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WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker John Boehner says he's sure Congress will look at a law passed by the D.C. Council that decriminalizes possession of less than one ounce of marijuana in the nation's capital.
When asked Wednesday, Boehner said he was unfamiliar with the law. Congress has the authority to invalidate local District of Columbia laws, but it hasn't used that authority in more than 20 years.
Mayor Vincent Gray intends to sign the bill. It would make possession of small amounts of pot a civil offense subject to a $25 fine. Smoking marijuana in public would still be a criminal offense.
Boehner said Wednesday, "I really haven't seen what the D.C. Council did, but I'm sure we'll look at it."
Seventeen states have some form of marijuana decriminalization.
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