Bill · H.R. 40· House(119-HR-40)
Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act
- Introduced
- 1/3/2025
- Last activity
- 1/3/2025 — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Ayanna Pressley
- Cosponsors
- - 118 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill establishes the "Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act." The legislation creates a commission to investigate the history of slavery in the United States and the subsequent de jure and de facto discrimination against African Americans. This commission is tasked with studying the economic, social, and political impacts of these historical injustices on living African Americans. The group will analyze the roles of Federal and State governments in supporting slavery and subsequent discriminatory practices. Ultimately, the commission must recommend appropriate remedies, including potential reparations and a national apology. The final findings and recommendations must be submitted to Congress within 18 months of the commission's first full meeting.
Yes· 3 of 5
Would Black Americans be better off under this?+10
Directly targets the study of slavery's impact and proposes reparations and an apology for African Americans.
Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated?+8
The bill seeks to address systemic racial discrimination and propose reparations for African Americans.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+5
Potential for financial compensation through proposed reparations.
The opposite· 3 of 4
Would white Americans be better off under this?-1
May be viewed negatively due to the cost to taxpayers and focus on specific racial reparations.
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?-1
The bill authorizes $20 million in spending, which slightly increases government expenditure.
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-1
The bill authorizes new spending of $20 million for the commission.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Advancing Racial Healing and Understanding: The commission is tasked with recommending ways to educate the American public to advance racial healing, understanding, and transformation (Section 2(b)(7); Section 3(b)(6)).
-
Addressing Economic and Social Hardships: The bill aims to address the lingering negative effects of slavery and systemic discrimination, which have resulted in economic, educational, and health hardships for living African Americans (Section 2(a)(9); Section 2(b)(5)).
-
Development of Reparation Proposals: The commission is directed to recommend appropriate remedies, which may include calculating compensation for descendants of enslaved Africans (Section 3(b)(7)(E)).
-
Formal Recognition of Historical Wrongs: The bill seeks to establish a process for the Government of the United States to offer a formal apology for the perpetration of gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity (Section 3(b)(7)(B)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Potential Financial Burdens: While the bill authorizes $20,000,000 for the commission's operation (Section 8), it also directs the commission to study how to calculate and award compensation to the descendants of enslaved Africans (Section 3(b)(7)(E)-(F)).
-
Requirement of Witnesses to Comply with Subpoenas: The commission has the power to subpoena witnesses to provide testimony or documentation, and failure to comply can result in being punished by a court for contempt (Section 5(a)-(b)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For African Americans+10Good For Low Income Households+5Good For White Americans-1
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Racial Equity+8Improves Poverty Reduction+5
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Fiscal Responsibility-1Reduces Government Spending-1Reduces National Debt-1
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+1
- 9/14/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/8/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/31/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/16/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/13/2026
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 6/25/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/23/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/22/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/18/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/15/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/9/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/29/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/28/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/16/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 11/17/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/31/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/29/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/19/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/8/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/23/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/14/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/23/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 6/20/2025
- 6 Cosponsors added.
- 6/11/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/9/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 6/3/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/19/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/17/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/7/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/3/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/21/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/12/2025
- 72 Cosponsors added.
- 1/3/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in House
Alma AdamsDemocrat · North Carolina
Gabe AmoDemocrat · Rhode Island
Sanford BishopDemocrat · Georgia
Suzanne BonamiciDemocrat · Oregon
Joyce BeattyDemocrat · Ohio
Julia BrownleyDemocrat · California
Ami BeraDemocrat · California
Donald BeyerDemocrat · Virginia
Nanette BarragánDemocrat · California
Shontel BrownDemocrat · Ohio
Becca BalintDemocrat · Vermont
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Everton BlairDemocrat · Georgia
James ClyburnDemocrat · South Carolina
Ed CaseDemocrat · Hawaii
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Yvette ClarkeDemocrat · New York
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Judy ChuDemocrat · California
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Herbert ConawayDemocrat · New Jersey
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Lloyd DoggettDemocrat · Texas
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Mark DeSaulnierDemocrat · California
Madeleine DeanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
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Dwight EvansDemocrat · Pennsylvania
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Shomari FiguresDemocrat · Alabama
Al GreenDemocrat · Texas
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Jesús GarcíaDemocrat · Illinois
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Robert GarciaDemocrat · California
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Val HoyleDemocrat · Oregon
Glenn IveyDemocrat · Maryland
Henry JohnsonDemocrat · Georgia
Pramila JayapalDemocrat · Washington
Sara JacobsDemocrat · California
Jonathan JacksonDemocrat · Illinois
Robin KellyDemocrat · Illinois
Ro KhannaDemocrat · California
Sydney Kamlager-DoveDemocrat · California
Teresa Leger FernandezDemocrat · New Mexico
Ted LieuDemocrat · California
Mike LevinDemocrat · California
Greg LandsmanDemocrat · Ohio
Summer LeeDemocrat · Pennsylvania
James McGovernDemocrat · Massachusetts
Kweisi MfumeDemocrat · Maryland
Gregory MeeksDemocrat · New York
Gwen MooreDemocrat · Wisconsin
Doris MatsuiDemocrat · California
Grace MengDemocrat · New York
Lucy McBathDemocrat · Georgia
Morgan McGarveyDemocrat · Kentucky
Jennifer McClellanDemocrat · Virginia
LaMonica McIverDemocrat · New Jersey
Sarah McBrideDemocrat · Delaware
Christian MenefeeDemocrat · Texas
Analilia MejiaDemocrat · New Jersey
Jerrold NadlerDemocrat · New York
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Joe NeguseDemocrat · Colorado
Alexandria Ocasio-CortezDemocrat · New York
Ilhan OmarDemocrat · Minnesota
Chellie PingreeDemocrat · Maine
Mark PocanDemocrat · Wisconsin
Stacey PlaskettDemocrat · Virgin Islands
Jimmy PanettaDemocrat · California
Mike QuigleyDemocrat · Illinois
Delia RamirezDemocrat · Illinois
Robert ScottDemocrat · Virginia
Adam SmithDemocrat · Washington
Janice SchakowskyDemocrat · Illinois
Linda SánchezDemocrat · California
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Marilyn StricklandDemocrat · Washington
Terri SewellDemocrat · Alabama
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Haley StevensDemocrat · Michigan
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Dina TitusDemocrat · Nevada
Paul TonkoDemocrat · New York
Mark TakanoDemocrat · California
Rashida TlaibDemocrat · Michigan
Lori TrahanDemocrat · Massachusetts
Ritchie TorresDemocrat · New York
Jill TokudaDemocrat · Hawaii
Shri ThanedarDemocrat · Michigan
Nydia VelázquezDemocrat · New York
Marc VeaseyDemocrat · Texas
Maxine WatersDemocrat · California
Nikema WilliamsDemocrat · Georgia
Debbie Wasserman SchultzDemocrat · Florida
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Bonnie Watson ColemanDemocrat · New Jersey