IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 988 

Supporting the values of the Equity or Else quality-of-life platform and 

acknowledging the need for the House of Representatives to use the 

platform as a holistic framework for drafting and implementing policy 

that promotes racial and economic equity for all across various social 

issues. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 31, 2024 

Mr. BOWMAN (for himself, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. CARSON, Mr. GARCI ́A

of Illinois, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania, Mrs. RAMIREZ, Mr. THANEDAR, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, and Ms. TLAIB) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the values of the Equity or Else quality-of-life 

platform and acknowledging the need for the House of 

Representatives to use the platform as a holistic framework for drafting and implementing policy that promotes 

racial and economic equity for all across various social 

issues. 

Whereas the foundation of any nation are the institutions 

that lay the structure for the people’s development; 

Whereas, according to the United Nations, the five basic institutions in a community are education, health care, 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
2 

•HRES 988 IH 

housing, food production and delivery systems, and clothing; 

Whereas through qualitative and quantitative empirical data 

we know that in Black, Brown, Indigenous, and workingclass communities, systemic racism has sabotaged basic 

quality-of-life institutions while maintaining resources for 

a privileged few; 

Whereas equity requires providing resources identified by impacted communities to alleviate harms caused by various 

social injustices including but not limited to racism and 

other forms of discrimination; 

Whereas directly impacted communities must guide and inform processes committed to equity; 

Whereas through hundreds of listening projects, town hall 

meetings, and engagement with grassroots organizations, 

the Equity or Else campaign has engaged tens of thousands of people across the country on the impact racism 

has had in education, housing, health care, food production and delivery systems, the environment, youth investment, immigration, senior rights, and economic development; 

Whereas, in May 2022, representatives from organizations 

across the country reached consensus on the Equity or 

Else quality-of-life platform; 

Whereas, in September 2022, the Equity or Else quality-oflife national platform was released as a living, breathing 

framework that can be used to shape racial equity policy 

at the local and Federal level; 

Whereas local communities around the United States are 

using the Equity or Else framework to develop racial equity policy solutions; and 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
3 

•HRES 988 IH 

Whereas the Equity or Else campaign is calling on local governments and the Federal government to adopt a ‘‘zero 

tolerance’’ approach to racial inequity, expressed through 

policy and practice: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the values of the Equity or Else 

3 quality-of-life platform, including the acknowledg4 ment that racial inequity can only be undone by 

5 changing the belief systems that currently serve as 

6 a foundation for our institutions, policies, and soci7 ety at-large; 

8 (2) recognizes the need to change its belief sys9 tem and expresses a commitment to evolving the 

10 House’s practices to prioritize and listen to impacted 

11 communities and to craft and pass transformative 

12 legislation that advances racial and economic equity 

13 across various social issues; and 

14 (3) acknowledges that without equity there is 

15 fascism. 

Æ 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS