The Marijuana Justice Act (S.597) was a 2019 bill to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, sponsored by U.S. Senator Cory Booker.^[1] An identical bill, H.R.1456, was introduced in the House of Representatives.^[2] The bill was co-sponsored by a number of contenders for the Democratic Party's nomination for U.S. President in the 2020 election, including Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Michael Bennet, and Bernie Sanders.^[3] In February 2019, it was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.^[4] An identically titled bill had been introduced by Senator Booker in the 2017–2018 Congress and was called "among the most notable efforts" around legalization in that session.^[5] Besides removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, the bill also sought to set up a community reinvestment fund, provide for expungement of past drug convictions, and penalize states that enforce cannabis laws disproportionately (regarding race or income status).^[6]

Legislative history

• 115th Congress (2017–2018): H.R. 4815 and S. 1689
• 116th Congress (2019–2020): H.R. 1456 and S. 597