Protect Black Women and Girls Act

Bill Number

H.R. 3974

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 Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Last Updated

2026-07-01T08:08:52Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The "Protect Black Women and Girls Act" (H.R. 3974) aims to address systemic challenges faced by Black women and girls by creating a federal Interagency Task Force. This task force will examine their experiences in key areas such as education, economic development, healthcare, labor and employment, housing, and justice/civil rights. It promotes community-based approaches to reduce harm, ensure accountability, and study broader societal effects, ultimately recommending policies to improve outcomes.

Key Provisions

• Establishment of the Interagency Task Force on Black Women and Girls:
• Led by the Attorney General in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to be formed within 180 days of enactment.
• Membership includes representatives (1-2 per agency) from the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Labor, Justice, Housing and Urban Development, and the National Institutes of Health; plus a defender organization representative and two experts from community-based organizations focused on Black women and girls' needs.
• Members serve 4-year terms, renewable.

• Duties of the Task Force:
• Identify and recommend federal, state, or local programs, policies, and incentives in five main areas:
• Education: Community-led programs for Black girls in K-12 (e.g., social-emotional learning, support for children of incarcerated parents, restorative justice to avoid expulsions, anti-discrimination policies for Black Muslim girls, and programs for girls with disabilities).
• Economic Development: Initiatives for Black women, including apprenticeship programs, priority for Black women-owned businesses in contracts, entrepreneurship training, support for low-income or older workers, and job placement for homeless or disabled Black youth.
• Healthcare: Studies on health/mental health; programs to reduce maternal/infant mortality, provide mental health/trauma services, domestic violence support, substance use treatment, and access to screenings (e.g., mammograms, STI testing) and insurance for those with disabilities.
• Justice and Civil Rights: Reentry programs for victims of violence or drug policies, alternatives to incarceration (e.g., diversion, parole), legal aid for custody cases, support for formerly incarcerated women, judicial discretion in sentencing, and reforms to mandatory minimums or expungement laws for trafficking victims.
• Housing: Increased access to permanent/transitional housing, legal aid against evictions, homeownership funds, and supportive housing for formerly incarcerated or disabled Black women.
• Requires annual reports to Congress on activities (starting 1 year after enactment) and annual recommendations to Congress, the President, and state executives (starting 2 years after enactment).

• United States Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) Mandate:
• Conduct annual comprehensive studies on issues affecting Black women and girls, including contract opportunities, wage gaps, maternal/infant mortality, breast cancer screening, school-to-prison pipeline, housing access, violence (including against Black transgender women/girls), excessive police force, over-incarceration, sex trafficking, and barriers in housing/family reunification.
• Submit annual reports to Congress and the President, made publicly available online (starting 1 year after enactment).
• Federal agencies must share relevant information with USCCR to support these duties.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Introduces a new interagency task force and specific duties for USCCR, building on the Civil Rights Commission Act of 1983 (which already authorizes USCCR to study discrimination but notes challenges in data collection from agencies).
• No direct amendments to existing statutes, but it mandates examinations of potential reforms, such as repealing parts of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, limiting mandatory minimum sentences, and easing housing barriers for formerly incarcerated individuals.
• Emphasizes community-based and restorative justice approaches, which could shift from punitive systems without altering laws outright—recommendations may influence future legislation.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Requires coordination across multiple departments (e.g., DOJ, HHS, Education), increasing administrative workload for data sharing, program evaluations, and reporting. Could lead to new funding allocations or policy incentives at federal, state, and local levels.
• On Citizens: Primarily benefits Black women and girls by identifying and promoting targeted programs to address disparities in education, health, employment, housing, and justice, potentially reducing issues like school suspensions, maternal mortality, incarceration rates, and violence. Broader effects may include improved community support systems and equity in services for families, including those with disabilities or incarcerated members.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill focuses on domestic U.S. policies and data collection.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Black Women and Girls: Primary beneficiaries, including those with disabilities, transgender individuals, formerly incarcerated persons, and victims of violence or trafficking.
• Federal Agencies: Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, Education, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, and National Institutes of Health; also USCCR for expanded research duties.
• Community-Based Organizations: Involved in task force membership and program implementation, gaining opportunities for collaboration and funding.
• State and Local Governments: Targeted for adopting recommended policies, potentially affecting education systems, housing authorities, and justice programs.
• Broader Public: Families, educators, healthcare providers, and employers who interact with or support affected communities.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Reinforces anti-discrimination laws by requiring task force activities to comply with prohibitions on race- and sex-based discrimination; enhances USCCR's data-gathering authority to overcome past agency cooperation issues, potentially strengthening civil rights enforcement.
• Constitutional: Aligns with Equal Protection Clause (14th Amendment) by addressing racial and gender disparities in areas like education discipline, healthcare access, and justice, without imposing race- or sex-based quotas—focuses on recommendations for equitable outcomes.
• Political: Highlights intersectional equity for Black women and girls, which could spark debates on affirmative action, criminal justice reform, and resource allocation; annual reports and recommendations may influence bipartisan or partisan legislative agendas, emphasizing community-led solutions over top-down mandates.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]

Cosponsors (17)

Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4], Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11], Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37], Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5], Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-12: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-06-12: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-06-12: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-06-12: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-06-12: Introduced in House
• 2025-06-12: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Protect Black Women and Girls Act — issued 2025-06-12 — PDF (18 pages)