committee had been expected to report and take up the CJS draft bill.
The Senate Appropriations Committee last week advanced their own version of CJS, which also maintained protections for the states that have medical marijuana programs. The Senate version does not contain the House proposal to prevent DOJ rescheduling of cannabis.
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Meanwhile, the Senate committee also recently included a variety of marijuana and psychedelics-related provisions in a report attached to a pair of spending bills—including calls to allow U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors to recommend medical cannabis if the federal government reschedules it, exploring the possibility of “reducing opioid use through medical marijuana” and cracking down on illicit grow operations.
The panel also approved the veterans funding bill along with an amendment allowing VA doctors to recommend medical cannabis to their military veteran patients in legal states.
The House Appropriations Subcommittee approved separately a bill to maintain the controversial prohibition that Washington, D.C. could not use its tax dollars for a regulated cannabis market.
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