I 

108TH 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 7, 2003

Mr. CONYERS (for himself, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. 

DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. JEFFERSON, 

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. KILPATRICK, Ms. MCCARTHY of Missouri, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Ms. 

MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Ms. NORTON, Mr. OWENS, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. 

RUSH, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. TOWNS, 

Ms. WATERS, Ms. WATSON, and Mr. WYNN) 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.
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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 ‘‘Commission to Study 

5 Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—

8 (1) approximately 4,000,000 Africans and their 

9 descendants were enslaved in the United States and 

10 colonies that became the United States from 1619 to 

11 1865; 

12 (2) the institution of slavery was constitu13 tionally and statutorily sanctioned by the Govern14 ment of the United States from 1789 through 1865; 

15 (3) the slavery that flourished in the United 

16 States constituted an immoral and inhumane depri17 vation of Africans’ life, liberty, African citizenship 

18 rights, and cultural heritage, and denied them the 

19 fruits of their own labor; and 

20 (4) sufficient inquiry has not been made into 

21 the effects of the institution of slavery on living Afri22 can-Americans and society in the United States. 

23 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to estab24 lish a commission to—
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1 (1) examine the institution of slavery which ex2 isted from 1619 through 1865 within the United 

3 States and the colonies that became the United 

4 States, including the extent to which the Federal 

5 and State Governments constitutionally and statu6 torily supported the institution of slavery; 

7 (2) examine de jure and de facto discrimination 

8 against freed slaves and their descendants from the 

9 end of the Civil War to the present, including eco10 nomic, political, and social discrimination; 

11 (3) examine the lingering negative effects of the 

12 institution of slavery and the discrimination de13 scribed in paragraph (2) on living African-Americans 

14 and on society in the United States; 

15 (4) recommend appropriate ways to educate the 

16 American public of the Commission’s findings; 

17 (5) recommend appropriate remedies in consid18 eration of the Commission’s findings on the matters 

19 described in paragraphs (1) and (2); and 

20 (6) submit to the Congress the results of such 

21 examination, together with such recommendations. 

22 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT AND DUTIES. 

23 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Com24 mission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Ameri-
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1 cans (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commis2 sion’’). 

3 (b) DUTIES.—The Commission shall perform the fol4 lowing duties: 

5 (1) Examine the institution of slavery which ex6 isted within the United States and the colonies that 

7 became the United States from 1619 through 1865. 

8 The Commission’s examination shall include an ex9 amination of—

10 (A) the capture and procurement of Afri11 cans; 

12 (B) the transport of Africans to the United 

13 States and the colonies that became the United 

14 States for the purpose of enslavement, including 

15 their treatment during transport; 

16 (C) the sale and acquisition of Africans as 

17 chattel property in interstate and instrastate 

18 commerce; and 

19 (D) the treatment of African slaves in the 

20 colonies and the United States, including the 

21 deprivation of their freedom, exploitation of 

22 their labor, and destruction of their culture, 

23 language, religion, and families. 

24 (2) Examine the extent to which the Federal 

25 and State governments of the United States sup-
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1 ported the institution of slavery in constitutional and 

2 statutory provisions, including the extent to which 

3 such governments prevented, opposed, or restricted 

4 efforts of freed African slaves to repatriate to their 

5 homeland. 

6 (3) Examine Federal and State laws that dis7 criminated against freed African slaves and their de8 scendants during the period between the end of the 

9 Civil War and the present. 

10 (4) Examine other forms of discrimination in 

11 the public and private sectors against freed African 

12 slaves and their descendants during the period be13 tween the end of the Civil War and the present. 

14 (5) Examine the lingering negative effects of 

15 the institution of slavery and the matters described 

16 in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) on living Afri17 can-Americans and on society in the United States. 

18 (6) Recommend appropriate ways to educate 

19 the American public of the Commission’s findings. 

20 (7) Recommend appropriate remedies in consid21 eration of the Commission’s findings on the matters 

22 described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4). In 

23 making such recommendations, the Commission 

24 shall address among other issues, the following ques25 tions: 
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1 (A) Whether the Government of the United 

2 States should offer a formal apology on behalf 

3 of the people of the United States for the per4 petration of gross human rights violations on 

5 African slaves and their descendants. 

6 (B) Whether African-Americans still suffer 

7 from the lingering effects of the matters de8 scribed in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4). 

9 (C) Whether, in consideration of the Com10 mission’s findings, any form of compensation to 

11 the descendants of African slaves is warranted. 

12 (D) If the Commission finds that such 

13 compensation is warranted, what should be the 

14 amount of compensation, what form of com15 pensation should be awarded, and who should 

16 be eligible for such compensation. 

17 (c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Commission shall 

18 submit a written report of its findings and recommenda19 tions to the Congress not later than the date which is one 

20 year after the date of the first meeting of the Commission 

21 held pursuant to section 4(c). 

22 SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. 

23 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—(1) The Commis24 sion shall be composed of 7 members, who shall be ap-
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1 pointed, within 90 days after the date of enactment of this 

2 Act, as follows: 

3 (A) Three members shall be appointed by the 

4 President. 

5 (B) Three members shall be appointed by the 

6 Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

7 (C) One member shall be appointed by the 

8 President pro tempore of the Senate. 

9 (2) All members of the Commission shall be persons 

10 who are especially qualified to serve on the Commission 

11 by virtue of their education, training, or experience, par12 ticularly in the field of African-American studies. 

13 (b) TERMS.—The term of office for members shall 

14 be for the life of the Commission. A vacancy in the Com15 mission shall not affect the powers of the Commission, and 

16 shall be filled in the same manner in which the original 

17 appointment was made. 

18 (c) FIRST MEETING.—The President shall call the 

19 first meeting of the Commission within 120 days after the 

20 date of the enactment of this Act, or within 30 days after 

21 the date on which legislation is enacted making appropria22 tions to carry out this Act, whichever date is later. 

23 (d) QUORUM.—Four members of the Commission 

24 shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold 

25 hearings. 
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1 (e) CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.—The Commission shall 

2 elect a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members. 

3 The term of office of each shall be for the life of the Com4 mission. 

5 (f) COMPENSATION.—(1) Except as provided in para6 graph (2), each member of the Commission shall receive 

7 compensation at the daily equivalent of the annual rate 

8 of basic pay payable for GS–18 of the General Schedule 

9 under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code, for each 

10 day, including travel time, during which he or she is en11 gaged in the actual performance of duties vested in the 

12 Commission. 

13 (2) A member of the Commission who is a full-time 

14 officer or employee of the United States or a Member of 

15 Congress shall receive no additional pay, allowances, or 

16 benefits by reason of his or her service to the Commission. 

17 (3) All members of the Commission shall be reim18 bursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary ex19 penses incurred by them in the performance of their duties 

20 to the extent authorized by chapter 57 of title 5, United 

21 States Code. 

22 SEC. 5. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION. 

23 (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commission 

24 may, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this 

25 Act, hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and 
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1 at such places in the United States, and request the at2 tendance and testimony of such witnesses and the produc3 tion of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, 

4 papers, and documents, as the Commission considers ap5 propriate. The Commission may request the Attorney Gen6 eral to invoke the aid of an appropriate United States dis7 trict court to require, by subpoena or otherwise, such at8 tendance, testimony, or production. 

9 (b) POWERS OF SUBCOMMITTEES AND MEMBERS.—

10 Any subcommittee or member of the Commission may, if 

11 authorized by the Commission, take any action which the 

12 Commission is authorized to take by this section. 

13 (c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission 

14 may acquire directly from the head of any department, 

15 agency, or instrumentality of the executive branch of the 

16 Government, available information which the Commission 

17 considers useful in the discharge of its duties. All depart18 ments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive 

19 branch of the Government shall cooperate with the Com20 mission with respect to such information and shall furnish 

21 all information requested by the Commission to the extent 

22 permitted by law. 

23 SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 

24 (a) STAFF.—The Commission may, without regard to 

25 section 5311(b) of title 5, United States Code, appoint and 
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1 fix the compensation of such personnel as the Commission 

2 considers appropriate. 

3 (b) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE

4 LAWS.—The staff of the Commission may be appointed 

5 without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States 

6 Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, 

7 and without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and 

8 subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classi9 fication and General Schedule pay rates, except that the 

10 compensation of any employee of the Commission may not 

11 exceed a rate equal to the annual rate of basic pay payable 

12 for GS–18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 

13 of title 5, United States Code. 

14 (c) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission 

15 may procure the services of experts and consultants in ac16 cordance with the provisions of section 3109(b) of title 5, 

17 United States Code, but at rates for individuals not to 

18 exceed the daily equivalent of the highest rate payable 

19 under section 5332 of such title. 

20 (d) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—The 

21 Commission may enter into agreements with the Adminis22 trator of General Services for procurement of financial 

23 and administrative services necessary for the discharge of 

24 the duties of the Commission. Payment for such services 

25 shall be made by reimbursement from funds of the Com-
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1 mission in such amounts as may be agreed upon by the 

2 Chairman of the Commission and the Administrator. 

3 (e) CONTRACTS.—The Commission may—

4 (1) procure supplies, services, and property by 

5 contract in accordance with applicable laws and reg6 ulations and to the extent or in such amounts as are 

7 provided in appropriations Acts; and 

8 (2) enter into contracts with departments, 

9 agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Gov10 ernment, State agencies, and private firms, institu11 tions, and agencies, for the conduct of research or 

12 surveys, the preparation of reports, and other activi13 ties necessary for the discharge of the duties of the 

14 Commission, to the extent or in such amounts as are 

15 provided in appropriations Acts. 

16 SEC. 7. TERMINATION. 

17 The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the 

18 date on which the Commission submits its report to the 

19 Congress under section 3(c). 

20 SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

21 To carry out the provisions of this Act, there are au22 thorized to be appropriated $8,000,000.

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