New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker introduced a bill to do away with the federal ban on marijuana

Booker’s legislation — the Marijuana Justice Act — is an ambitious effort to overhaul the nation’s criminal justice system. Progressive and libertarian groups have long called for removing marijuana from Schedule I, the federal government’s classification for the most dangerous substances. Several states have legalized and regulated marijuana in recent years despite the federal ban, with New Jersey Democrats planning to join their ranks as soon as next year if they win the governorship.

“This bill is the most ambitious marijuana bill we have seen in Congress,” Queen Adesuyi, policy associate at the Drug Policy Alliance, said in a statement released by Booker’s office. “Uniquely, it recognizes the fact that people of color have borne the brunt of the failed war on drugs and seeks to repair the damage done. We applaud Senator Booker for his leadership on this issue.”

Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesBut the senator’s plan faces long odds in the Republican-controlled Congress. In addition, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions opposes marijuana legalization efforts and has vowed to crack down on states where it has been legalized. President Barack Obama’s Justice Department took a more lenient stance toward those states, although there were some legal battles then, too.