schedule three drug.

>> senators booker and wyden and i want to thank them for their lead on this issue with me and perks for months years both of them have a long good history to get this done. so today we're proud to say the three of us are proud to say we're introducing the cannabis administration and opportunity act. a comprehensive and necessary update to the federal government's approach to cannabis. over the decades, millions of americans most often americans of color have had their lives derailed and destroyed by our country's failed war on drugs.

the consequences of this harmful campaign lingering on to this very day. i was pleased by yesterday's news that the dea under biden administration is preparing to take a truly historic step, rescheduling cannabis from a schedule one substance to a schedule three under control substances act. reclassifying cannabis is necessary and it is a long overdue step. but it is not the end of the story. it's not all we need to do. it's time for congress to wake up to the times and do its parts. by passing the cannabis reform that most americans have wished for. it is past time for congress to catch up with public opinion. and to catch up with the science. i'm proud to be the first majority leader ever to call for an end to the marijuana prohibition because i've seen both the consequences of the outdated drug laws and benefits

of common sense cannabis regulation at the state level. and it is time for congress to follow suit. in this case, the states were laboratories of innovation and they've lead way support for cannabis reform is growing in the senate our bill now has 18 sponsors the most ever for this bill. and we'll keep working to build more support because when liberals, conservative, activist entrepreneur veteran groups can come together on an issue, that's a clear sign we've got momentum at our side and wind is at our back. i'm very proud of the bill we're releasing today as i said our legislation will finally remove marijuana from the federal list of control substances. it will expunge criminal records of so many americans with low level marijuana offenses that haunt them and inhibit them for decades preventing them from getting good jobs and leading good, strong lives. and it will help our country close the book once and for all on the awful and harmful a

failed war on drugs. which all too often has been nothing more than a war on americans of color. in short our bills about individual freedom and basic fairness, we cannot tolerate any longer the tragedy of a young person getting arrested because they have a small amount of marijuana in their pocket for years -- that's all it took -- getting caught with a little bit of marijuana for you to get saddled with a serious criminal record that prevented the person from getting a good job buying a good home getting ahead in life. and, of course, this injustice happens predominantly in black and latino communities that's unfair that's unamerican, and our bill would write this grave wrong. and in place of the war on drug, our bill would lay a foundation for something very different a just, responsible common sense approach to cannabis regulation. let's find my next page here.

here we go it would call for new guidelines on how marijuana products are labeled, require new standards to prevent impaired driving, require hhs, to support research and cannabis health impacts and more our bill of passed would close the door on an outdated harmful motive way of thinking at the federal level. while allowing for reform, and sensible regulation to take root. once again i want to thank senators wyden booker for being terrific partners in putting the bill together. it's been a long standing effort one that's required a lot of feedback from the public, and a lot of perseverance. as majority leader i'll continue to push for every chance we get to bring federal cannabis policy into 21st century and passing the bill would be an excellent way to make that happen so i apologize to all of you. i can't be here i'm going to be at my steak out at 2:30 if you want to ask questions on or off

topic with that who's -- >> senate wyden one of the fewest events where i'm the shortest person. >> i will remind you vegetarians and caucus we don't call it a steak out -- >> a veg out. >> majority leaders said it and happy to be with my partner we're partnering on all kinds of projects but this is particularly -- important, and let me talk about what i think the overnight issue was. i think some people said well look at what's going on at the white house. this is another reason for everybody to just assume nothing happens here in the congress. we want to disabuse you of that. i believe what happened yesterday is really a kick in the pants in terms of hey, congress, get going to deal with it in particularly, to not just

reschedule but deschedule. and my own view is, descheduling is kind of a republicans dream. this is a monument to states rights, and sometimes i think republicans go tout give speech and talk about states 'rights but what they really mean is well it is state rights if they think the state is right, and that's not how senator booker and i look at this we believe in state rights and this is the example and another point i make quickly and turn it over to my friend is i feel really strongly about the end of 2ade this bizarre prevision that basically stipulates that even in states that is voted to legalize the small businesses get penalized they don't get the same tax treatment as everybody else and looks like a new day in terms of the tax code. and that is something that is very welcomed.

so we've got a lot of lifting to do and there's no question -- that republicans are looking at this anew because when they hear senator booker and i talk about states right when is we talk about the fact just go home and see what your constituents say because your constituents have voted to go very often further than we saw yesterday. we're beginning to have some momentum behind this and more than anything i want to disabuse the notion that because the white house moved yesterday, things are going to be at a stand still here in the united states congress. i look at this as a chance to get new momentum for our bill, for action on capitol hill, my partner senator booker is when i twoangt school on a basketball scholarship people don't really know i was basketball player senator booker was a football player my mom came to all of the games. and after a game she would always say dear i know you're going out with your friends make sure you're running with the

right crowd. when i'm with senator booker i got the right crowd. cory. >> thank you so much. >> this has been a long journey for me that's why this step in the journey gets me very excited and feeling tremendous sense of gratitude especially when you have arguably two of the most powerful people in the united states senator leader schumer of the finance committee, they're extraordinary leaders and have brought power and momentum to this, in a way that gives me great confidence and the fact that, with their leadership, we have seen more and more senators signing on that has been slow. but the progress and the cosponsors we have -- are a testimony to the progress we're making. i want to be very personal, this is a long journey for me because as a young 20 something knocking on thousands upon thousands of doors in one of america most tracks i was very jarred because

i just come from law school, and had seen from my high school years in a -- middle class affluent community to my college years to my -- graduate school years to my law school years, marijuana use was ewe bike with ubiquitous and hao consequence. you know people use marijuana, they knew who to buy from often other students and there was no consequence. but when you go to community like the one i lived in for the last quarter century, you see that it has a devastating consequence people are arrested for things that people in other communities do routinely with no fear of arrest. and what people don't realize is that it has a destructive impact because of the difficulties in america of getting job at a fast food sphrawnt if you have a prior criminal arrest. we know that when you're applying for colleges you dhak

box you know that -- >> you're applying for rental -- to rent from your housing to your health care, to your economic strength it has a devastating impact. and what is extraordinary this enforcement of our marijuana law doesn't make americans safer if anything it makes us less safe when you drive large portions of a population into poverty because of those criminal convictions. when you see that our precious law enforcement resources are being used to go after nonviolent marijuana users that in years like 2019 there were more marijuana arrests than all criminal -- violent crimes combined. you see this is a waste of law enforcement resources that is hurting our communities. our laws don't make sense. just in the last two weeks i've

talked to people who feel like criminals because they are accessing medical marijuana in places that still don't have that legalized. whether it's people that are using it to fight ptsd or to fight -- having seizures or even just the only thing they can find to help them have a good night sleep and deal with their insomnia. and the hypocrisy to walk around in a institution or colleagues of mine have admitted openly about their marijuana use and meanwhile young -- people in this country african-americans latinos, can't get jobs for doing same things that presidents and senators and congress people have done it is the height of hypocrisy. so i think it is a great step that the biden administration is moving in the direction of -- of not making this a schedule one drug and certainty that have

is outrageous. but honestly the bill that we are reintroducing today is the solution to this long agonizing hypocritical -- frankly, unequally enforced set of bad laws and i'm grateful i stand here in deep gratitude for the leadership of senator wyden and senator schumer and the process that we created. the input that we got how this bill was shaneed not just by the wisdom of the two men i minced before and their teams and my team. but also by so many of the activist and advocates in this space. and so with that, senator wyden will answer all of your tough questions. >> i was just going say there's one benefit of seniority that is i conduct the serious ones and give them young -- to the youngsters and i'll mention one other thing and take questions if the -- reality is that a lot of folks in this country still remember

that reaper madness -- and what i believe is being done now and you've seen the way that biden administration and the president to his credit has wrestled with this issue personally. this is now most moving that ero finally be sidelines pushed to the side we're moving on we're relating to the 21st century i think that is historic and in the context what have senator booker is talking about making sure that you're getting justice particularly for so many americans who have been felt left out. yes. >> should this be attached to or paired with the -- [inaudible conversations] >> let senator booker talk about that. that's a call -- >> step closer -- >> that's a call for senator schumer. you know, obviously, we're now being challenged because it looks like -- you know, senate republicans are just saying no to everything. i mean, i may be missing

something. but i'm involved in a couple of issues that people care about deeply in particular senator booker has been involved in boosting the child tax credit, helping small businesses with their research and development cause, costs. huge boost in lie tech and the leak and close off opportunities, a lot of senators are going to say to themselves how many more must pass bills are there for the senate? so i think what you've got is three senators who have felt their whole host of challenges that we ought to be pursuing right now. but it looks to me that as of noon here on wednesday that the senate republicans are just closing door to everything. >> i always hoped i always hoped that the senate will have a burst of common sense and logic and we've had a couple of those and as i want to turn it over to

booker. answer that question in two years. if i can muster up is you've got, you've got a reality as of noon today that the senate republicans seem to be putting up a blockade i knew that word deliberately against moving forward on some of the other issues . piece of legislation and economic advantage and well clearly opening up the pathway to the businesses is important before i get to the family impact i want to say this is been frustrating to me i have a lot of high hopes for the --

for marijuana legalization creating a opportunity because clearly in our community black and brown communities that would be great for business license and a lot of licenses were issued to minorities. but you and i both know what's happened over the last few years which is -- inability to capitalize on your business and ability to have operational funds you go through of the things inhibitors to creating wealth, business wealth entrepreneurial, generational wealth through the cannabis and we have state operators who are not diverse who are buying up i still remember meeting with a group of african-american leaders business leaders who have gotten licenses who are holding on for dear life, and so getting this out of the illegal area and this is some of the things are saying thanking but decriminalizing this altogether would open up economic opportunity.

i fear that a lot of the hope for this being an industry that's reflective of the american people are gone now. and you're seeing a lot of women women entrepreneurs and decimated by this period of inaction by congress. so that's something that is really frustrating to me. that -- we know that alcohol created generational fortunes for so many, and now that has -- is being denied to -- to a lot of us who had hope about this. but the other aspect of this which -- i don't think many of my colleagues intuitively understand this as much as, obviously, wyden and schumer who talk about this a lot. but i feel sense of urgency because -- black people are 3.7 times more likely to have a marijuana conviction but then i'm a middle

class african-american if you put race and economic status, it is significantly higher than that. and so i go hole -- home to communities where there's been such a concentration of enforcement relative to the communities that a lot of us here in congress have come from including myself that don't see that. they don't understand how economically devastating this is to a family. why knock on those doors that i told you about the first time in 1998 i had a 97 frankly when i started, there was most of the households that i was going to or at least a significant number of them would come forward and say can you help my charge what was the challenge a nonviolent marijuana drug charge in terms of their struggle was incall to me when you expunge records

senator schumer and wyden and those of us on that bill when you expunge records i've been to hearings and seen tears on eyes like shackles being anchors released and they can breathe again and have freedom again that's the urgency for millions of americans that have been affected by the enforcement of marijuana laws. >> people just feel reborn. i'm not to senator booker but that's what people say to me is this chance to in effect get a clean slate i feel like i'm being reborn. >> is there any concern that if the rule is finalized without legislation that some of the inequities that you talked about will be exacerbated they'll get tax breaks people who have been criminalized will not see the advantage. >> again extraordinary negotiation of my friend and --

senior senator, extraordinary negotiations, the banking law that we almost got done in the last really got to the one yard line had elements of equity and inclusion many it that were very, very important. and so i don't to discount what we were able to negotiate. it was a step in the right direction. but what does that mean? [laughter] hearing this is rescheduled -- if it is rescheduled thank god it is rescheduled but what does that mean for the 25-year-old that did the same thing that kids at elite institutions do but now has a criminal arrest does that alleviate there's a problem no it doesn't and if we get safe banking done and bill that we negotiated done thank god we did. but what does it mean? for the mom -- who is trying to raise three kids, but is carrying a criminal

conviction for doing things that two of the last four presidents admitted doing. and so -- i'm happy we're making progress. but there are again, millions of people the individuals that have been arrested, their families, their children, that this is not relief for. that's what is important today is we're putting out a comprehensive bill that would address the ongoing cancerous injustices that are going on with the war on drugs. of the millions of people that are yearning to have justice to put justice in their justice system. and end their night financial nightmares. >> in terms of the rates, senator booker came to me early on and made the point that small, independence really get clobbered under this kind of system and we're going to make

sure now, obviously, you have hearings and the finance committee looked at this. but we're going to make sure that those small independents pay a much lower tax rate number one. but i think we ought to remember that, you know, right now those small independents they're having problems getting the plumber and all of the other kinds of things because they're getting clobbered by inequitable taxes i've always felt in the finance committee that big guys always figure out a way to take care of themselves and what senator booker kale to me and talked to me about was let's make sure that those small companies, the small mom and pops women owned, and others get a fair shake and that's my obligation chairman on the finance committee i'll deliver on it and new momentum to get into those issues. >> as we close -- the senator delivered on housing tax credits. you've delivered on child tax credits and big things done that have not created special programs it just levels the playing field.

>> right. correct giving everybody a fair shot what you've done on this bill what we've done together -- is hope it really is. and i'm a prisoner of hope like you. and -- now that challenge becomes -- doing federally what red states and blue states voters on both sides of the aisle have affirmed again and again and again. the american public supports this overwhelmingly the majority of american republic support everything in our bill this is not a partisan issue when it couples to the people or left to right but folksing the to move forward. the problem is congress right now and the efforts that we have to do to get -- bipartisan support to catch up to what the american people are who know that these outrages, injustice, and this self-imposed economic wounds on our society have to end for that --

>> freeze that last booker thought because this is catch up ball there's no question about it. you know, people always say, you know where is the congress, this case the american people are just happens ahead of us. thank you everybody. >> thank you. we need at least --