{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/enewsletters/big-step-forward-cannabis-reform", "Big step forward on cannabis reform", "2020-12-04", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The House justheld a historicvoteto end the federal prohibition of cannabis.\nThis is what people have been demanding for years. National supportfor legalizing cannabisrecently hit an all-time high, with more than two-thirds of American adults in favoroflegalization.\nBut reformingnationalcannabispolicyis not only the popular thing to do. It's themoral thing.Through the federal policy of cannabis criminalization, Congress has failed the American people.\nWe've failed parents whose babies are tortured by extreme seizure disorders but can't access medical cannabis, the only thing thatprovides relief.\nWe've failed veterans with wounds seen and unseen, whoare even more vulnerable than other citizens to the opioid crisis that is gripping the nation. They are being forced outside of the VA system to seek a recommendation for medical cannabis.\nWe've failed our children, who have easier access to cannabis thanthey do a six-pack of beer because no neighborhood drug dealer checks I.D. or worries about losing their license in a regulated system.\nWe've failed the $17 billion industry that doesn't have access to financial services. This is an invitationto money laundering, theft, and tax evasion.\nAnd we've failed hundreds of thousandsof young Blackand Brown men, who have had their lives destroyed because of selective enforcement of cannabis laws. It's wrong that 600,000 people a year are still being arrested or cited for something that the overwhelming majority of Americans now think should be legal.\nThe legislationapproved by the Housetodayis an opportunity to strike a blow against the failed war on drugs.We are one step closer torestorative justice, opportunity and equity.\nIf you'd like to read more about the MORE Act, you canclick hereto read an op-ed I wrote on CNN with my Cannabis Caucus co-chair Rep. Barbara Lee.\nOur work does not stop here. Next, we'll make our case to the U.S. Senate and hope to end the failed prohibition of cannabis once and for all.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/enewsletters/big-step-forward-cannabis-reform"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8795871399343014, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}