Governor Polis Calls Out Congressional Vote Limiting Hemp Innovation & Job Growth

DENVER - Governor Polis released the following statement after members of Congress voted in favor of restricting the hemp industry in Colorado and across the country.

"Hemp is a symbol of the American spirit, George Washington grew hemp and Betsy Ross sewed some of the first American flags out of Hemp fiber. It's disappointing to see the federal government leading with fear rather than a vision for the future, and cutting off access to a variety of hemp-based products. Here in Colorado, we are proud of the community of farmers who were the first in the nation to begin growing hemp, and for their positive impact on our economy. I've been proud to advocate for hemp since my time in Congress. From including it in the 2014 Farm Bill to flying a hemp flag over the United States Capitol on the 4th of July, all the way to the State's groundbreaking Colorado Hemp Advancement & Management Plan, Colorado has been defining progress in the hemp industry and taking steps to regulate hemp responsibly. For a party that claims to support business and job growth, they have a funny way of showing it with their continued attempts to stifle growth and innovation," said Governor Jared Polis.

This provision was included in the Continuing Resolution (CR) approved by both chambers of Congress, which ended the government shutdown. Colorado Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper voted against the inclusion of the hemp amendment in the CR package in the Senate; the House voted on the CR with this hemp language included, with Colorado Representatives Gabe Evans, Jeff Crank, Lauren Boebert, and Jeff Hurd all voting in favor of the bill. The rest of the delegation, including Colorado Representatives Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, and Brittany Pettersen, voted no.

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