[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 992 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 992

Declaring unconditional war on racism and invidious discrimination and 
   providing for the establishment of a Cabinet-level Department of 
     Reconciliation charged with eliminating racism and invidious 
                            discrimination.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 4, 2020

 Mr. Green of Texas (for himself, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Haaland, 
  Mr. Hastings, Mr. Payne, Ms. Omar, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr. 
Clay, Ms. Fudge, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Jackson Lee, and Mr. 
Cleaver) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Declaring unconditional war on racism and invidious discrimination and 
   providing for the establishment of a Cabinet-level Department of 
     Reconciliation charged with eliminating racism and invidious 
                            discrimination.

Whereas this resolution is presented in the spirit of President Lyndon B. 
        Johnson, who--on January 8, 1964, after the assassination of President 
        John F. Kennedy, during a time of great turmoil--proclaimed, ``This 
        administration today, here and now, declares unconditional war on 
        poverty in America . . . Our aim is not only to relieve the symptoms of 
        poverty, but to cure it and, above all, to prevent it.'';
Whereas President Barack Obama indicated, ``In fact, if we hadn't declared 
        `unconditional war on poverty in America,' millions more Americans would 
        be living in poverty today.'';
Whereas some of the programs produced by the War on Poverty include Medicaid, 
        Medicare, expanded Social Security, and Head Start--all of which are 
        still needed today;
Whereas racism and invidious discrimination--like poverty in 1964--remain 
        pervasive in our country;
Whereas history is replete with examples of victims of racism and invidious 
        discrimination being denied life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;
Whereas systemic and institutionalized racism and invidious discrimination exist 
        in virtually all areas of American life, including policing, criminal 
        justice, housing, banking, voting, employment, education, the 
        environment, and health care; and
Whereas the protestations in the aftermath of the tragic death of George Floyd 
        are a clear indication that it has become necessary for Congress to take 
        decisive, immediate and long-term legislative action to address the 
        elimination of racism and invidious discrimination: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns racism and invidious discrimination as evil 
        and antithetical to the U.S. Constitution;
            (2) declares unconditional war on racism and invidious 
        discrimination in America and will provide the resources and 
        funding for their defeat; and
            (3) shall pass legislation establishing a Cabinet-level 
        Department of Reconciliation charged with ending racism and 
        invidious discrimination, developing and coordinating the 
        implementation of a comprehensive national strategy to 
        eliminate racism and invidious discrimination, with a budget 
        that shall be the equivalent of not less than 10 percent of the 
        Defense Department's budget, and headed by a Secretary of 
        Reconciliation appointed by the President with the advice and 
        consent of the Senate who shall make semi-annual progress 
        reports to Congress.
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