E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 160 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014 No. 141 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was promoted and encouraged. Permit me physicians in the Department of Vet- called to order by the Speaker pro tem- to compare Al Sharpton with Loretta erans Affairs to be able to help their pore (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania). Lynch, President Obama’s recent nomi- patients with medical marijuana, f nee to become our next Attorney Gen- whether it is right for them; instead, eral. people are forced away from their pri- DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO Mr. Speaker, I was born in Greens- mary care physician and the veterans’ TEMPORE boro, North Carolina, and decades benefits that they have earned. The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- later, Loretta Lynch was born in Why do they have to seek out some- fore the House the following commu- Greensboro. I am about to insert oars one else who doesn’t know them as nication from the Speaker: into unknown waters to me, that is, well, doesn’t have the same relation- Senatorial waters involving judicial ship, and then bear that extra cost? WASHINGTON, DC, This actually should be a terrible em- November 18, 2014. nominees. What I know about Loretta I hereby appoint the Honorable GLENN Lynch, Mr. Speaker, is limited, but barrassment. THOMPSON to act as Speaker pro tempore on what I do know about her is favorable, I had a proposal during the appro- this day. and she has been twice confirmed by priations deliberations that would have JOHN A. BOEHNER, the United States Senate. clarified this policy, which actually Speaker of the House of Representatives. Some have compared Al Sharpton isn’t based on any law or regulation. It f with Dr. Martin Luther King, not a is simply what is termed ‘‘guidance.’’ good comparison. My proposal would have enabled doc- MORNING-HOUR DEBATE Dr. King was a unifier, a promoter of tors to be able to work with their pa- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- racial harmony. The good news is Al tients in the VA. ant to the order of the House of Janu- Sharpton does not measure up to Dr. Now, I am not suggesting by any ary 7, 2014, the Chair will now recog- Martin Luther King. More good news: stretch of the imagination the nature nize Members from lists submitted by Loretta Lynch is no Al Sharpton. of those conversations and what the the majority and minority leaders for f conclusion should be. Some physicians morning-hour debate. are strongly supportive of medical LEGALIZING MEDICAL MARIJUANA marijuana. Others have reservations. The Chair will alternate recognition FOR VETERANS between the parties, with each party Others simply don’t know. But it is limited to 1 hour and each Member The SPEAKER pro tempore. The outrageous that the people who know other than the majority and minority Chair recognizes the gentleman from our veterans best are forbidden to work leaders and the minority whip limited Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER) for 5 min- with them on this therapy. I will be introducing legislation that to 5 minutes, but in no event shall de- utes. Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, would put in law what we had for that bate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. the front page of last Sunday’s Wash- budget amendment. This is one of sev- f ington Post had a poignant story about eral things that I hope this Congress THOUGHTS ON AL SHARPTON Army veteran Amy Rising, who uses does something about before we ad- medical marijuana to help her deal journ. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The with her posttraumatic stress disorder. While we are at it, shouldn’t we want Chair recognizes the gentleman from Now, we weren’t told exactly where she to stop the lunacy of making mari- North Carolina (Mr. COBLE) for 5 min- lives, just that medical marijuana is juana an all-cash business by denying utes. legal where she uses it, so she could be them bank accounts? What about giv- Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker and col- in any one of 23 States and the District ing people tax justice by repealing an leagues, the recent rumors circulating of Columbia. outmoded and unfair provision known around Capitol Hill suggest that Presi- Fifty-seven percent of Floridians as 280E, so that it will allow perfectly dent Obama may seek advice and coun- voted to legalize medical marijuana legal businesses, hundreds of them sel from Al Sharpton regarding the earlier this month, more votes for med- across the country, to deduct their le- identity of our next Attorney General. ical marijuana in Florida than any gitimate business expenses? Otherwise, I hope this is only a rumor. statewide politician on the ballot. This these hundreds of small legal busi- Al Sharpton seeks out matters that is part of a growing trend across the nesses will continue to pay punitively involve conflict, turmoil, and violence. country. high tax rates. I do not recall Al Sharpton appearing But Amy’s predicament is that the Now, the Obama administration is at an event where racial harmony was Federal Government does not allow slowly lurching in the right direction. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H8035 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Nov 19, 2014 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A18NO7.000 H18NOPT1 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H8036 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE November 18, 2014 The President famously said that he Those are shameful words that dis- I urge my colleagues to consider this had bigger fish to fry than trying to respect every American and have right- commonsense bill. Let’s put it on the prevent Washington and Colorado from fully been condemned by Members on President’s desk and ask him to do implementing what their voters have both sides of the aisle. I think the what is right for the American people. approved. Just this last week, we had American people know exactly what is f more approvals from the State of Alas- in the bill. ka, the District of Columbia, and in my We are reminded of it every day that PRESIDENT TRUMAN USED home State of Oregon. Marijuana got we now live in a country where our EXECUTIVE ACTION more votes in Oregon than anybody on government will fine you—fine you— The SPEAKER pro tempore. The the Oregon ballot. for not having the health care coverage Chair recognizes the gentleman from While States are still influencing the that it deems adequate. It is called the Illinois (Mr. GUTIE´ RREZ) for 5 minutes. reform, we need to bring Federal poli- individual mandate, and it is a classic Mr. GUTIE´ RREZ. Mr. Speaker, last cies out of the Dark Ages. We need to government-knows-best ruse, but this week, we celebrated Veterans Day, so be able to harness the therapeutic time with the threat of fines and pen- naturally, there was a lot of talk about power of marijuana. We shouldn’t alties on individuals who don’t comply the military, but there was also a lot of force, for example, families to have to or, in the interpretation of the Su- talk about President Obama taking ex- move to another State to be able to get preme Court, with new taxes just for ecutive action on immigration. It got relief for their children who suffer from you. me thinking about Harry Truman. torturous, violent epileptic seizures, These fines will steadily increase Like me, Harry Truman was from the simply because they live in a nonmed- each year. By 2016, it is estimated that Midwest and a plain talker who didn’t ical marijuana State when medical 6 million Americans will be subjected mince words and sometimes made his marijuana has proven to be one of the to individual fines from their govern- fellow Democrats uncomfortable. Like few areas of relief for these children. ment. every Republican and Democratic While the States are moving in this I take a very different view than President in modern history, including direction, the public is moving in this many in the current administration. this current one, Harry Truman was direction, it is not too late for Con- First, I think the American people are not afraid to use his executive power to gress to move with these small steps smart enough to make health care cov- fight for justice in the United States, that will make a difference. erage choices for themselves. Second, I even when Congress failed to act. We should start with our veterans, to don’t believe our government should be In 1946, we had just defeated fascism. give them access to their doctors, to mandating on individuals the health We were already locked in a cold war. understand what this tool is, to see if care coverage that is right for them Black, Asian, Hispanic, and Native it can provide relief for them as it has and their family, particularly under American troops had helped deliver done for hundreds of thousands of other the threat of penalties and fines and that victory against fascism, but when people, especially veterans with chron- additional taxes. the war was over, they faced the same ic pain and PTSD.