'This Just Isn't A Good Bill:' Rep. Conor Lamb Explains No Vote On Decriminalizing Marijuana
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
WASHINGTON (KDKA) - On Friday in Washington, the United States House of Representatives made history.
A bill was passed that would end the federal ban on marijuana.
It is the first time in United States history that either chamber of Congress has voted on the issue, and the vote effectively would decriminalize marijuana nationwide.
The bill would also clear some marijuana-related criminal records.
As expected, the bill happened mainly along party lines, with a few exceptions.
All Pennsylvania Republicans voted no, except for Guy Reschenthaller, who did not vote.
Local Democrats were split - Mike Doyle voted yes and Conor Lamb voted no, along with five other Democrats.
"This just isn't a good bill," Rep. Conor Lamb said. "I don't say that because of the issue of marijuana, I actually support marijuana decriminalization if done in a careful way. We should start with medical marijuana and make sure there are good rules in effect, so that people are protected from substances that maybe aren't good, that kids are protected, all that kind of stuff."
Lamb went on to explain his opposition as taking a popular idea too far.
"What this bill was, was your classic Washington example, and unfortunately something that is way too common these days, of taking a pretty decent idea and just rushing all the way to the extremes with it," Lamb explained.
However, it is unlikely that the "MORE Act of 2019" will become law, at least for the time beings, because the Senate is not expected to take up the bill before the end of the current congressional session.