Dear Mr. ******,
Thank you for contacting me in support of legalizing marijuana for personal use. I appreciate that you took the time to share your views with me.
The Act to Remove Federal Penalties for the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults, H.R. 5843, would eliminate most federal penalties for possession of marijuana for personal use. This act defines that 100 grams or less of marijuana will be considered for personal use, and will not prosecute the not-for-profit transfer of one ounce or less of the drug between adults. H.R. 5843 has been referred to the House Committees on Judiciary and Energy and Commerce for hearings and further review. Although I am not a member of these committees, please rest assured that I will continue to monitor this issue closely to ensure that the safety of our public is guaranteed.
As a former District Attorney and as a father, I am deeply saddened by the rate of drug use in this country. I have dedicated my time in Congress to helping communities build the resources they need to fight drugs and other debilitating social epidemics. With my support, the House passed the Second Chance Act (H.R. 1593) in February 2008 to reduce instances of repeat offenders by helping former prisoners obtain housing, employment, education, and health care. This measure authorizes $362 million over Fiscal Years 2008 and 2009 for Justice Department grant programs to improve the treatment of inmates and to help offenders re-enter communities. I also sent a letter to the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee urging funding for the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities (SDFSC) program as Congress considers next year's budget. This program is the backbone of youth drug prevention and intervention efforts by funding and increasing the number of available drug and violence prevention resources in areas that serve numerous low-income children, are sparsely populated, or have other special requirements. While the President's budget proposal cuts this program by nearly $195 million, my letter to the Appropriations Committee asks for nearly $347 million for this program.
I have also joined with my colleagues in sending a letter to the House Appropriations Committee urging the Committee to fully restore Fiscal Year 2009 funding to the Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program at the historic mark of $40 million. The Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program is one of the most powerful tools we have in addressing the methamphetamine epidemic that is damaging our communities. Having served as ***** County District Attorney for 13 years, I know firsthand how crucial and effective this program is for towns and cities across the country in promoting safe and healthy neighborhoods. Law enforcement and manufacturing restrictions have had a positive impact on our ability to deal with this epidemic, but a critical part of our strategy must involve the treatment of the tens of thousands of addicted individuals who enter our court systems. I am confident that this measure will provide a significant step in the battle to reunite families, save lives, and restore communities suffering from drug-related incidents. While these are vital steps to eliminating this country's battle in the war on drugs, there is much work that yet remains to be done on this front.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me. To receive updates on my work in New York and Washington, visit my website at
Congressman Michael Arcuri : Representing the 24th District of New York to sign up for my regular e-newsletter. Please don't hesitate to contact me again if I can be of help on this or any other matter.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Arcuri
Member of Congress
