Booker: America should legalize marijuana

For decades, the failed War on Drugs has locked up millions of nonviolent drug offenders, especially for marijuana-related offenses. This has wasted human potential, torn apart families and communities, and squandered massive sums of taxpayer dollars.

Currently, over half of all drug arrests in the United States are due to marijuana—the majority for simple possession. Police now arrest more Americans for simple possession of marijuana than for all violent crimes—murder, sexual assault, and armed robbery—combined.

It’s time the federal government follow the lead of many of our states and our nation’s capital, and begin to take meaningful steps to reverse mass incarceration and address the gross injustices of the failed War on Drugs. It’s time to legalize marijuana in the United States of America.

That’s why I’ve introduced the Marijuana Justice Act of 2017, a bill that if passed will legalize marijuana at the federal level, and incentivize states to legalize it at the state level. The bill would also retroactively apply to those serving time in federal prison for marijuana-related offenses, providing for a judge’s review of their marijuana sentence.

Our federal marijuana laws have not made our country safer—in fact, by enforcing our existing marijuana laws on predominantly low-level, nonviolent offenders, police are forced to take away precious resources from fighting violent crime in our communities.

Marijuana-related offenses are also not enforced equally across race and class. It’s a disturbing fact that while blacks and whites use marijuana at similar rates, African Americans are almost 4 times more likely to be arrested for possession of marijuana.

The War on Drugs has failed all Americans, and has had a disproportionately devastating impact on Americans of color and the poor. Legalizing marijuana across our country is the right thing to do for public safety, and will reduce our overflowing prison population.

If you agree that our marijuana laws have been ineffective and that we can make our criminal justice system more just by legalizing marijuana, please join me in supporting the Marijuana Justice Act of 2017.

Thank you for your support.

Cory

Breakfast Fundraiser with Special Guest Senator Cory Booker in Asbury Park

Pallone, Menendez and Booker Call on Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to Pursue Less Restrictive Summer Flounder Quota

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2015



WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D NJ-06) submitted a letter to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) requesting less restrictive quota limits for summer flounder stock. The proposed 2016 quota within the MAFMC’s preliminary memorandum represents an approximate 25 percent reduction from 2015. This reduction would significantly impact the recreational and commercial fisherman whose livelihoods depend on a fair summer flounder quota. U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-NJ) signed onto the letter.

In the letter, the New Jersey lawmakers wrote, “New Jersey’s fishing economy is still rebounding from Superstorm Sandy, and our fear is that a reduction of this magnitude will have a serious negative impact on commercial and recreational fishermen in New Jersey…Commercial and recreational fisherman throughout New Jersey specifically target summer flounder and derive a significant portion of their income from this species. They are dependent upon sufficient summer flounder quota to remain active in this fishery and maintain their businesses.”

The quota process is in its preliminary stages. The proposed 25 percent decrease must be reviewed by the MAFMC’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), which meets this week. It must then be approved by the MAFMC before going to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries for final approval and implementation.

The full text of the letter follows.

July 21, 2015

Richard B. Robins, Jr., Chairman
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
800 North State Street, Suite 201
Dover, DE 19901

Dr. John Boreman, Chairman
Scientific and Statistical Committee
800 North State Street, Suite 201
Dover, DE 19901

Dear Chairmen Robins and Boreman:

We write today regarding preliminary summer flounder management measures for 2016. According to a preliminary memorandum prepared by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC), a 25% reduction in the Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) for summer flounder is being proposed for 2016. As you review this recommendation, we urge the MAFMC and its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) to further evaluate their options for the upcoming summer flounder fishing year and to minimize any potential negative impacts on the commercial and recreational fishing industry in New Jersey when finalizing any final specifications.

The preliminary memorandum cites poor recruitment and evidence of illegal harvest as major factors for the reduction, while noting that catch of summer flounder in recent years has not been substantially over the ABCs. New Jersey’s fishing economy is still rebounding from Superstorm Sandy, and our fear is that a reduction of this magnitude will have a serious negative impact on commercial and recreational fishermen in New Jersey.

There continues to be a troubling lack of confidence among fishermen and many fisheries managers in the data that guide stock assessments. As Congress considers reauthorization of the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the reliability of data collection remains one of our primary concerns. The 2006 amendments to the act included requirements to develop an improved recreational data collection program, now the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). Yet there is still concern that random sampling is heavily relied upon by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and that the estimates produced are inaccurate. In fact, NOAA has acknowledged this shortcoming and is working to transition to mail surveys from phone surveys because they reach more anglers and provide more accurate information.

Recreational and commercial fishing directed at summer flounder is a critical component of our state's economy. Commercial and recreational fisherman throughout New Jersey specifically target summer flounder and derive a significant portion of their income from this species. They are dependent upon sufficient summer flounder quota to remain active in this fishery and maintain their businesses.

We respectfully urge the MAFMC and its SSC to further evaluate their options for the upcoming summer flounder fishing year and to approve final specifications that minimize any potential negative impacts to New Jersey’s fishing industry. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Frank Pallone
United States Representative

Robert Menendez
United States Senator

Cory Booker
United States Senator

Pallone, Menendez, Booker Decry Administration’s Plan to Open Atlantic Ocean to Oil Drilling

NJ Lawmakers Stress Catastrophic Environmental and Economic Consequences of an Oil Spill near the Jersey Shore

WASHINGTON, DC –  U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-NJ) and Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ-06) released the following joint statement decrying the Department of the Interior’s inclusion of the Atlantic Ocean in its Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program (Five Year Program) for 2017-2022. The draft proposed Five Year Program, which was announced today, allows for oil and gas exploration in a portion of the Mid- and South Atlantic planning areas, encompassing areas offshore of Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia:

“It is unthinkable that the Administration would open parts of the Atlantic Ocean, a fragile and priceless ecosystem that is home to such a unique array of marine life, to oil and gas drilling and potential damage from pollution and oil spills. An oil spill in the Atlantic Ocean would not occur in isolation. A spill anywhere along the Atlantic coast would cause severe environmental damage to beaches, fisheries, and marine life throughout the Eastern Seaboard, while also seriously threatening the ocean-based economies that rely on them. Opening up the Atlantic coast to drill for fossil fuel is unnecessary, poses a serious threat to coastal communities throughout the region, and is the wrong approach to energy development in this country.

“The economic consequences of an oil spill near the New Jersey coastline would be catastrophic. Our beaches are a tremendous resource for all those who come here to enjoy them, and they are a huge economic engine for our state. They are the primary driver of a tourism economy that supports 312,000 jobs in New Jersey and generate $38 billion in economic activities for the state each year. An oil spill near our coast could cause real damage to the state's economy, including the loss of jobs.

“In addition to serious economic concerns, offshore oil drilling threatens permanent and devastating degradation to our environment and natural resources. The Jersey Shore is a priceless natural treasure, providing recreation to generations of families and supporting a thriving ecosystem of marine mammals and sea life that must be protected. As our state continues to rebuild and recover from the unprecedented devastation of Superstorm Sandy, we simply cannot afford a manmade disaster from oil and gas drilling off our coast.

“We learned hard lessons in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy—offshore drilling poses a substantial risk of economic and environmental devastation for our shoreline communities. This latest plan, however, ignores that reality. We should focus our energy policy on expanding renewable production here at home, rather than jeopardizing the environment or our regional economy for the sake of more polluting fossil fuels.

“The Administration attempted to include oil and gas exploration in the Atlantic Ocean in its last Five Year Plan. Ultimately, however, it was removed due to the ecological and economic resources that would be jeopardized by offshore oil and gas activities. It was a bad idea then and is still a bad idea now. We urge President Obama to remove the Atlantic Coast from this plan to ensure that our pristine natural resources are preserved and protected for generations to come.”

Booker's Bill Targets Sports Leagues’ Tax-Exempt Status

Should the NFL continue to reap the benefits of its tax exempt status while it condones wife beaters, child abusers, thugs & gangsters?  NJ's U.S. Senator Cory Booker and others don't think so.


From today's New York Times:

Amid uproar over the N.F.L.’s handling of domestic abuse cases involving some of its players, Senator Cory Booker, Democrat of New Jersey, has introduced a bill that would disallow major professional sports leagues, most notably the N.F.L., from claiming status as tax-exempt nonprofits.

U.S. Senator Cory Booker

The bill is aimed at raising $100 million over 10 years, according to Booker’s office, which would be used to pay for state domestic abuse programs across the country. It is unlikely to gain widespread support.

Under the tax code, N.F.L. teams pay taxes, but the league office, which is funded by dues from its franchises, does not. The league has enjoyed this status, which is similar to those granted to industry associations, since the 1960s.

Other prominent leagues that have a similar status, including the N.H.L. and the women’s and men’s golf and tennis associations, would also be affected.

But, the bill, called the Securing Assistance for Victim Empowerment (SAVE) Act, faces a steep slope to passage. Closing this so-called loophole, which exists under 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code, has been a hobbyhorse of the retiring Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, who pushed for such a bill but was repeatedly unable to gain co-sponsors....

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Booker Staffer Tells Senate GOP Opponent To 'Suck It'

I love this story. You have to give it to those loyal, over zealous staffers, they'll do or say just about anything on the behalf of those they work for and support.

Via TalkingPointsMemo.com

"The perils of digital communications: A staffer for Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) accidentally sent an email Friday to Booker's Republican opponent Jeff Bell with the following message: "JEFF BELL CAN SUCK IT." ... 

Booker's office acknowledged the mistake. 

“Earlier today a young staffer sent an email to Mr. Bell’s campaign by mistake that contained wholly inappropriate language," Beth DeFalco, communications director for Booker, told NRO. "She has apologized to Mr. Bell. Sen. Booker does not condone that type of language or tone being used anywhere.”

Read the full story.