At a press conference today Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer committed to passing the SAFE Banking Act and other “cannabis reform” in “a bipartisan way”.
When asked “what are your major goals?”, Senator Schumer (D-NY) responded “We have a bunch of different bills, they’ll all have to work in a bipartisan way and we’ll do our best to get many of them done.”
Schumer says this “includes getting $35 insulin, they’re trying to get online child safety done, they’re trying to deal with rail safety, they’re trying to deal with the SAFER Act and Cannabis reform.”
Schumer finished his response by saying “We’ve got a lot to do. If we can work in a bipartisan way, we will.”
The SAFER Banking Act, sponsored by 36% of the entire Senate, would provide explicit federal protections to banks and other financial institutions that provide financial services to state-legal marijuana businesses. The measure was passed through the Senate Banking Committee in September, but it has yet to receive consideration by the full Senate.
Earlier this month in a letter sent to Senate colleagues, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said that in the “weeks and months” ahead, the Senate will work to pass a variety of priorities including to “safeguard cannabis banking”.
“In the weeks and months ahead, we have the opportunity to make progress on bipartisan bills that enhance our national security, advance online safety for kids and promote innovation, expand the Child Tax Credit, work on a path forward on Tik Tok legislation, combat the fentanyl crisis, hold failed bank executives accountable, address rail safety, ensure internet affordability, safeguard cannabis banking, outcompete the Chinese government, lower the cost of prescription drugs like insulin while expanding access to health care, and more”, said Senator Schumer. “There are many important, bipartisan issues this Congress could address this year, and I hope our Senate Republican colleagues don’t allow the ultra-right wing of their party to derail progress on these bipartisan bills.”
