Reparations For Descendants of Slaves - An Economic Stimulus?!

We could say a lot of things... but we'll leave it at:
Our tax dollars at work....

Your thoughts?

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Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act (Introduced in House)
HR 40 IH

111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 40
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.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 6, 2009

Mr.
CONYERS (for himself and Mr. SCOTT of Virginia ) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
________________________________

A BILL
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. Be it enacted
by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ..Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

(a) Findings- The Congress finds that--
(1)
approximately 4,000,000 Africans and their descendants were enslaved in
the United States and colonies that became the United States from 1619
to 1865;
(2) the institution of slavery was constitutionally and
statutorily sanctioned by the Government of the United States from 1789
through 1865;
(3) the slavery that flourished in the United States
constituted an immoral and inhumane deprivation of Africans' life,
liberty, African citizenship rights, and cultural heritage, and denied
them the fruits of their own labor; and
(4) sufficient inquiry has
not been made into the effects of the institution of slavery on living
African-Americans and society in the United States .
(b) Purpose- The purpose of this Act is to establish a commission to--
(1)
examine the institution of slavery which existed from 1619 through 1865
within the United States and the colonies that became the United
States, including the extent to which the Federal and State Governments
constitutionally and statutorily supported the institution of slavery;
(2)
examine de jure and de facto discrimination against freed slaves and
their descendants from the end of the Civil War to the present,
including economic, political, and social discrimination;
(3)
examine the lingering negative effects of the institution of slavery
and the discrimination described in paragraph (2) on living
African-Americans and on society in the United States;
(4) recommend appropriate ways to educate the American public of the Commission's findings;
(5)
recommend appropriate remedies in consideration of the Commission's
findings on the matters described in paragraphs (1) and (2); and (6)
submit to the Congress the results of such examination, together with
such recommendations.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT AND DUTIES.

(a)
Establishment- There is established the Commission to Study Reparation
Proposals for African-Americans (hereinafter in this Act referred to as
the ..Commission').
(b) Duties- The Commission shall perform the following duties:
(1)
Examine the institution of slavery which existed within the United
States and the colonies that became the United States from 1619 through
1865. The Commission's examination shall include an examination of--
(A) the capture and procurement of Africans;
(B)
the transport of Africans to the United States and the colonies that
became the United States for the purpose of enslavement, including
their treatment during transport;
(C) the sale and acquisition of Africans as chattel property in interstate and intrastate commerce; and
(D)
the treatment of African slaves in the colonies and the United States,
including the deprivation of their freedom, exploitation of their
labor, and destruction of their culture, language, religion, and
families.
(2) Examine the extent to which the Federal and State
governments of the United States supported the institution of slavery
in constitutional and statutory provisions, including the extent to
which such governments prevented, opposed, or restricted efforts of
freed African slaves to
repatriate to their homeland.
(3) Examine
Federal and State laws that discriminated against freed African slaves
and their descendants during the period between the end of the Civil
War and the present.
(4) Examine other forms of discrimination in
the public and private sectors against freed African slaves and their
descendants during the period between the end of the Civil War and the
present.
(5) Examine the lingering negative effects of the
institution of slavery and the matters described in paragraphs (1),
(2), (3), and (4) on living
African-Americans and on society in the United States.
(6) Recommend appropriate ways to educate the American public of the Commission's findings.
(7)
Recommend appropriate remedies in consideration of the Commission's
findings on the matters described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4).
In making such recommendations, the Commission shall address among other issues, the following questions:
(A)
Whether the Government of the United States should offer a formal
apology on behalf of the people of the United States for the
perpetration of gross human rights violations on African slaves and
their descendants.
(B) Whether African-Americans still suffer from
the lingering effects of the matters described in paragraphs (1), (2),
(3), and (4).
(C) Whether, in consideration of the Commission's
findings, any form of compensation to the descendants of African slaves
is warranted.
(D) If the Commission finds that such compensation is
warranted, what should be the amount of compensation, what form of
compensation should be awarded, and who should be eligible for such
compensation.
(c) Report to Congress- The Commission shall submit a
written report of its findings and recommendations to the Congress not
later than the date which is one year after the date of the first
meeting of the Commission held pursuant to section 4(c).

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

(a)
Number and Appointment- (1) The Commission shall be composed of 7
members, who shall be appointed, within 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, as follows:
(A) Three members shall be appointed by the President.
(B) Three members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(C) One member shall be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate.
(2)
All members of the Commission shall be persons who are especially
qualified to serve on the Commission by virtue of their education,
training, or experience, particularly in the field of African-American
studies.
(b) Terms- The term of office for members shall be for the
life of the Commission. A vacancy in the Commission shall not affect
the powers of the Commission, and shall be filled in the same manner in
which the original appointment was made.
(c) First Meeting- The
President shall call the first meeting of the Commission within 120
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, or within 30 days
after the date on which legislation is enacted making appropriations to
carry out this Act, whichever date is later.
(d) Quorum- Four members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
(e)
Chair and Vice Chair- The Commission shall elect a Chair and Vice Chair
from among its members. The term of office of each shall be for the
life of the Commission.
(f) Compensation- (1) Except as provided in
paragraph (2), each member of the Commission shall receive compensation
at the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay payable for
GS-18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United
States Code, for each day, including travel time, during which he or
she is engaged in the actual
performance of duties vested in the Commission.
(2)
A member of the Commission who is a full-time officer or employee of
the United States or a Member of Congressshall receive no additional
pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of his or her service to the
Commission.
(3) All members of the Commission shall be reimbursed
for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them
in the performance of their duties to the extent authorized by chapter
57 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 5. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

(a)
Hearings and Sessions- The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying
out the provisions of this Act, hold such hearings and sit and act at
such times and at such places in the United States, and request the
attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such
books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents, as
the Commission considers appropriate. The Commission may request the
Attorney General to invoke the aid of an appropriate United States
district court to require, by subpoena or otherwise, such attendance,
testimony, or production.
(b)
Powers of Subcommittees and Members- Any subcommittee or member of the
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action which
the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
(c) Obtaining
Official Data- The Commission may acquire directly from the head of any
department, agency, or instrumentality of the executive branch of the
Government, available information which the Commission considers useful
in the discharge of its duties. All departments, agencies, and
instrumentalities of the executive branch of the
Government shall
cooperate with the Commission with respect to such information and
shall furnish all information requested by the Commission to the extent
permitted by law.

SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

(a)
Staff- The Commission may, without regard to section 5311(b) of title
5, United States Code, appoint and fix the compensation of such
personnel as the Commission considers appropriate.
(b) Applicability
of Certain Civil Service Laws- The staff of the Commission may be
appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States
Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and without
regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and sub-chapter III of
chapter
53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay
rates, except that the compensation of any employee of the Commission
may not exceed a rate equal to the annual rate of basic pay payable for
GS-18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United
States Code.
(c) Experts and Consultants- The Commission may procure
the services of experts and consultants in accordance with the
provisions of section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at
rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the highest
rate payable under section 5332 of such title.
(d) Administrative
Support Services- The Commission may enter into agreements with the
Administrator of General Services for procurement of financial and
administrative services necessary for the discharge of the duties of
the Commission. Payment for such services shall be made by
reimbursement
from funds of the Commission in such amounts as may be agreed upon by
the Chairman of the Commission and the Administrator.
(e) Contracts- The Commission may--
(1)
procure supplies, services, and property by contract in accordance with
applicable laws and regulations and to the extent or in such amounts as
are provided in appropriations Acts; and (2) enter into contracts with
departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government,
State agencies, and private firms, institutions, and agencies, for the
conduct of research or surveys, the preparation of reports, and other
activities necessary for
the discharge of the duties of the Commission, to the extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriations Acts.

SEC. 7. TERMINATION.

The
Commission shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the
Commission submits its report to the Congress under section 3(c).

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

To carry out the provisions of this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated $8,000,000.