GOP Cannabis Banking Reform Sponsor Says Senate Vote On Hold Until It's Clear House Will Pass It

Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), co-sponsor of the bipartisan cannabis banking bill, says the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act will remain on hold until there's more certainty of its acceptance in the GOP-controlled House of Representatives.

Met with @SteveDaines and we spoke about #SAFEbanking. He said he wants to make sure the House can get it passed before he pushes it across the finish line in the Senate. He said it's meaningless unless the legislation is passed by both the Senate and the House. pic.twitter.com/QSY6uCG3xB

— Rob Sechrist (@m5_rob) October 11, 2023

Daines is focused on ensuring the bill's passage, rather than merely transferring it to the House. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has also consistently pledged his intention to quickly bring the bill to a vote, but things have changed in the House. 

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Last week's ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from his Speaker position has added to an all-around sense of uncertainty as stalemates pile up in the dysfunctional House. The urgency to select a new Speaker is growing as Congress faces a Nov. 17 spending bill deadline to prevent a government shutdown.

Cannabis Banking Reform On The Brink

McCarthy's departure has left cannabis advocates concerned as to whom the Speaker's job, one of the most powerful positions in the government, will fall to. 

The decision of Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) to withdraw from the race on Thursday is not a promising sign for cannabis reform. The remaining contender, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) has opposed every cannabis reform bill that's come his way, including legislation to make it easier to conduct scientific research on cannabis.

“It’s not as if it was easy before all this,” Justin Strekal, former political director of NORML told MJBiz. “And this does make it harder.”

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