Cops on the Hill: Stories from the week of June18, 2021

Cops on the Hill

Stories from the week of June18, 2021

 Like Riding a Bicycle:  Attending a gas and oil conference where 31 Members of Congress made presentations, I was able to have an above average week…woohoo, after 16 months of frustration.  Members bring staff to the confab and I was able to talk to 3 Members and 7 staffers who went with them. And the lunches were tasty!

Live and in Color:  A Legislative Director whom I have known a number of years invited me up to his office for the presentation.  It is a small pain to go thru the extra hoops of security, a badge and other restrictions….and it felt wonderful to chat in person..His Boss, a southern Republican, is a big fan of States’ Rights for marijuana.  We will see if that translates into other drugs.

Big Step Forward:  Congresswoman Coleman-Watson and Bush introduced HR 4020 – the Drug Policy Reform Act,  DPRA – on Thursday, the 50^th anniversary of Nixon’s drug war.  This is the legislation I have been promoting since Labor Day 2020.  See me in a near joyous state.  I will promote the decrim bill, mindful of the 501C status of COPs.  12 co-sponsors so far.  Details at bottom.  Note:  this bill only impacts federal officers. Nonetheless, it starts the discussion and would act as a lighthouse for the States..

Request:  please write to your Member of the House and urge them to support and co-sponsor this legislation.  Sample text below:

3586 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 11 this week..

330 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 03 this week (Stauber of R-MN: Van Duyne, R-TX:  Williams, R-TX)

92 Radio Interviews… 01 this week.. (Medical MJ program in Michigan)

Meetings this week: 01 (International Gas & Oil conference)

COP stats since inception: August 2009

206 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week.

397 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.: 0 this week –

107 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week

44 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribune, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters

31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week

Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”

* Consider being a member of COP at $40.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. 40 dollars buys all the copy paper COP uses in one year. Law Enforcement’s voice in opposition to current policy is vital on the Hill to achieve a repeal of federal drug prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org

Aside from eliminating criminal penalties for drug possession, the Drug Policy Reform Act:

• Automatically expunges and seal records within one year of the bill’s enactment.
• Provides relief for people currently incarcerated or on supervision for certain drug convictions.
• Shifts the regulatory authority for substances listed under the Controlled Substances Act from the Attorney General to the Secretary of HHS.
• Reinvests funds to support programs that work on expanding access to substance use treatment, support harm reduction services, and reduce the criminalization of individuals who use drugs by supporting the development or expansion of pre-arrest diversion programs.
• Promotes evidence-based drug education.
• Prohibits the denial of employment or termination based upon a criminal history for drug possession.
• Explicitly prohibits drug testing for individuals to receive federal benefits.
• Prevents drug use charges/convictions from being held against an individual in order to receive SNAP/TANF, housing assistance and other federal benefits.
• Prevents individuals in the U.S. from being denied immigration status due to personal drug use.
• Prevents individuals from being denied the right to vote regardless if they have served their sentence or not, and restores voting rights to those who have been impacted in the past.
• Ensures individuals with drug convictions can gain access to drivers’ licenses.
• Prohibits the use of civil asset forfeitures related to personal drug possession cases.
• Charges HHS with establishing a “Commission on Substance Use, Health and Safety,” to determine the benchmark amounts for drug possession and publish an online report on their findings within 180 days. The report will also include recommendations for preventing the prosecution of individuals possessing, distributing or dispensing personal use quantities of each drug.
• Improves research on impact of drug criminalization and enforcement.
• Funds data collection and transparency on all available data related to enforcement of drug laws, including local arrests for drug possession and distribution offenses, possession of drug paraphernalia, public or intoxication, loitering, and all other drug-related violations.

Honorable Congressman/woman XXXX

As a constituent and voter, I urge you to support and co-sponsor recently introduced legislation: HR 4020, the DPRA – Drug Policy Reform Act.  This Act which decimalizes all simple drug possession will send a strong signal to the States that the country needs to approach drug use and abuse as a medical issue for doctors, not a criminal matter for police and prisons.  After 50 failed years of Drug War, let us go in another, rational, medical-centered direction.  Portugal has been doing this for 20 years and Oregon since February 2021.

Please let me know your thoughts and actions on this important legislation.

Sincerely,