Urging the establishment of a United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation.
- Bill Number
- H.Con.Res. 37
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-06-12: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-10T08:06:43Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
This concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 37) urges the establishment of a United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. Its main goal is to acknowledge over 400 years of historical racial injustices, including slavery and discriminatory government policies, and to promote national healing by rejecting beliefs in racial hierarchies, embracing shared humanity, and addressing ongoing racial inequities.
Key Provisions Outlined
- Historical Context: The resolution details the arrival of enslaved Africans in 1619 as the start of chattel slavery and systemic oppression of people of color, which lasted nearly 250 years and contradicted the U.S. founding principle of equality. It highlights failures during Reconstruction, the civil rights movement, and other redress efforts.
- Examples of Discriminatory Government Actions: Lists specific historical policies with racially disparate impacts, such as:
- Federal Housing Administration policies promoting residential segregation.
- Social Security exclusions for most African Americans in its early decades.
- GI Bill administration allowing discrimination against Black veterans.
- Fair Labor Standards Act permitting racial discrimination in unions.
- Subprime lending targeting families of color.
- Disenfranchisement and cultural erasure of Native Americans (e.g., boarding schools, land loss).
- Deportations of Mexicans and U.S. citizens of Mexican descent.
- Denial of voting rights to Puerto Ricans after U.S. annexation.
- Chinese Exclusion Act barring Chinese immigration and citizenship.
- Mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.
- Overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii and U.S. colonialism in the Pacific.
- Ongoing Effects: Emphasizes how these actions created a racial wealth gap, affecting education, health, employment, housing, and justice, and how unaddressed divisions threaten democracy.
- Affirmation and Urging: Congress affirms a "long-overdue debt of remembrance" to victims and descendants of injustices. It urges creating the commission to memorialize history, catalyze progress toward eliminating racial hierarchies and inequities, and complement efforts like reparations studies (e.g., H.R. 40).
Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced
This is a concurrent resolution, which expresses Congress's opinion but does not create enforceable law or amend statutes. It introduces no binding changes to existing laws, though it references and builds on prior proposals like the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Could encourage federal agencies (e.g., in education, housing, and justice) to review historical policies for ongoing disparities, potentially leading to future reforms or studies, but has no direct mandate.
- On Citizens: May foster public dialogue on racial healing, increasing awareness of historical injustices and their modern effects, particularly benefiting communities of color by validating their experiences and pushing for equity in areas like wealth, health, and voting.
- On International Relations: Highlights U.S. historical colonialism (e.g., in Hawaii and Pacific territories), which might influence diplomatic discussions on equity with treaty nations, but primarily focuses on domestic issues.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- People of Color: Primary beneficiaries, including African Americans, Native Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans (e.g., Chinese and Japanese descendants), and Pacific Islanders, as the resolution addresses oppression targeting these groups.
- General U.S. Citizens: All Americans, as it promotes collective healing and democracy protection from divisions.
- Government and Civic Leaders: Congress, federal agencies, foundations, and nonprofits involved in racial equity efforts, who may be inspired to act.
- Descendants of Historical Victims: Emphasized as owing a "debt of remembrance," potentially aiding intergenerational redress.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Non-binding, so no direct legal effects, but it underscores violations of basic rights (e.g., to life, liberty, and equality) and could support future litigation on reparations or equity policies.
- Constitutional: Reinforces the 14th Amendment's equal protection principle by critiquing how slavery and oppression contradicted "all men are created equal," without challenging current interpretations.
- Political: Signals bipartisan potential for racial justice (introduced by Democrats but references cross-racial support); may polarize debates on history and reparations, influencing elections and policy agendas amid growing calls for truth commissions (as in over 40 countries). It complements but does not replace reparations efforts, potentially advancing restorative justice discussions.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30]
Cosponsors (48)
Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17], Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8], Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5], Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6], Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2], Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5], Rep. Gomez, Jimmy [D-CA-34], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]
Recent Actions
- 2025-06-12: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-06-12: Submitted in House
- 2025-06-12: Submitted in House
Bill Versions
- Urging the establishment of a United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. — issued 2025-06-12 — PDF (8 pages)