A top leader in the U.S. House of Representatives announced this week that they will hold a floor vote on a bill to end federal cannabis prohibition in December.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) previously announced this summer that the chamber would vote on the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act in September.
The plan had been delayed as some Democrats were concerned about passing cannabis reform before a coronavirus relief package.
Hoyer said on Monday that marijuana legalization is still on the table before the presidential transition and will get a vote in December.
The House will “vote on the MORE Act to decriminalize cannabis and expunge convictions for non-violent cannabis offenses that have prevented many Americans from getting jobs, applying for credit and loans, and accessing opportunities that make it possible to get ahead in our economy,” Hoyer wrote in a Dear Colleague letter to House members.
The MORE Act is sponsored by Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY). It would federally deschedule cannabis, expunge the records of those with prior marijuana convictions and impose a federal five percent tax on sales, revenue from which would be reinvested in communities most impacted by the drug war.
Justin Strekal, political director of NORML, told Marijuana Moment that the organization looks forward “to working with House leadership to ensure the success of the first ever vote to end marijuana on the floor of a chamber of Congress.”
Hoyer’s full letter reads:
Dear Colleague:
As Members of the House prepare to return to session next week, I write to share the busy Floor schedule we have for the remainder of the year.
During the week of November 16-20, much will be happening off the Floor, as Members-elect participate in New Member Orientation and leadership elections take place for both Democrats and Republicans for the 117th Congress. Meanwhile, on the Floor, the House will consider legislation to reauthorize the National Apprenticeship Act and create more than 1 million apprenticeship opportunities by 2025. Advanced by the Education and Labor Committee, this bill streamlines standards for apprenticeship programs, encourages employers to participate, and expands recruitment efforts. It is an important component of the Make It In America plan to grow jobs and opportunities for American workers and businesses and will help us build our economy back better from the crisis created by COVID-19.
Following the Thanksgiving District Work Period, the House is scheduled to be in session Tuesday, December 1 through Friday, December 4 and Monday, December 7 through Thursday, December 10. Members should be prepared to be in session past December 10th if needed to complete our work. Our top priority continues to be enacting legislation to provide relief for those experiencing economic hardship due to COVID-19, and I hope the Senate and the Trump Administration will work with the House to reach agreement on a bill along the lines of what we passed in May and October through the Heroes Act. So far, the Republican-led Senate has ignored this pressing challenge, and it is long past time to act. I hope the Senate will change course and do its job.
Also in December, we will be focused on an omnibus appropriations measure to fund the government for the remainder of FY2021 and prevent a government shutdown on December 11, when the current continuing resolution expires. I also expect the House to consider a conference report on the National Defense Authorization Act to reauthorize key defense programs and ensure that our military has the tools needed to keep our nation safe, as well as a conference report on the Water Resources Development Act. In addition, the House will vote on the MORE Act to decriminalize cannabis and expunge convictions for non-violent cannabis offenses that have prevented many Americans from getting jobs, applying for credit and loans, and accessing opportunities that make it possible to get ahead in our economy.
As we look ahead to the November and December legislative work periods, I hope we can finish the 116th Congress with the same energy and record of achievement that characterized the House over the past two years. We have much work still ahead, and I hope we can move forward together in a spirit of bipartisan cooperation and a determination to finish this year on a strong note, on our way to the very busy 117th Congress that awaits us next year.
Sincerely,
Steny Hoyer
