Title: Recognizing racism as a national crisis and the need for a truth and reconciliation process.
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Summary:
This resolution recognizes racism as a national public health crisis and supports the creation of a truth and reconciliation process to address historic, enduring systemic and structural racism against black people.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 990 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 990

 Recognizing racism as a national crisis and the need for a truth and 
                        reconciliation process.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 4, 2020

 Mrs. Beatty submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
  the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing racism as a national crisis and the need for a truth and 
                        reconciliation process.

Whereas racism is a social system with multiple dimensions--individual racism 
        that is internalized or interpersonal, and systemic racism that is 
        institutional, or structural, and is a system of structuring opportunity 
        and assigning value based on the social interpretation of how one looks;
Whereas race is a social construct with no biological basis;
Whereas racism unfairly disadvantages specific individuals and communities, 
        while unfairly giving advantages to other individuals and communities, 
        and saps the strength of the whole society through the waste of human 
        resources;
Whereas racism is a root cause of poverty and constricts economic mobility;
Whereas racism causes persistent discrimination and disparate outcomes in many 
        areas of life, including housing, education, employment, and criminal 
        justice, and an emerging body of research demonstrates that racism 
        itself is a social determinant of health;
Whereas African Americans face obstacles to economic opportunity, with higher 
        unemployment rates (16.7 percent for African Americans compared to 14.7 
        percent overall in April 2020), a higher poverty rate as a community 
        (20.8 percent for African Americans compared to 11.8 percent overall in 
        2018), lower home ownership rates (44 percent for African Americans 
        compared to 65.3 percent overall), and a significant wealth gap (with a 
        net worth for a typical Black household of $17,150 compared to $171,000 
        for an average White family);
Whereas African Americans experience disproportionate interactions with law 
        enforcement and the criminal justice system, as demonstrated by higher 
        incarceration rates (1,501 African Americans per 100,000 compared to 698 
        people per 100,000 overall), and 40 percent of the people who are 
        incarcerated in the United States are Black;
Whereas far too many Black Americans have lost their lives at the hands of law 
        enforcement and to violence perpetrated while engaging in lawful 
        activities--while comprising just 12 percent of the population, they are 
        4 times as likely to be killed by a police officer while being unarmed 
        and not attacking, compared to a Caucasian/White individual, and are 2.5 
        times more likely to be killed by police in general;
Whereas 69 percent of the victims of police brutality in the United States who 
        are Black were suspected of a nonviolent crime and were unarmed;
Whereas millions of Americans and people in countries across the globe united to 
        peacefully protest the senseless killing of George Floyd who died while 
        in the custody of 4 police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 
        25, 2020, from a knee held on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, and 
        the unabated police brutality and racial injustices committed against 
        Black people in the United States;
Whereas racism and segregation have exacerbated a health divide resulting in 
        Black Americans having lower life expectancies than White Americans, 
        being far more likely than other races to die prematurely (before the 
        age of 75), and to die of heart disease or stroke;
Whereas Black Americans have higher levels of infant mortality, have lower birth 
        weights, and are more likely to be overweight or obese, have adult 
        diabetes, and have long-term complications from diabetes;
Whereas communities of color, working class residents, and those who live with 
        disabilities are more likely to experience poor health outcomes as a 
        consequence of their social determinants of health--health inequities 
        stemming from economic stability, education, physical environment, food, 
        and access to health care systems;
Whereas more than 100 studies have linked racism to worse health outcomes; and
Whereas the collective prosperity of the United States depends upon the 
        equitable access to opportunity for every citizen regardless of the 
        color of their skin: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes that structural and systemic racism is 
        embedded and entrenched in every aspect of our Nation;
            (2) condemns the long-term impacts that racism has had on 
        people of color in the United States;
            (3) asserts that racism is a public health crisis affecting 
        our entire country; and
            (4) supports the creation of a truth and reconciliation 
        process to address the historic, enduring systemic and 
        structural racism against Black people that continues to plague 
        our Nation.
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