The letter below is from Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA 37th District) to a Vote Hemp supporter in reply to a letter asking her to become a sponsor for the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009.

Rep. Laura Richardson
(D-CA 37th District)

If you receive a reply from one of your elected representatives please email a copy of it to Tom Murphy, Vote Hemp's National Outreach Coordinator, at tom@votehemp.com. It will help with our lobbying efforts to know the contents of these letters. We will not publish your name or address and hold them in confidence.

July 15, 2009

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about H.R. 1866, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009. I appreciate your views on this matter and I thank you for sharing your concerns.

As you may know, industrial hemp is included in the schedule one definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act. Therefore, under current federal law, all hemp included in products sold in the United States must be imported instead of being grown by American farmers. H.R. 1866 would repeal this provision and allow American farmers to grow hemp to the extent allowed under state laws.

On April 2, 2009, this bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security of the House Judiciary Committee. Please be assured that I will keep your concerns in mind should this legislation reach the House Floor for a vote.

Again, thank you for taking the time and effort to contact me regarding H.R. 1866, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009. As your Congresswoman, I hope that you will continue to inform me of your opinions so that I can best represent you in the future.

Sincerely,

Laura A. Richardson
Member of Congress