Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican who chairs the House Oversight Committee, urged Bowser in a letter late Tuesday to reconsider her plans to implement the initiative, saying that doing so would clearly violate federal law.
"Bullying the District of Columbia is not what his constituents expect, nor do ours," Bowser said. "We do disagree on a matter of law. There are reasonable ways to resolve that without us threatening him or he us."
The District will become the first place east of the Mississippi River where recreational pot is legal. Alaska also legalized pot this week, joining Colorado and Washington state.
The initiative legalizes possession of up to 2 ounces for use at home, and people will also be permitted to grow up to three mature plants. Smoking marijuana in public remains illegal, as does buying or selling the drug.
Congress approved language in December that appeared to block the initiative. District leaders argued it was enacted before Congress took action, even though it had yet to take effect. Chaffetz said that interpretation was wrong and that the mayor and other District employees would face possible prison time by moving forward.
It would be up to the Justice Department to prosecute District officials, a scenario that appears unlikely. But Congress could sue the city over its actions. House Republicans could also retaliate by pulling funding for other District programs.
The letter from Chaffetz and Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina warned that by spending money to change pot laws, Bowser and other District officials would violate the Anti-Deficiency Act, which prohibits spending of federal dollars that have not been appropriated.
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