Federal law would no longer treat marijuana as a controlled substance: cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinols would be struck from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, and the Attorney General would have to finalize a deschedule rulemaking within 180 days. Federal courts would expunge non-violent federal cannabis convictions entered on or after May 1, 1971, and people still incarcerated could petition for resentencing, with court-appointed counsel for those who cannot afford one. A new federal excise tax on cannabis products would start at 5% of the removal price, rise to 8% over five years, then convert to a per-ounce or per-gram rate tied to the prevailing market price; revenues feed a new Opportunity Trust Fund. The trust fund splits 50% to community reinvestment grants, 10% to a Cannabis Justice Office for licensing-equity programs, and two 20% shares to Small Business Administration loan and equity programs for cannabis businesses owned by people from communities most affected by past enforcement. Federal benefits, security clearances, and immigration status could no longer be denied based on cannabis use or a prior cannabis conviction. Producers would need a federal permit, pay a $1,000 yearly occupational tax per premises, and face fines up to $10,000 and up to two years in prison for operating without one; the Department of Transportation retains authority to test commercial drivers and federal employees for marijuana.
Corporate Benefits
- SBA cannabis lending — opens federal small-business loans and 7(a) debentures to cannabis firms
- federal excise tax — new 5% rising to 8% removal-price tax added to cannabis products
Average Household Impact
- federal cannabis tax pass-through — 8% excise priced into consumer cannabis products
- federal benefit access — bars denial of public benefits over cannabis use or conviction
- immigration protection — cannabis events excluded from adverse immigration consequences
Civil Liberties
- security-clearance access — past or present cannabis use barred as clearance criterion
- federal employment protection — cannabis conviction removed as federal-benefit disqualifier
Criminal Justice & Due Process
- federal cannabis penalties — trafficking and possession penalties tied to marijuana repealed
- expungement scope — federal districts must expunge non-violent cannabis convictions since 1971
- resentencing access — incarcerated individuals may petition with appointed counsel if indigent
- producer criminal exposure — unlicensed cannabis production carries up to 2 years and $5,000 fine
Transparency & Accountability
- BLS demographic reporting — requires regular public data on cannabis-industry owners and workers
- GAO societal-impact study — 21-topic report on state legalization due within 2 years
- Cannabis Justice Office — new DOJ office administers reinvestment and equitable-licensing grants
Congressional Summary
Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act or the MORE ActThis bill decriminalizes marijuana.Specifically, it removes marijuana from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and eliminates criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana.The bill replaces statutory references to marijuana and marihuana with cannabis.The bill also makes changes related to the economic impact of decriminalization, including the following:requires the Bureau of Labor Statistics to regularly publish demographic data on cannabis business owners and employees,establishes a trust fund to support various programs and services for individuals and businesses in communities impacted by the war on drugs,imposes an excise tax on cannabis products produced in or imported into the United States and an occupational tax on cannabis production facilities and export warehouses, andmakes Small Business Administration loans and services available to entities that are cannabis-related legitimate businesses or service providers.The bill also makes changes to other federal programs and legal processes to account for decriminalization, including the following: prohibits the denial of federal public benefits to a person on the basis of certain cannabis-related conduct or convictions,prohibits the denial of benefits and protections under immigration laws on the basis of an event (e.g., conduct or conviction) relating to possession or use of cannabis that is no longer prohibited under the bill, andestablishes a process to expunge convictions and conduct sentencing review hearings related to federal cannabis offenses.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-08-29
- Date Added
- 2026-05-23
- Source
- Congress.gov →
Like reading a bill in plain English?
We're building an app that does this for every bill in Congress and lets you tell your reps how you want them to vote. We're a small team getting ready to launch, and we're trying to show investors that real people want this. Be one of them. Help us get it built. Leave your email and we'll tell you the moment the app is ready.