U.S. Congress: Legislation to Deschedule Cannabis, Allow Expungements, Gains 61st Sponsor

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act added another backer this week, with Congressmember Julie Johnson (D-TX) signing on as the bill’s 61st sponsor, continuing a steady expansion of support for ending federal marijuana prohibition. Johnson’s decision comes at a pivotal moment for federal marijuana policy. President Trump is widely expected to move forward with rescheduling marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act as early as this week, according to multiple media outlets. Sources tell The Marijuana Herald that Trump also plans to establish a federal commission by the summer of 2026 to study full descheduling, signaling that additional reforms could follow beyond the initial administrative action.

The MORE Act would remove marijuana entirely from the federal Controlled Substances Act, ending prohibition at the national level while leaving states in control of their own marijuana laws. The bill also includes sweeping criminal justice provisions, including the expungement of certain federal marijuana convictions, resentencing opportunities for individuals currently incarcerated, and the creation of reinvestment programs intended to support communities disproportionately impacted by past enforcement.

In addition, the legislation would impose a federal excise tax on marijuana sales, with revenue directed toward job training, youth programs, re-entry services, and other community initiatives. The bill would also prevent marijuana-related convictions from being used to deny federal housing, loans, or public benefits, and would allow marijuana businesses to access Small Business Administration programs.

The MORE Act has passed the House twice in previous sessions, both times when Democrats controlled the chamber. While it continues to gain Democratic support, the bill still does not have any Republican sponsors.

A separate proposal, the STATES 2.0 Act, takes a narrower approach by focusing on protecting state marijuana laws and has attracted limited bipartisan backing, though far fewer total sponsors.