Senators Murray, Cantwell, Bipartisan Colleagues Urge President Trump to Keep Campaign Promise on State Marijuana Laws

press release issued 1/ 25/ 18
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and 52 of their House and Senate colleagues criticized the Trump Administration’s decision to rescind Department of Justice (DOJ) guidance on state marijuana laws, and urged President Trump to adhere to his campaign promise to respect the will of millions of Americans, including over 1.7 million Washingtonians, who have voted to legalize and regulate marijuana.

In a letter to President Trump, the senators urged the administration to reconsider its decision to rescind the DOJ’s 2013 Cole Memorandum, which has allowed states and localities to decide how best to enforce marijuana laws as long as they have sufficient regulations in place. In particular, Senators Murray, Cantwell and their colleagues pointed to the confusion and anxiety the move has caused in states with recreational marijuana laws.

“This action has the potential to unravel efforts to build sensible drug policies that encourage economic development as we are finally moving away from antiquated practices that have hurt disadvantaged communities,” the members of Congress wrote. “This new guidance will have a chilling effect across the country in states that have worked tirelessly to implement voter-approved laws, creating legal and economic uncertainty.”

The members of Congress also urged President Trump to stand by his previous statements in support of state and local rights regarding marijuana:
“As a candidate, you stated: ‘I really believe we should leave [marijuana] up to the states’ and that ‘it’s got to be a state decision.’ We trust that you still hold this belief, and we request that you urge the Attorney General to reinstate the Cole Memorandum. This step would create a pathway to a more comprehensive marijuana policy that respects state interests and prerogatives.”
In 2012, voters in Washington state approved Initiative 502, providing for the production, processing and sale of marijuana to be regulated, licensed, and taxed. Eight other states (Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, and Vermont), as well as the District of Columbia, have also passed recreational marijuana laws. Since the nomination of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a long-time opponent of state marijuana legalization, these laws have had an uncertain future.
Last March, Senators Murray and Cantwell wrote a letter to Attorney General Sessions expressing concerns about how rescinding the Cole Memo would impact states, like Washington, that have legalized marijuana. The senators also sent a letter last week urging the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network at the Department of the Treasury to continue to allow financial institutions to provide banking services for cannabis businesses in states with legal marijuana. (see letter here)

Senator Murray’s Statement on Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ Threat to King County Law Enforcement Funding
press release issued 1/ 25/ 18

(Washington, D.C.)  – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), released the following statement after Attorney General Jeff Sessions threatened to subpoena records and withhold federal funding from King County for its policies related to communication with federal immigration enforcement.

“Threatening to cut off funding for public safety does not make our communities safer. The Trump Administration’s intimidation tactics are reckless, wrong, and in no way reflect the values or priorities of so many communities across our state or country, nor does it reflect responsible use of limited taxpayer resources at the Department of Justice. Instead, this announcement—which strikes even more fear into our communities and attempts to intimidate state and local leaders who have complied with the law—is not about solutions but about pandering to the hard right. If Attorney General Sessions and the rest of the Trump Administration was truly serious about public safety and better cooperation among all levels of government, they would work with Congress to support community policing and other practices that actually keep our communities safe—not threaten this vital funding.”

Senator Murray: “We need a voice to reject such damaging ideological decisions and to champion evidence, science, and sound policymaking. I do not believe Mr. Azar is that champion.”
Press release issued 1/ 24/ 18
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), top Democrat on the Senate health committee, voiced her strong opposition to President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Alex Azar.

In a speech on the Senate floor, Senator Murray reminded her colleagues about the ethics issues of former Secretary Tom Price, who resigned amid scandal, and stressed the importance of putting patients and families first as HHS Secretary. Senator Murray went on to outline a series of concerns about how Azar fails to meet this standard, including his outdated views on women’s health, his past endorsement of health care sabotage, and his record raising drug prices as a pharmaceutical executive at Eli Lilly.
Key Excerpts of Senator Murray’s floor speech:

“After a year of President Trump’s health care sabotage, there were over 3 million more uninsured people in our country. So we need a voice to stand up and defend the health care our families rely on. I am alarmed by Mr. Azar’s statements cheerleading health care repeal efforts, predicting the Affordable Care Act was “circling the drain” even though enrollment stayed strong across the country this year, and detailing specific steps to, as he said, hasten the demise of patients’ and families’ health care.”

“I’m alarmed that Mr. Azar believes a woman’s employer should be able to decide, based on ideology, whether or not her birth control should be covered. I’m alarmed by his extreme and out of touch views on Roe v. Wade, as shown by his support for legislation and political candidates who would undermine the Constitutional rights enshrined in this important decision, and his use of ideological rhetoric in discussing the rights guaranteed to women by this landmark case. Unfortunately, Mr. Azar is latest in a string of ideologically-driven health care appointees from President Trump.”

“After months of Republicans putting politics ahead of funding health care for children—and as Republicans continue to put politics ahead of funding for community health centers, like those in rural Washington state, and those across the country helping underserved communities, as they continue to ignore other primary care programs that bring medical professionals to populations in need like teaching health centers in Spokane—we need strong leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services that will demand we put public health first, not partisanship. And so I urge my colleagues to stand with me in voting against his confirmation.”

Military, Political Strategy Vital to Addressing Terrorist Threat in Somalia, Special Representative Tells Security Council
UN Press release issued 1/ 24/ 18
Following the worst improvised explosive device attack ever carried out, defeating terrorism in Somalia would require the use of both “carrots and sticks”, the Security Council heard today, as representatives were also updated on the humanitarian situation and political developments in the country.
“Al-Shabaab remains a potent threat, despite or perhaps precisely because it is on the back foot as a result of financial pressures, counter-terrorism operations and air strikes,” said Michael Keating, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), introducing the report of the Secretary-General on Somalia
On 14 October 2017, an estimated 512 people were killed, nearly all civilians, in a truck bomb attack in Mogadishu, said Mr. Keating, underscoring that both a military and political strategy were needed to address the continued terrorist threat in the country.
Sustained efforts to address deficits that lent extremists a degree of credibility were also needed, said Mr. Keating, including those that aimed to tackle corruption, lack of educational and job opportunities for young people, weak national justice and corrections capacity, and grievances arising from unresolved disputes.
Beyond terrorism, numerous other daunting challenges faced the county, he said, including chronic poverty and persistent humanitarian needs.  The risk of famine still loomed after four consecutive rainy seasons and food security needs were nearly double the five-year average, with an estimated 62 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.  Malnutrition had reached emergency levels in many locations and were expected to rise, while drought and conflict had displaced more than 2 million people within the country, up to a million of them in the last 12 months, including many children and more than 80,000 pregnant women.
Given the recurrent nature of droughts in Somalia, addressing the root causes of Somalia’s fragility and building resistance to shocks to prevent further refugee flows and displacement was imperative, underlined Mr. Keating.  Continued support was needed to help Somalia break the cycle of recurrent crises that caused so much suffering and undermined the peacebuilding and State-building process. (see more from link source)

From the UN NEWS Center
Libya: UN relief wing and partners seek $313 million to assist hundreds of thousands of people
25 January 2018 – With people across Libya suffering amid the fallout from a protracted political crisis, outbreaks of violence and displacement, the United Nations humanitarian wing and its partners launched on Thursday a $313 million appeal to cover the basic needs of 940,000 who need assistance and protection.

Safety of Rohingya children must be guaranteed, before return to Myanmar – UNICEF
25 January 2018 – Improved security and unimpeded humanitarian access in Myanmar are essential before Rohingya children can be returned from Bangladesh, a senior official of the United Nations children's agency has said.

Spike in attacks on ‘blue helmets’ means UN peace operations must adapt, says peacekeeping chief
24 January 2018 – With United Nations ‘blue helmets’ facing increasingly grave threats, including armed groups with no interest in peace, the UN peacekeeping chief called on Wednesday for greater political engagement and leadership from the Security Council and the world body’s Member countries to ensure UN troops – and the populations they serve – are better protected.




Table of Context for this week's edition


Cantwell Requests More Bomb-Sniffing Canines for Sea-Tac (pg 2)

State adopts Washington’s first reclaimed water rule (pg 3)


Commission advises WDFW on chinook plan that would guide Puget Sound salmon fisheries (pg 4)

Secretary Zinke Approves Initial Plan to Build a Life-Saving Road for Alaska Native Village of King Cove (pg 5)

News Story Commentary:  Inslee's carbon tax proposal,  In a word...INSANE! (pg 6)



Editorial Note: A reminder of our annual fundraising drive, Jan 31st is the last day to donate toward our fundraising goal. So far only $47.00 was collected let's make an effort and donate.