Subj: Tell your members of Congress not to overturn Init. 59!
========================================================================
Please distribute this alert widely! Forward to your family and
friends, or send them to http://www.mpp.org/i59alert.html.
========================================================================
TO: Interested persons
FROM: Robert D. Kampia, MPP executive director
DATE: Friday, September 24, 1999
SUBJECT: Please tell your three members of Congress not to overturn
Initiative 59!
========================================================================
On Monday, September 20, the D.C. government finally released
the results of Initiative 59, the medical marijuana initiative in
Washington, D.C. The initiative, which D.C. residents voted on in
November 1998, was shown to have passed by a 69-31 margin.
(In October 1998, Congress passed a law that prohibited the
D.C. city government from spending any money to count the votes on
Initiative 59. On Friday, September 17, a federal judge overruled
this congressional action, ordering the local D.C. government to
release the initiative results.)
Congress now has 30 working days to kill the new medical marijuana
law, as per its usual authority to review all new D.C. laws. If the
House and Senate pass legislation to overturn the initiative -- and
President Clinton signs the legislation -- then Initiative 59 will be
prevented from taking effect. If no such federal legislation passes,
however, then Initiative 59 will take effect at the end of the 30-day
review period.
Only three times in history has the federal government overturned
a new D.C. law, and each time it involved a law passed by the D.C. city
council. The federal government has never overturned an initiative that
was passed by the voters of Washington, D.C.
BACKGROUND:
Excerpt from article in The Washington Post on September 23
Rep. Robert L. Barr (R-Georgia) said yesterday that he will
introduce legislation to nullify Initiative 59, the District referendum
to legalize the medical use of marijuana. ...
"It would be a travesty for Congress to stand by and allow a
handful of activists to overturn federal narcotics laws with an
argument that is, medically speaking, the worst kind of quackery,"
Barr said.
District voters approved the initiative in November, 69 percent
to 31 percent, but the votes were not tallied until Monday after a
federal judge rejected Congress's attempt to seal the results.
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR THREE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
TO CALL: To call the offices of your U.S. representative and two
U.S. senators, please call the congressional switchboard
operator at 202-225-3121.
Please ask each of them to "vote against any congressional
legislation that would overturn the results of the medical
marijuana initiative in Washington, D.C." Please remember to
provide your name and address in order to show that you are
a constituent who lives in their district or state.
(sample letter for fax, mail, or e-mail)
Dear ______________:
I am writing to ask that you please vote NO on any
legislation that would overturn the District of Columbia's
new medical marijuana law.
As you probably know, on September 20, the D.C. city
government released the results of Initiative 59, the medical
marijuana initiative that D.C. residents voted on in November
1998. On September 20, initiative was shown to have passed by
a 69-31 margin.
If Congress allows the initiative to stand, then
seriously ill people in the District of Columbia will be
allowed to use medical marijuana legally if they have their
doctors' approval.
Patients shouldn't be arrested and sent to prison for
using medical marijuana, and D.C. voters have the right to
give patients in the District that protection.
Already, certain members of Congress are saying that they
want to overturn the initiative during the 30-day period that
Congress has to review all new D.C. laws.
Would you please write back to let me know if you will be
voting NO on legislation that would overturn the District of
Columbia's new medical marijuana law?
Thank you. I look forward to receiving your response.
TO FAX: To fax, please call the offices of your U.S. representative
and two U.S. senators to get their fax numbers.
[FOR NEVADA]
TO WRITE: U S Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D) 1505 LONGWORTH HOB
WASHINGTON DC 20515-2801
(202) 225-5965 x1505
E-mail: shelley.berkley@mail.house.gov
U S Congressman Jim Gibbons (R) 100 CANON HOB
WASHINGTON DC 20515-2802
(202) 225-6155 x100
E-mail: mail.gibbons@mail.house.gov
U.S. Senator Harry Reid, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510
E-mail: senator_reid@reid.senate.gov
U.S. Senator Richard Bryan, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510
E-mail: senator@bryan.senate.gov
========================================================================
Please distribute this alert widely! Forward to your family and
friends, or send them to http://www.mpp.org/i59alert.html.
========================================================================
HOW TO SUPPORT THE MARIJUANA POLICY PROJECT:
To support MPP's work and receive the quarterly newsletter,
"Marijuana Policy Report," please send $25.00 annual
membership dues to:
Marijuana Policy Project (MPP)
P.O. Box 77492
Capitol Hill
Washington, D.C. 20013
http://www.mpp.org/join-mpp.html
202-232-0442 FAX