Friend,​

Last week, the House passed the MORE Act, a historic piece of legislation that would decriminalize marijuana and address the devastating inequities caused by the unjust war on drugs.

For too long, communities of color have been far more likely than their white peers to be arrested and criminally prosecuted for possession of marijuana, despite using at similar rates. The MORE Act is the most comprehensive marijuana reform bill ever in Congress. It moves our country towards justice — and invests in local economies — by not just decriminalizing cannabis but by expunging the records of those who have been unfairly criminalized because of low-level marijuana possession. The MORE Act removes marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and eliminates criminal penalties for individuals who manufacture, distribute, or possess marijuana. It also includes creating a process to remove prior convictions and conduct sentencing review hearings for federal cannabis offenses.

Not only have people of color been incarcerated at disproportionate rates, but they are also more likely to be locked out of traditional capital markets. That's why as Chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee, I fought to include measures in the MORE Act that will expand access to capital and entrepreneurial development programs in the cannabis sector. Additionally, the MORE Act creates pathways for ownership opportunities in the emerging industry, allows veterans to obtain medical cannabis recommendations from Veterans Affairs doctors, and establishes funding sources to reinvest in communities disproportionately affected by the war on drugs.

Millions of Americans' lives have been upended as a result of convictions for possessing small amounts of marijuana, and the racial disparities in conviction rates for those offenses are as shocking as they are unjust. As I said on the House floor, I stand in full support of the bill, and of creating equal opportunities. It's time to do better.