The letter below is from Rep. Howard McKeon to a Vote Hemp supporter in reply to a letter asking him to become a sponsor of the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2011.

Rep. Howard McKeon
(R-CA 25th District)

If you receive a reply from one of your elected representatives please email a copy of it to us at hempinfo@votehemp.com. It will help with our lobbying efforts to know the contents of these letters. We will not publish your name or address and hold them in confidence.

June 13, 2011

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me to share your thoughts on H.R. 1831, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009. I appreciate hearing from you and value your input.

This bill was introduced on May 11, 2011 by Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. H.R.1831 would amend the Controlled Substances Act to specify that the term "marijuana" does not include industrial hemp, which the bill would define based on its content of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), marijuana's primary psychoactive chemical.

As you may know, industrial hemp is a variety of Cannabis sativa, which is of the same plant species as marijuana. Hemp has long been cultivated for non-drug use in the production of industrial and other goods. It can be grown as a fiber, seed, or other dual-purpose crop. Hemp fibers are used in a wide range of products, including fabrics and textiles, yarns and fibers, paper, carpeting, home furnishings, construction and insulation materials, and auto parts.

Currently, this bill has been referred to the subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security of the House Judiciary committee, of which I am not a member. Please know that I will be sure to keep your views in mind should this bill come to the House floor for a vote.

For more information on my work in Congress, please sign up for my E-newsletter and text message updates and visit my Web site www.mckeon.house.gov. You can also interact with me on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Thank you again for contacting me; please feel free to continue to inform me of your views on issues important to you.

Sincerely,

Buck McKeon
Member of Congress