Gardner, Warren Announce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Veterans Working in the State-Legal Cannabis Industry

Statement

U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) announced the introduction of bipartisan legislation that would prohibit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from denying veterans VA-backed home loans based on their employment in their state's legal cannabis industry. Currently, cannabis is considered illegal under federal law, though 48 states including Colorado have laws permitting or decriminalizing marijuana or marijuana-based products. As a result of federal law, the VA can deny home loans to veterans whose verified income is earned from working in their state's legal cannabis industry. Companion legislation is being introduced in the House of Representatives by Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Katherine Clark (D-MA) and U.S. Representative González-Colón (R-PR).

Eligible veterans are able to receive a home loan partially guaranteed by the VA. In states across the country, veterans are among the individuals working in the state's legal cannabis industry. In addition to ensuring that this work will not affect VA home loan guaranty program eligibility, the bill would clarify that the VA's activities related to guaranteeing such a loan would not be a violation of federal controlled substances laws, nor would mere application for a VA-backed home loan violate these laws.

"The citizens of Colorado led the nation in adopting a new approach to cannabis, and our state's veterans have fought for our country all over the world. It's disgraceful that a veteran can be denied a benefit they earned serving our country because they have a job in a legitimate cannabis business," said Senator Gardner. "Unfortunately this isn't the only policy failure due to conflicting state and federal marijuana laws. This is another example in the long list of reasons to pass the STATES Act, which Senator Warren and I introduced to respect the will of the people and take the states' rights approach to legal cannabis."

"Veterans have sacrificed so much for this country, but our outdated federal marijuana laws prevent many veterans from getting the loans they need to buy homes," said Senator Warren. "Our bipartisan bill would ensure that veterans who work in their state's legal cannabis industry can access VA home loans and realize the dream of homeownership."

NOTE: The bill text can be found here.

In addition to today's announcement, Senators Gardner and Warren announced another bipartisan bill that would prohibit U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) from considering an individual's employment in the state-legal cannabis industry as a factor in his or her application for naturalization. Both bills were simultaneously announced as a package of legislative measures that would help improve the lives of individuals who work in the state-legal cannabis industry.

Source