WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the below statement following the announcement by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) that he will be introducing legislation to decriminalize marijuana. Booker is the author of the landmark Marijuana Justice Act, introduced last summer, that would remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances, making it legal at the federal level.

“Senator Schumer’s announcement today is an important step forward that broadens the base of support for fixing our nation’s broken drug laws. He’s on the right side of history and I am increasingly confident that more and more elected officials will join the common sense call to tear down the failed and destructive War on Drugs. I applaud Senator Schumer’s announcement, and particularly appreciate his focus on investing in the communities most impacted by marijuana prohibition."

In addition to removing marijuana from the list of controlled substances, Booker’s Marijuana Justice Act would incentivize states through federal funds to change their marijuana laws if those laws were shown to have a disproportionate effect on low-income individuals and/or people of color. The bill is retroactive and would apply to those already serving time behind bars for marijuana-related offenses, providing for a judge’s review of marijuana sentences.

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) became the first Senator to cosponsor the Marijuana Justice Act last year and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) became the second in February. Yesterday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) became the third Senator to cosponsor the bill.

In addition to these Senate cosponsors, Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) introduced a companion measure in the House of Representatives earlier this year. It has more than 20 cosponsors in the House.

Specifically, the Marijuana Justice Act will:

  • Remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances, making it legal at the federal level;

  • Incentivize states through federal funds to change their marijuana laws if marijuana in the state is illegal and the state disproportionately arrests or incarcerates low-income individuals or people of color for marijuana-related offenses;

  • Automatically expunge federal marijuana use and possession crimes;

  • Allow an individual currently serving time in federal prison for marijuana use or possession crimes to petition a court for a resentencing;

  • Create a community reinvestment fund to reinvest in communities most impacted by the failed War on Drugs and allow those funds to be invested in the following programs:

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    • Job training;

    • Reentry services;

    • Expenses related to the expungement of convictions;

    • Public libraries;

    • Community centers;

    • Programs and opportunities dedicated to youth; and

    • Health education

Booker has seen the effects of our broken marijuana laws first-hand, dating back to his time as a tenant lawyer, City Council member, and Mayor of Newark, where he created the city’s first office of prisoner re-entry to help formerly incarcerated individuals re-integrate into their communities.

In the Senate, Booker has been an outspoken critic of Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ effort to revive the failed War on Drugs. In addition to the Marijuana Justice Act, last year, he re-introduced the bipartisan CARERS Act, which would allow patients to access medical marijuana in states where it’s legal without fear of federal prosecution. He is also co-author of bills to restrict the use of juvenile solitary confinement and reform the way women are treated behind bars.

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