The U.S. House of Representatives voted Friday to decriminalize cannabis nationwide, with three Republicans joining all but two Democrats in passing the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act.
Passed by a vote of 220 to 204, the MORE Act would legalize cannabis nationwide and drop criminal penalties for growers, distributors and purchases of the plant.
Republicans Tom McClintock of California, and Brian Mast and Matt Gaetz, both of Florida, voted for the bill. Democrats Henry Cuellar of Texas and Chris Pappas of New Hampshire voted against it.
It was the second time the House has approved the MORE Act in the last two years. After passing the House roughly along party lines in 2020, the bill died in the Senate.
The legislation again faces a steep uphill battle in Congress’s upper chamber.
Senate Democrats would need the full support of all members of their party, as well as 10 Republicans, in order to reach the 60 vote threshold to pass a bill with the legislative filibuster in effect.
If approved by both houses of Congress and signed by President Joe Biden, the legislation would establish procedures for expunging prior marijuana convictions from people’s records and institute a national tax on cannabis products. It would also prevent federal agencies from denying employees security clearance based on marijuana use and would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to recommend cannabis for medical use.
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“This landmark legislation is one of the most important criminal justice reform bills in recent history — delivering justice for those harmed by the brutal, unfair consequences of criminalization; opening the doors of opportunity for all to participate in this rapidly growing industry; and decriminalizing cannabis at the federal level so we do not repeat the grave mistakes of our past,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday.
