Cori Bush pushes for $14 trillion in reparations for black people
Jack Birle
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Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) announced a push for $14 trillion worth of reparations for black people who are descendants of slaves.
Bush’s push for reparations at the federal level comes as states and cities across the country are exploring giving black residents reparations, including an $800 billion proposal out of California.
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The resolution introduced by Bush would hold that the country “has a moral and legal obligation to provide reparations for the enslavement of Africans and its lasting harm on the lives of millions of Black people in the United States,” per a draft obtained by the Washington Post.
“H.R. 40 is the pathway for the governmental framework that will help restore national balance and unity in terms of wealth, healthcare, education, housing, and the criminal justice system. By passing H.R. 40, Congress can start a movement toward the national reckoning we need to bridge racial divides,” Bush said at a press conference outside the Capitol.
“Reparations are ultimately about respect, reconciliation, and healing, and the hope that one day Americans of all backgrounds can walk together toward a more just future. Congress can start a movement toward the national reckoning we need to build a bridge for racial divides,” she continued.
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) was also on hand to announce the resolution and tweeted that she was “proud” to support Bush’s resolution.
“Reparations is not just about repairing the damage. Reparations means equity. Reparations means justice. Reparations means dismantling the systems that have kept us marginalized,” Lee tweeted.
The proposal builds on a resolution introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) in the previous Congress, which would have established a commission to evaluate reparations for African Americans. The proposal by Lee was not voted on by the entire chamber, and Bush’s proposal looks unlikely to pass with Republicans in the majority of the lower chamber.
The push for federal reparations comes as California’s reparations task force approved an estimated $800 billion plan to give black residents reparations. The final report of the plan is due to the Golden State’s legislature where lawmakers will decide if it gets enacted.
Lee has been a supporter of the California initiative and spoke at the task force’s most recent meeting earlier this month.
“Reparations are not a luxury for our people, but a human right long overdue for millions of Americans,” Lee said.
“The atrocities committed against black Americans are undeniable, and reparations are a tangible route to acknowledging and making amends to the glaring economic and social impacts of slavery and systemic racism. We must repair this damage.”
The California proposal faces an uncertain future as the state is currently dealing with a $31.5 billion budget deficit, meaning various programs could be cut this year and beyond.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) had remained mostly quiet on the task force’s work but finally broke his silence earlier this month by saying that the work was about “dealing with the legacy of slavery” and “is about much more than cash payments.”
A spokesperson for Newsom further clarified to the Washington Examiner that he had not declined to endorse the reparations payments and would evaluate the final report once it is completed.
“The governor looks forward to reviewing the final report — and all recommendations — when complete,” the spokesperson said.
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While the California plan is still up in the air, a proposal by the city of San Francisco appears to be in a better position to pass.
The San Francisco proposal calls for $5 million payments along with other benefits, including the elimination of personal debt and tax burdens, guaranteed annual incomes of at least $97,000 for the next 250 years, and homes in the city for $1 per family. The final report from the San Francisco reparations committee is due by June.