119-HRES-926 Journalist Public Summary
119 · HRES 926 RESPECT Resolution
A nonbinding House resolution urging states to make cannabis policy more equitable—expungements, fairer licensing, reinvestment in harmed communities—and urging the U.S. to push the UN to deschedule cannabis; introduced December 4, 2025 and currently in House committees.
Headline Summary
A House resolution that urges more equitable cannabis policies across the country and asks the U.S. to advocate internationally for removing cannabis from global drug schedules; it signals priorities but does not change federal law.
What It Does
The RESPECT Resolution lays out “best practices” for states and cities to reduce penalties for cannabis, clear past records, make licensing and financing fairer, reinvest tax revenue in communities most harmed by the drug war, and protect opportunities for small and equity-focused businesses. It also states the House’s view that the President should direct U.S. diplomats to seek removal of cannabis from international drug control schedules and treat it as a legal commodity.
Who’s For It
- Sponsors: Rep. Troy Carter and co-sponsors Reps. Ilhan Omar, Lateefah Simon, Dina Titus, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Hank Johnson (GA), Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Mark Pocan.
- Supportive themes: Democratic members focused on criminal-justice reform and small-business equity; civil-rights and drug-policy reform advocates who argue legalization should repair past harms and open real ownership paths for impacted communities.
- Economic equity backers who favor lower fees, fewer blanket bans on applicants with past convictions, and targeted reinvestment of cannabis tax revenue.
Who’s Against It
- No formal opposition is recorded at introduction; as a nonbinding resolution, it outlines principles rather than imposing new law.
- Common critiques of similar proposals include concerns about youth use and impaired driving, the pace of commercialization, conflicts with federal law, and international treaty issues.
- Some industry stakeholders warn that strict equity preferences, license caps, or local-only rules can spur lawsuits, slow market growth, or favor well-capitalized incumbents in practice, while community advocates counter that guardrails are needed to prevent consolidation.
What’s Next
Introduced on December 4, 2025, the resolution was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and, additionally, to Judiciary; Education and the Workforce; Foreign Affairs; and Transportation and Infrastructure. Next steps could include hearings and markups. If the House adopts it, the resolution would state the chamber’s position but would not go to the President or change federal law.
Discussion