Senate sponsors of SAFER Banking marijuana bill have have not met yet in 119th Congress

On Capitol Hill, Sen. Jeff Merkley chats with Ask a Pol on the intersection between the US Capitol, Supreme Court and the Senate Office Buildings (the Senate Russell Building’s in back of the senator). Photo: Matt Laslo

Who?

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) — Sponsor, SAFER Banking Act

LISTEN: Laslo & Merkley

Ask a Pol asks:

Any update on SAFER Banking Act this Congress?

Key Merkley:

“No. We’ve tried to schedule several meetings,” Merkley tells Ask a Pol. “We’ll keep trying to do it.”

ICYMI — Laslo’s wire service, The LCB, first sold this interview to sister publication Marijuana Moment

Source: Marijuana Moment

Caught our ear:

“There’s been will,” Merkley tells us. “But other things, like war and Reconciliation, have interrupted them.”

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), slightly edited for clarity.

TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Jeff Merkley

SCENE: Sen. Jeff Merkley’s walking up to the US Capitol on a blisteringly sunny and damp humid summer day. Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo spots the senator from his perch in the Capitol’s historic — and shady — Senate Carriage Entrance.

Historic Senate Carriage Entrance of US Capitol, where horses, not Beamers, used to drop senators off. Photo: Matt Laslo

Laslo stomps out a smoke and greets the senator with a quick inquiry on the SAFER Banking Act — a broadly bipartisan cannabis banking measure, which, as far as we know, hasn’t been discussed seriously in either chamber of this 119th Congress…

Caught our eyes: We have a hunch this Mercedes Benz with its Ohio-approved vanity plate, which is by far the nicest car a senator’s driven to a vote in recent memory. Hell, former Sen. Burr recently didn’t even have a working roof on his down to earth wheels.* Photo: Matt Laslo

ICYMI — Marijuana debate MAYBE coming this fall? Lead GOP SAFER sponsor Bernie Moreno tells Ask a Pol Drugs

Fall is earliest Senate will take up cannabis banking, according to new SAFER Banking Act sponsor

Classic: Sen. Burr’s wheels parked outside US Capitol

RIP: We miss this car puttering about the Capitol grounds. Its driver, former North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr once walked up to a smoking Matt Laslo on the Capitol steps. “Enjoying your home state product, sir.” The Senator stops. Casually rolls a wad of dip from one cheek to the other. Spits. “Son, if you keep smoking those and eating Krispy Kremes you’ll go to Heaven.” Photo: Matt Laslo

Transcript: Sen. Jeff Merkley (7-2-2025)

Matt Laslo: “Do you have — any update on SAFER Banking Act this Congress?”

Merkley sighs as he pulls one of the Capitol’s heavy wooden doors open.

Jeff Merkley: “No. We’ve tried to schedule several meetings. We’ll keep trying to do it.”

ML: “And haven’t been able to?”

Laslo’s making eye contact with the two Capitol Police officers stationed at the security checkpoint that Senators get to bypass, though not reporters.

JM: “Pardon?”

ML: “Haven’t been able to?”

JM: “There’s been will, but other things like war and reconciliation have interrupted them.”

The Officers nod quasi-approvingly to Laslo because the Senator keeps talking.

ML: “Yeah? [Sen. Bernie] Moreno (R-OH) told us maybe the fall?”

JM: “Hopefully sooner than later, in my mind.”

Merkley walks past the

ML: “Yeah? Thank you, sir.”

Laslo heads back out to try and find his smoke...

ML: “Have a good one.”

Logan Johnson contributed to this report.

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This Congress sucks: What should we ask em next!?!