Statement by the President

whitehouse.gov ^ | Statement by the President | DONALD J. TRUMP

[NobleFree]

this particular clause is kind of non-nonsensical. Under what situation are defense funds likely to be used to enforce marijuana laws, specifically against state medical marijuana laws???

The clause is about DoJ not defense: "Division B, section 531 of the Act provides that the Department of Justice may not use any funds made available under this Act to prevent implementation of medical marijuana laws by various States and territories."

[DannyTN]

It’s a defense spending bill.

t’s basically saying that they can’t transfer money from defense to DOJ nor can they use military to support the DOJ when it comes to Medical Marijuana.

It’s an unlikely hypothetical.

[CJ Wolf]

I am sure Trump doesnt care about enforcing fed laws prohibiting medical pot. He signed the right to try, and that would be hypocritical at least.

[DannyTN]

My bad, between the public signing ceremony with the military and the military specific clauses, I was thinking this was just a defense act. It actually includes a bunch of acts.

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 Other Short Titles for portions of a bill

• Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2020
• Department of Commerce Appropriations Act, 2020
• Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2020
• Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2020
• Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2020
• Department of the Treasury Appropriations Act, 2020
• District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2020
• Executive Office of the President Appropriations Act, 2020
• Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2020
• Judiciary Appropriations Act, 2020
• Science Appropriations Act, 2020

[DannyTN]

So what are you thinking is the issue with Division B? If you say it’s not conflicting with prior legislation. Why is it singled out in the signing statement?

[pollywog]

Huge dittos “ simple jargon lady” !! LOL
I stand in need of a translation!

[NobleFree]

So what are you thinking is the issue with Division B? If you say it’s not conflicting with prior legislation. Why is it singled out in the signing statement?

There's no issue with Division B, section 531; the issue is that it's singled out with the seeming suggestion that the executive branch has authority to ignore it and spend money contrary to Congressional authorization. The executive has no such authority under the Constitution.