[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 248 (Thursday, December 28, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 90083-90084]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28805]



[[Page 90081]]

Vol. 88

Thursday,

No. 248

December 28, 2023

Part V





The President





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Proclamation 10688--Granting Pardon for the Offense of Simple 
Possession of Marijuana, Attempted Simple Possession of Marijuana, or 
Use of Marijuana
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  Federal Register / Vol. 88 , No. 248 / Thursday, December 28, 2023 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 90083]]

                Proclamation 10688 of December 22, 2023

                
Granting Pardon for the Offense of Simple 
                Possession of Marijuana, Attempted Simple Possession of 
                Marijuana, or Use of Marijuana

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                In Proclamation 10467 of October 6, 2022 (Granting 
                Pardon for the Offense of Simple Possession of 
                Marijuana), I exercised my authority under the 
                Constitution to pardon individuals who committed or 
                were convicted of the offense of simple possession of 
                marijuana in violation of the Controlled Substances Act 
                and section 48-904.01(d)(1) of the Code of the District 
                of Columbia (D.C. Code). As I have said before, 
                convictions for simple possession of marijuana have 
                imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and 
                educational opportunities. Through this proclamation, 
                consistent with the grant of Proclamation 10467, I am 
                pardoning additional individuals who may continue to 
                experience the unnecessary collateral consequences of a 
                conviction for simple possession of marijuana, 
                attempted simple possession of marijuana, or use of 
                marijuana. Therefore, acting pursuant to the grant of 
                authority in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution 
                of the United States, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., do hereby 
                grant a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to all 
                current United States citizens and lawful permanent 
                residents who, on or before the date of this 
                proclamation, committed or were convicted of the 
                offense of simple possession of marijuana, attempted 
                simple possession of marijuana, or use of marijuana, 
                regardless of whether they have been charged with or 
                prosecuted for these offenses on or before the date of 
                this proclamation, in violation of:

                    (1) section 844 of title 21, United States Code, 
                section 846 of title 21, United States Code, and 
                previous provisions in the United States Code that 
                prohibited simple possession of marijuana or attempted 
                simple possession of marijuana;
                    (2) section 48-904.01(d)(1) of the D.C. Code and 
                previous provisions in the D.C. Code that prohibited 
                simple possession of marijuana;
                    (3) section 48-904.09 of the D.C. Code and previous 
                provisions in the D.C. Code that prohibited attempted 
                simple possession of marijuana; and
                    (4) provisions in the Code of Federal Regulations, 
                including as enforced under the United States Code, 
                that prohibit only the simple possession or use of 
                marijuana on Federal properties or installations, or in 
                other locales, as currently or previously codified, 
                including but not limited to 25 C.F.R. 11.452(a); 32 
                C.F.R. 1903.12(b)(2); 36 C.F.R. 2.35(b)(2); 36 C.F.R. 
                1002.35(b)(2); 36 C.F.R. 1280.16(a)(1); 36 C.F.R. 
                702.6(b); 41 C.F.R. 102-74.400(a); 43 C.F.R. 8365.1-
                4(b)(2); and 50 C.F.R. 27.82(b)(2).

                My intent by this proclamation is to pardon only the 
                offenses of simple possession of marijuana, attempted 
                simple possession of marijuana, or use of marijuana in 
                violation of the Federal and D.C. laws set forth in 
                paragraphs (1) through (3) of this proclamation, as 
                well as the provisions in the Code of Federal 
                Regulations consistent with paragraph (4) of this 
                proclamation, and not any other offenses involving 
                other controlled substances or activity beyond simple 
                possession of marijuana, attempted simple possession of 
                marijuana, or use of marijuana, such as possession of 
                marijuana with intent to distribute or driving offenses 
                committed while under the influence of

[[Page 90084]]

                marijuana. This pardon does not apply to individuals 
                who were non-citizens not lawfully present in the 
                United States at the time of their offense.

                Pursuant to the procedures in Proclamation 10467, the 
                Attorney General, acting through the Pardon Attorney, 
                shall review all properly submitted applications for 
                certificates of pardon and shall issue such 
                certificates of pardon to eligible applicants in due 
                course.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-second day of December, in the year of our Lord 
                two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of 
                the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                eighth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2023-28805
Filed 12-27-23; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P