I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6048 

To establish a Commission for Review and Correction of Historical Injustices, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 25, 2023 

Mr. DESAULNIER (for himself and Ms. LEE of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and 

in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and 

Armed 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 

A BILL 

To establish a Commission for Review and Correction of 

Historical Injustices, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Confronting and Cor5 recting Historical Injustices Act’’. 

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1 SEC. 2. COMMISSION FOR REVIEW AND CORRECTION OF 

2 HISTORICAL INJUSTICES. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com4 mission to be known as the Commission for Review and 

5 Correction of Historical Injustices (in this Act referred to 

6 as the ‘‘Commission’’). 

7 (b) DUTIES OF COMMISSION.—The Commission 

8 shall— 

9 (1) identify and review each instance of histor10 ical injustice; 

11 (2) identify and review any instance in which a 

12 Federal agency has unjustly discriminated against 

13 an individual or group protected by the Civil Rights 

14 Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000a et seq.), by the Reha15 bilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 705), and members of the 

16 uniformed services as defined by section 101 of title 

17 10, United States Code, that led to a discriminatory 

18 charge, conviction, or dismissal of that individual or 

19 group; 

20 (3) identify and review any instance where an 

21 individual or group has been discriminated against 

22 and has not received compensation for the discrimi23 natory act of the Federal agency; 

24 (4) not later than 90 days after the date of en25 actment of this Act, establish a mechanism for the 

26 public to submit and be heard on each instance of 

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1 discrimination by a Federal agency for consideration 

2 by the Commission; and 

3 (5) not later than 180 days after a public sub4 mission described in paragraph (4) is submitted, the 

5 Commission shall review the submission or decline to 

6 consider the instance of discrimination. 

7 (c) MEMBERSHIP.— 

8 (1) NUMBER.—The Commission shall be com9 posed of 12 members appointed as follows: 

10 (A) Four members shall be appointed by 

11 the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

12 (B) Two members shall be appointed by 

13 the minority leader of the House of Representa14 tives. 

15 (C) Four members shall be appointed by 

16 the majority leader of the Senate. 

17 (D) Two members shall be appointed by 

18 the minority leader of the Senate. 

19 (2) APPOINTMENT.—Members of the Commis20 sion shall be appointed to the Commission not later 

21 than 60 days after the date of enactment of this 

22 Act. 

23 (3) MEMBER QUALIFICATIONS.— 

24 (A) IN GENERAL.—Members of the Com25 mission appointed shall be civil rights leaders, 

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1 historians, lawyers, or judges with expertise or 

2 academic experience in— 

3 (i) civil rights; 

4 (ii) social justice; 

5 (iii) civil law; 

6 (iv) criminal law; 

7 (v) constitutional law; or 

8 (vi) history. 

9 (B) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Speaker of 

10 the House of Representatives, minority leader 

11 of the House of Representatives, majority lead12 er of the Senate, and minority leader of the 

13 Senate may solicit and receive recommendations 

14 from civil rights groups and submit such rec15 ommendations to the Commission for review. 

16 (4) TERMS.— 

17 (A) IN GENERAL.—Each member ap18 pointed after the initial appointments described 

19 in subparagraph (B) shall be appointed for 

20 three years. 

21 (B) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Com22 mission shall be filled in the manner in which 

23 the original appointment was made. 

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1 (5) BASIC PAY.—The rate of pay for members 

2 of the Commission shall be set by the Chairperson 

3 of the Commission. 

4 (6) QUORUM.—9 members of the Commission 

5 shall constitute a quorum and are required to con6 duct the duties of the Commission. 

7 (7) CHAIRPERSON.—One member shall be elect8 ed to serve as the chair of the Commission. 

9 (8) MEETINGS.—Not later than 90 days after 

10 the date of enactment of this Act and quarterly 

11 thereafter, the Commission shall hold a meeting. Ad12 ditional meetings may be called by a majority of the 

13 members. 

14 (d) DIRECTOR; STAFF OF COMMISSION.— 

15 (1) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a 

16 Director who shall be appointed by a majority vote 

17 of the Commission. 

18 (2) STAFF.—Subject to rules prescribed by the 

19 Commission, the Commission shall appoint and fix 

20 the pay of at least 11 additional personnel as the 

21 Director considers appropriate. 

22 (3) CIVIL SERVICE PROTECTION.—The Director 

23 and staff shall qualify for civil service protection. 

24 (e) CONSULTATION.—The Commission may collabo25 rate with historians, sociologists, researchers, graduate 

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1 students, doctoral students, law students, community 

2 members, formerly incarcerated or exonerated individuals, 

3 or other individuals directly impacted by discrimination by 

4 any Federal agency to identify any appropriate instance 

5 to be reviewed by the Commission. 

6 (f) RESEARCH.—The Commission may investigate 

7 any instance brought to the attention of the Commission 

8 as described in subsection (e) and may issue a subpoena 

9 to any agency that a majority of the Commission deter10 mines is necessary. 

11 (g) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 90 days 

12 after the date of enactment of this Act, and at least quar13 terly thereafter, the Commission shall submit to Congress 

14 and the appropriate congressional committees, a report in15 cluding the following: 

16 (1) Information on any alternative to the par17 don process, including exoneration or other forgive18 ness. 

19 (2) Each instance reviewed during the quarter. 

20 (3) Recommendations on legislative or executive 

21 action with respect to each instance reviewed by the 

22 Commission. 

23 (h) EXCEPTION FOR TERMINATION OF COMMIS24 SION.—Section 14(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory ComVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:51 Oct 26, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6048.IH H6048
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1 mittee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) does not apply to the Commis2 sion. 

3 (i) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE4 FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres5 sional committees’’ means the following: 

6 (1) The Committee on the Judiciary of the 

7 House of Representatives. 

8 (2) The Committee on the Judiciary of the Sen9 ate. 

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