As we honor our veterans on Veterans Day, H.R. 9495, a new bill, is being quietly fast-tracked through Congress that could jeopardize the very rights they fought to protect. This legislation, presented under the guise of “national security,” could have sweeping effects on advocacy groups and nonprofits—especially those in the cannabis industry that challenge powerful interests.
Here’s What’s Happening
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) has requested that H.R. 9495 be expedited on a day when Americans are focused on honoring those who defended our freedoms. The bill’s language is broad, allowing the government to potentially label any advocacy group as “disruptive” and silence them under vague “national security” pretenses.
If passed, this law could fundamentally shift the landscape, allowing those with monopolistic ambitions to dominate the cannabis space by sidelining advocacy groups that hold them accountable. The cannabis movement has been about access, transparency, and community, yet this bill threatens to dismantle its most essential protectors.
Why Everyone Should Be Paying Attention
Even if cannabis isn’t your cause, this bill sets a dangerous precedent. What happens in a few years if an administration with opposing beliefs uses this law to silence any movement that doesn’t align with their agenda? H.R. 9495 could enable the government to label any advocacy group as “disruptive” and shut it down without due process.
This isn’t just a cannabis issue; it’s about preserving our right to advocate, support, and protect the causes we believe in.
Why the Urgency?
By pushing H.R. 9495 through on Veterans Day, when national attention is elsewhere, Congress is moving it with limited public scrutiny. This fast-tracked process includes restricted debate, no amendments, and minimal review—a strategy typically reserved for non-controversial legislation.
If we don’t pay attention, we risk losing the rights that have been fundamental to the cannabis industry’s growth—and to any cause that depends on freedom of advocacy.
Call to Action: What You Can Do Right Now
To make a difference, here’s how you can get involved:
-
Contact Your Representatives: Call or email your representatives, expressing your concerns about H.R. 9495. Urge them to oppose fast-tracking it without thorough review.
-
Unite with Industry Peers: This is the time to join forces. Reach out to cannabis advocates, consumers, and organizations, and encourage unity. Strength lies in numbers.
-
Raise Awareness on Social Media: Share this post or create your own to spread awareness. Tag lawmakers, news outlets, and industry leaders. Use hashtags like #ProtectCannabisAdvocacy and #CannabisRightsNow.
-
Sign and Share Petitions: Find or create petitions calling for a halt to H.R. 9495 until it receives full scrutiny, and share widely.
-
Stay Engaged: Follow policy updates, engage in conversations about advocacy rights, and support cannabis organizations fighting for consumer protection.
This is About More Than Cannabis – Protecting Our Rights Matters
At the end of the day, this bill goes beyond cannabis. It’s about the right to advocate freely and ensuring that no administration can undermine that freedom. As we honor our veterans, let’s also protect the rights they fought to secure.
Our advocacy, our voices, and our rights are at stake. Now is the time to come together and protect what matters.