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Letter to William Kilbride, Chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority - Blumenauer, Cohen Blast Deputizing of Electrical Utility for Enforcement of Outdated Policies Rooted in the Failed War on Drugs

Letter

Date: Feb. 9, 2022
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Marijuana Criminal Justice

Dear Chairman Kilbride:

We write to express deep concern with the recent statement issued by the Tennessee Valley
Authority (TVA) on February 2, 2022, detailing plans to have the agency deputize its employees
to attempt to enforce outdated and scientifically baseless federal cannabis policies against statelegal cannabis businesses. We urge a swift recission of the TVA's February 2 statement and a
commitment by the agency to abide by congressional intent in refraining from impeding states in
the implementation of medical cannabis programs.

The TVA, operating as a federal-owned electric utility corporation, has a statutory duty under the
Tennessee Valley Authority Act (Pub. L. 73-17) to provide power to customers within its service
area, which includes portions of Mississippi. The actions outlined in the February 2 memo,
issued on the same day as Mississippi's enactment of a medical marijuana program, disregard the
democratic will of the people of Mississippi. Any suggestion of requiring TVA employees to
report end-use customers suspected of engaging in activity involving marijuana is an affront to
the people who voted in support of a medical cannabis program, to say nothing of the state
legislature and governor, who overwhelmingly enacted a medical cannabis program.

The Department of Justice is restricted from using congressionally appropriated funding to assist
with these misguided efforts. By suggesting that these individuals be reported to the Department
of Justice for enforcement, the TVA could be impeding patients from accessing medicinal
cannabis products in accordance with state law, something that the Department of Justice has
been restricted from doing since 2014.

We urge the Tennessee Valley Authority to rescind the February 2, 2022, statement and
associated policy guidelines immediately, to abide by congressional intent when interpreting
federal law and to refrain from impeding states in the implementation of their medical cannabis
programs. Please respond to this letter by February 25, 2022.

Sincerely,[...]


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