Lawmakers and Advocates React to Passage of Bill to End Federal Marijuana Prohibition

Lawmakers and Advocates React to Passage of Bill to End Federal Marijuana Prohibition

Drug policy reform advocates and lawmakers celebrated on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019, after a key congressional committee approved a bill to end federal marijuana prohibition for the first time in history. The House Judiciary Committee voted 24-10, including two “aye” votes from Republican lawmakers, to advance the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act. Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) is the bill’s sponsor. The legislation would federally deschedule cannabis, provide expungement and resentencing relief and impose a five percent federal tax on marijuana sales to support investments in communities most harmed by the drug war. It would also protect immigrants from being denied citizenship over cannabis and prevent federal agencies from denying public benefits or security clearance due to its use. Here’s how people are reacting to the bill’s historic passage House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) I thank @HouseJudiciary for marking up the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment & Expungement Act today, an important bill to decriminalize marijuana & reassess convictions. This bill will help communities of color disproportionately hurt by our current marijuana laws. — Steny Hoyer (@LeaderHoyer) November 20, 2019 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) “I have long believed that the criminalization of marijuana has been a…