"I was pleased to see President Biden's announcement that he will pardon Americans convicted of simple marijuana possession under federal law.  For decades, the unequal enforcement of marijuana laws has broken up families and torn communities apart.  I have advocated for the de-scheduling and decriminalization of marijuana, and this announcement is an important first step toward that goal.  No one deserves to serve a prison sentence simply for using or possessing marijuana. ​
 
"For years, our Democratic Majority has been committed to fixing our broken criminal justice system and addressing racial disparities in policing and sentencing – especially in relation to marijuana possession and non-violent drug offenses. Indeed, House Democrats passed the MORE Act, which would decriminalize marijuana and establish a process to expunge records of past non-violent marijuana offenses, in 2020 and again in 2022.  I join President Biden in calling on the Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services to reexamine the federal scheduling of marijuana and will continue to push for full decriminalization.  ​We must right this wrong and start to heal the wounds that this unjust policy has inflicted on Black and Brown communities across America."