Rep. Barney Frank said he plans to file a bill to legalize "small amounts" of marijuana.
Frank announced his plans late Friday on the HBO show "Real Time," hosted by Bill Maher.
"I'm going to file a bill as soon as we go back to remove all federal penalties for the possession or use of small amounts of marijuana," Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat, told Maher.
Frank didn't define "small amounts." Efforts to reach Frank on Saturday were not immediately successful.
Frank said he'd filed a similar bill in the Massachusetts Legislature in the 1970s, but hasn't tried since he was elected to Congress.
"I finally got to the point where I think I can get away with it," he said.
Frank said he thinks "its time for the politicians in this one to catch up to the public. The notion that you lock people up for smoking marijuana is pretty silly."
I am totally for legalization of marijuana, but I have to differ with Frank on this: to think that at this time with this administration that you could get away with a bill legalizing pot actually is what sounds silly.
