To as amended. And without objection, each of the measures as amended is ordered favorably reported as a single amendment in the nature of a substitute. Staff is directed to make any technical and conforming changes. And that concludes our business for today. I want to thank Ranking Member engel and all our Committee Members for their assistance in this markup. The committee is adjourned. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2014] earlier today, nancy pelosi help her weekly briefing. Here are some of her remarks. Stunt. Fact is this is a this is a political stunt. Issa just a damaged goods. They had to move from into another venue with another chairman. That is what this is. . Regularthe order. Does the minority have a right to call witnesses. They try to use the climate and Energy Select community. It was only established that we can have a couple of bills duns. The record there was there is only one subpoena in four years issued and it was unanimous. T was unanimous this is a completely different set up. I think the chairman has already called an investigation. Think he called it a trial. A trial. Does that tell you everything you need to know . Says i dont want this to be a certain is. I think he is saying something that are looking Service Circus like. I have evidence that not only are they hiding it that there is an intent to hide it. I cannot disclose that yet. A decision to withhold certain documents from congress. I have ahe statement . Great respect for the speaker. Able, ixtent that he is think he was trying to have this. It serves them better than to let them be themselves. Them show wholet they are with all of this. Any of our witnesses can hold their own. There is another school of thought that we are seeing how they operate. Todayswas some of briefing with the nancy pelosi. You can watch the entire briefing anytime online at cspan. Org. And sarah of the center for American Progress has federal policies that trickle effect working mothers including Maternity Leave and the pay gap between men and women. High School Seniors talk about preparing for the events placement u. S. Government exam. Let me be clear. I am not defending ms. Lerner. I want to hear what she had to say. I have questions about why she was unaware of the inappropriate criteria a year after they were created. I want to know what she did not mention the inappropriate criteria in her letters to congress. I cannot vote to violate an individuals fifth amendment right just because i want to hear what she has to say. In much greater principle is at stake here today. The sanctity of the fifth amendment rights for all citizens of the United States of america. Quite i have never alleged this goes to the president. I have said the tea party with clearly be described as enemies to the president policies. That is easy to understand. This is citizens united. In support of the president s position using her power. With that i yelled back. Ehouse debate on holding lois lerner and contempt of Corner Congress for refusing to answer questions about targeting conservative. John argues the obama administrations foreign policies will harm regional and International Save the. Sunday at 7 30 p. M. On cspan2. Tv, thecan history newly unveiled restoration of George Washingtons mount vernon dining room. Next, a house hearing looking at the drake, the decriminalization of marijuana. She says they House Oversight said committee is singling out edc Council Approved a bill to end arrest for possession. Vincent gray has signed the bill but has yet to take effect. This is one hour and 15 minutes. I would like to welcome everyone and called to order the subcommittee and operation. Its is the subcommittee of the south oversight committee. The title of todays hearing is mixed signals, the administrations policy on marijuana. Ofs is the third on a series hearings that we have been in on the subcommittee to conduct some andhe changes in the law also some of the practices that we are seeing across the country in the heart to the use of an enforcement of law relating to marijuana. Other members wish to be recognized. When we finished with that, we have two panela this morning. We have the delicate from the district who we will hear from first. Fourwe have a panel of witnesses that we will hear from in the second panel. We gather today and i will start out by saying an opening statement. The filling an important responsibility of the congress. That is the oversight role of this committee. Peoplesent here by the not only to legislate on some the mosts also conduct important oversight role in the house of representatives. This is a longstanding committee. I am a Senior Member having served chair anywhere. It does this still an Important Role in keeping government accountable and responsible. There were some announcements about what the committee was doing looking at the districts law. All, the district of state. A is not a it is not a territory. It is not a possession. It is a federal district. It is provided for under the constitution and a specific statute. Me just say that the law we are talking about will impact not only the people of the district but the people of the United States. We have millions of people visiting us each year. Law that is in contact with some federal laws. We have a responsibility to refute its implications. Am i singling out the District Of Columbia for examination of the impact . Absolutely not. We have helped to previous hearing in which we specifically colorado the impact in were just gone beyond the statute in the district. States. Ooking at other they are the marijuana for medical use. Directed to our responsibility under the constitution in law, particularly in unique responsibility of congress. In response to the responsibility over the District Of Columbia. March 4 we did a hearing with a colorado u. S. Attorney. Day thatout on that the d. C. Council voted to do terminal eyes to decriminalize the possession of marijuana. It is significant. , let me put the slide appear, more than 20 of d. C. Is federal land. Thes unclear as to how criminalization will affect marijuana position possession and consumption on federal land. Im colorblind but they tell me the green you see, there is a great deal of territory that is federal land. They asked the question of staff what if i am standing on the mall which joins the avenue with , what then each impact of enforcement would be. No one could tell me. Many questions that have been raised by the districts adoption of a bill that reduces the penalties for Marijuana Possession is currently punishable by jail time to a civil of the its. It is in conflict with some of the federal statute. Currently we have marijuana as one narcotic. Ofhave Different Levels penalties for its use on federal property which you can see we have a great deal in the District Of Columbia. That is one of the reasons we are here. We have some people including our witness question. Remi review the of your teeth. Let me review the authority. Isicle one section eight very evident to exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever over the district. Our authority in this regard stems from the constitution. Ofwas created by an act congress in 1790 and a 1973ently there is law. You want to put that up russian it says the congress of the United States reserves the right itsny time to exercise ofstitutional the doherty legislature for the district. We do have very clear at doherty. We have the Reform Committee that dates back to the early 1800s. Theress wanted hunt only authorizers to conduct appropriators,he those who created agencies or the District Of Columbia but also who appropriated this. They wanted a third heartbeat. We happened to be that thirdparty on the committee. Rule that thiss is our responsibility. Will so sell are constitutional and statutory responsibility and conduct of this hearing. The the here to did merits or demerit of criminal law. We are here to examine the impact. We are here to examine the enforcement question and a host of questions. This is not the last hearing. We started out with a Deputy Director of the white house policy drug. He testified to a number of items in conflict with statements we heard from the president s of the United States about the impact of the current marijuana that we see in the marketplace. Impact, its impact on the performance and intelligence of individuals. They told us some reasons why we should not lessen penalties and why we should again let that what is being done around the United States. Some agencies of the administration are not in turmoil trying to figure out how they can comply with changes in the District Of Columbia, colorado, or some 20 state laws that have been passed. Fact, with many local and federal Law Enforcement agencies, i would ask the staff, have we got a list . In the District Of Columbia we listthis pretty extensive of Enforcement Agency starting with the United States capitol police. The United States secret service. The United States part lease. Even these the sodium police. We have a whole host of agencies here fewer cars with enforcing the law within the District Of Columbia. Here. Cars enforcing the law within the District Of Columbia. Again. We have issues that relate not only to the district or Law Enforcement with other multiple within the District Of Columbia and have a legitimate Law Enforcement role in the district. Theyre here to look at some of the issues to ask for the implications. Whether or not we will make any further recommendation im not going to prejudge. We have not heard all of the testimony. Invited the district to also send a representative from the district town will. I think i chose not to do that. I am disappointed they are not sending someone that actually adopted the policy. We do want to provide an opportunity for the representative of the district, ms. Norton, to testify and to have her position stated on the record as we will do in just a minute. Are there further members that would seek recognition . Thank you. I want to thank you for holding this hearing. I think the statements in the previous hearings, the Deputy Director that came here spoke for themselves. They speak for the need of the president to replace those people will and that people in positions that reflect the values of america and 2014 and the values president obama has a spouse and the people have espoused voting in the state. Recreationale marijuana. This particular case, one of the things that i really like but the states adopting this is lewis friend ice louis brandeis. Try things the others could learn and see what is good in that. This is a separate jurisdiction. It can be a laboratory of democracy. No better laboratory of democracy right here with the members are situated where they can see and be around the next. Hall this law affects the populace. It has an impact upon africanamericans. It has a big effect on this d. C. Budget. It takes away from other priorities that could be people spending on human issues that need to be addressed. Job. Es such a wonderful i am a strong supporter of them having the autonomy to address the issues as they did a 101 vote. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this. Thank you. Thank you. I should have asked for unanimous consent to since youre not on the specific committee to participate. Without objection we have granted you the ability to participate. Unanimous consent be allowed to participate without objection. So. Me recognize further members of the subcommittee first. If you want to be heard. Ok. Will go to dr. Fleming. Your recognize. You are recognized. Thank you for allowing me to sit in on this. I would like to speak for a moment not so much specifically about the law and levis ability of relaxing laws on marijuana but just to speak as a physician as a father. A family physician who has been an alcohol and drug medical direct your twice, someone who , the director twice someone who wrote a book and what the impact of marijuana is today in america and changing attitudes. It was back about 20 years ago i believe that there was identified some theoretical value with the use of marijuana medicinally in the case of dying cancer patients. They gave them some comfort. No one has any problem with attending to the needs of the dying patients, someone with a terminal illness. Intoow this has morphed claims that marijuana actually cures cancer, that it is necessary to treat nausea and many other claims that have been completely disputed by the medical community. Theres nothing that marijuana treats today that cannot be divided by other medications that are much safer. The most common diagnoses for young will admitted to Rehab Centers today is for marijuana addiction. Make note mistake about it no mistake about it. Theres a discussion as marijuana as a gateway drug. Drug addicts tell me every drug is a gateway to another drug. Marijuana is not excluded and i would include alcohol and perhaps tobacco. Any exposure of an addicting substance also often needs to a worse addiction. What else do we know . We have many studies now that confirm this that the human matureoes not fully until almost age 30. Yet the average age of a child he has first exposure to all alcohol or marijuana is around 11. These actually modify the rain and its chemical the brain and its biochemical pathways and the neurotransmitters and sets the stage for addiction later in life. Children who are exposed to such addicting substances prior to age 15 had a fivetime greater risk of future addiction than those who are not. Is no question that the rate of addiction goes up with exposure in young people. Two very recent studies have come out with an important impact. One is eating published in neuroscience. The peoplei scans who use marijuana only once or twice a week. What they found was profound changes into aspects of the brain, areas that confirm what we believed all along. That is something call the motivational amotivational syndrome. Also, the incidence of psychiatric diseases, particular schizophrenia is higher. Heart disease. We are seeing a spike in Heart Disease among marijuana users as well. There is also a libertarian argument on this that why should government stand in the way of old utilizing a substance that they wish to do so . Theoretically that mixed antiof sense. The problem is you never hear libertarians and make the claim that when i am unable to get and keep a job and i can no longer support my family that i will also tell the government not to take care of us through our going entitlement system. Always challenge those who argue on a libertarian bases you cannot have it both ways. You can do whatever you want with your body, ride a motorcycle without a helmet or whatever, do not expect taxpayers to take care of you when you are suffering from those circumstances. Have, i want to be sure we the facts in front of us. Were getting reports in colorado were marijuana has recently been made been made legal. It is finding its way into food. Children have actually ingested emergency marijuana become quite ill. These are all important things i want to make sure we have on the table. I thank you for the opportunity to join everyone today. I yield back. To other members wish to make Opening Statements . With all due respect, i want to clarify the libertarian position. This should be the libertarian. I interact with people every day on the subject because of my stance on that. I would actually say that there is a faux Libertarian Group out there who make the claim on the basis you say but they never come with the second part. I agree with you. If you were to take a stance, if i were to ride a motorcycle without a helmet or to use marijuana and tell the government to stay out of my life, and like you we should also demand that government not provide us the charge ofo the taxpayers to take care of us. Philosophically. There are many who make the claim under the umbrella of libertarianism. It is not libertarianism at all. I agree. Question . Sk you a time which tohad yield. Your argumentat should be. Outlaw alcohol so we do not have to pay for the alcoholics he cannot do a job . Should we get rid of alcohol . Great question. Has been ancohol accepted part of our coulter and religious practices for centuries. We did try, even with an amendment to the constitution to prohibit the use of it. It was not culturally except did. It is problematic. A medicalso say on bases that moderate amounts of ingestion of alcohol actually have positive health effects. That is not to diminish what it can do. It can damage the brain and many other organs. Event therealistic cultural acceptance of alcohol to prohibit it the same that the strip tobacco. As recently as the 1950s, does recommended smoking at least on commercials for health. Of course a 1969 that it causes lung cancer and many other problems. We have done a lot of things to mitigate the damage of it. Marijuana is different. The public has never excepted marijuana as part of our culture. That seems to be changing. I think we can change it. I yield back my time. I think the gentleman. As you can see, there is a lot not only