Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy, the leadership, and you have heard from a number of the champions in this House fighting for a more rational policy regarding cannabis.

We are in this fix today because Congress has refused to provide the partnership and the leadership that the States demand. The States aren't waiting for us. As you have heard, 47 States have taken steps to legalize some form of State legal cannabis.

One of the most insidious aspects of our being out of sync is what we have seen in terms of access to banking services. Congressman Heck elaborated I think very emotionally and effectively about the dangers that this presents. We have an opportunity to fix that problem.

This is an $11 billion industry and growing, and it is growing because the people and the States have demanded it. We need to step up and solve one of the biggest problems, and that is simply they don't have access to banking services. I have worked on this issue for decades. I have never met a human being who feels that there is any good purpose served by forcing them to pay their bills with duffle bags full of $20 bills--not one person. It is an invitation to theft, it is an invitation to money laundering already, it is an invitation to tax evasion, and it stifles the opportunities of this business.

I strongly urge our colleagues to vote for this as the next step. This is an important foundational, but it is not the last step. We have important legislation that is keyed up and ready to go. This approval today will provide momentum that we need for further reform that we all want and will make America safer and stronger.

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