WASHINGTON D.C. – Congressional Republicans, spearheaded by the House Oversight Committee, are moving to repeal a key piece of Washington D.C.’s cannabis reform legislation – the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022. This legislative push, detailed in news reports around September 9, 2025, signals a renewed effort by some federal lawmakers to assert control over the District’s local policies, particularly concerning marijuana offenses. The move is framed by proponents as a measure to ‘restore law and order’ in the nation’s capital, aligning with objectives championed by former President Trump.
The Second Chance Act Under Fire
The Second Chance Amendment Act, which became law in March 2023 after a mandatory congressional review period, was designed to automatically expunge criminal records for marijuana possession offenses that occurred before D.C. enacted its limited legalization law in 2014. Passed unanimously by the D.C. Council, the legislation aimed to provide thousands of District residents burdened by past convictions with a clean slate, facilitating access to employment, housing, and educational opportunities. The Act mandated that courts complete these expungements by January 1, 2025, marking a significant step in the District’s criminal justice reform efforts.
Congressional Republicans’ Move
Reports from early September 2025 indicate that the House Oversight Committee, chaired by Representative James Comer (R-KY), is slated to vote on several bills targeting D.C. laws, including a measure to repeal the Second Chance Amendment Act. This action is part of a broader Republican agenda focused on increasing federal oversight of the District’s governance and policies. Committee statements suggest the effort is linked to a broader push to address crime in D.C., with Representative Comer explicitly stating that the legislative package aims to fulfill former President Trump’s goal of ‘restoring law and order.’
Historical Context of Federal Interference
This intervention into D.C.’s cannabis laws is not unprecedented. For years, congressional Republicans have used legislative riders attached to federal spending bills to block or impede the District’s ability to implement its own cannabis policies. Notably, since the voter-approved legalization of personal cannabis use via Initiative 71 in 2014, Congress has repeatedly prevented D.C. from establishing a regulated market for recreational cannabis sales. Past efforts, often championed by figures like Representative Andy Harris (R-MD), have consistently aimed to curtail the District’s home rule and enforce federal prohibitionist stances, creating a persistent tension between local autonomy and federal authority.
Implications for D.C. Residents
Should the Republican-led effort succeed, it would effectively halt the automatic expungement process for individuals with past marijuana possession convictions. This could leave a significant number of D.C. residents with records that continue to impede their personal and professional lives. Advocates argue that rolling back these expungement provisions undermines decades of work towards criminal justice reform and disproportionately affects communities historically targeted by drug enforcement policies. The current trending news highlights the ongoing struggle for D.C. residents to benefit fully from locally approved cannabis reforms.
The Broader Cannabis Landscape
The actions in Congress occur against a backdrop of evolving cannabis policies nationwide, with many states continuing to legalize or decriminalize marijuana and explore expungement pathways. While federal legislative efforts like the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act aim for nationwide reform, including expungement, the congressional opposition to D.C.’s local initiatives underscores the complex and often partisan nature of cannabis policy debates. The effectiveness and specific strain of cannabis used in offenses may also become points of contention in broader legal challenges and policy discussions.
In conclusion, the Republican-led initiative to repeal D.C.’s Second Chance Amendment Act signifies a significant challenge to the District’s local legislative authority and its efforts to reform past marijuana-related convictions. The outcome of this congressional action will have tangible consequences for thousands of D.C. residents and further illuminate the ongoing national conversation surrounding cannabis, justice, and federal-state relations.
