Skip to main content
HR 40 111th Congress House

Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act

Official title: To acknowledge the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery in the United States and the 13 American colonies between 1619 and 1865… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To acknowledge the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery in the United States and the 13 American colonies between 1619 and 1865 and to establish a commission to examine the institution of slavery, subsequently de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination against African-Americans, and the impact of these forces on living African-Americans, to make recommendations to the Congress on appropriate remedies, and for other purposes.

Introduced: July 15, 2009 See on congress.gov
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues Advisory bodiesGovernment liabilityRacial and ethnic relationsU.S. history
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 9, 2009
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
Jan 6, 2009
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Jan 6, 2009
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E9-10)
Jan 6, 2009
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action February 9, 2009

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act - Establishes the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans to examine slavery and discrimination in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present and recommend appropriate remedies.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 9
All 9 Democratic 9
D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · May 20, 2010
 D
Meeks, Gregory W.
New York · Apr 28, 2010
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · Apr 20, 2010
 D
Thompson, Bennie G.
Mississippi · Apr 20, 2010
 D
Davis, Danny K.
Illinois · Mar 24, 2010
 D
Nadler, Jerrold
New York · Mar 22, 2010
 D
Waters, Maxine
California · Jul 15, 2009
 D
Cohen, Steve
Tennessee · Jan 14, 2009
 D
Scott, Robert C. "Bobby"
Virginia · Jan 6, 2009
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 40: Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-40/
MLA
"H.R. 40: Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-40/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 40, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-40/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 40: Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-40/)
Report a problem