Connect with us

Politics

Mitch McConnell Says Trump Can Borrow His Hemp Pen To Sign Farm Bill Into Law

Published

on

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said President Donald Trump is free to borrow his hemp pen to sign the 2018 Farm Bill, which would legalize the crop, when it’s sent to his desk.

The senator made the remark on the Senate floor on Wednesday—one day after the chamber overwhelmingly approved the legislation and sent it on to the House.

“I’d be happy to lend him my hemp pen for the occasion,” he said.

McConnell was the chief proponent of a provision to legalize hemp in the Farm Bill and, after the Senate and House Agriculture Committees reconciled their respective versions of the legislation, used his hemp pen to sign the conference report.

He’s since made several comments expressing his excitement about the hemp provision, including an extensive speech on Wednesday that touched on the crop’s history in U.S. agriculture.

“Unfortunately, because of hemp’s illicit cousin, marijuana, the federal government subsequently banned it altogether for generations,” McConnell reflected.

The House is expected to take up the bill soon, possibly as early as Wednesday, and then it will be delivered to the president’s desk to be signed into law. Whether Trump takes McConnell up on his offer to use the hemp pen to do the deed is yet to be seen.

Next House Agriculture Committee Chair Might Grow Hemp On His Farm

Photo courtesy of C-SPAN.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with support from readers. If you rely on our cannabis advocacy journalism to stay informed, please consider a monthly Patreon pledge.
Become a patron at Patreon!

Kyle Jaeger is Marijuana Moment's Sacramento-based managing editor. His work has also appeared in High Times, VICE and attn.

Advertisement

Marijuana News In Your Inbox

Get our daily newsletter.

Support Marijuana Moment

Marijuana News In Your Inbox

 

Get our daily newsletter.