March 12, 2020

Congressman Correa Applauds Passage Of His Veterans' Cannabis Research Act

Washington, DC - Today Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA-46) released the following statement about the passage of two of his bills by the House Veterans Affairs Committee, including H.R.712 - VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2019.

Rep. Correa said, “After years of work, our veterans' bill, the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, was passed by the House Veterans Affairs Committee and is on its way to the Floor. Our nation’s veterans have been calling for alternatives to opioids for decades. Cannabis has the potential to be that alternative.

“My bill puts the needs of our veterans first and ensures the Department of Veterans Affairs takes cannabis seriously and conducts vital medical research. Many studies from around the world show cannabis’s effectiveness for treating PTSD and chronic pain. It’s time we did the research and got our vets the medications they need. We owe it to every veteran to never stop looking for ways to treat their scars.”


BACKGROUND:

H.R. 712 — the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2019 directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct scientific and medical research into the safety and efficacy of medicinal cannabis usage by veterans with diagnoses. The bill directs the VA to provide Congress with a report dictating its plan to conduct research and to report their findings and progress while conducting the study periodically.

H.R. 6018 – legislation related to the specially adapted housing assistance program allows for more accountability and discourages individuals from breaching SAH contract by allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs to recover overpaid funds. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) program offers grants to assist veterans with service-connected disabilities with the purchase, construction, or modification of their homes to meet their unique needs. Currently, VA does not have the explicit authority to recover SAH funds even if it determines there has been substandard work.

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Rep. Lou Correa represents California’s 46th Congressional District. He serves as Chair of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, and as the Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet. Read more here.