Title: Declaring unconditional war on racism and invidious discrimination and providing for the establishment of a Cabinet-level Department of Reconciliation charged with eliminating racism and invidious discrimination.
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Summary:
This resolution condemns racism and invidious discrimination as evil and antithetical to the U.S. Constitution and declares unconditional war on racism and invidious discrimination in America. (Invidious discrimination generally refers to discrimination based on a classification that is arbitrary or irrational and not related to a legitimate purpose.)
The resolution also expresses the intention of the House of Representatives to pass legislation establishing a Cabinet-level Department of Reconciliation. The department shall be charged with developing and coordinating the implementation of a comprehensive national strategy to eliminate racism and invidious discrimination.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 919 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 919

Declaring unconditional war on racism and invidious discrimination and 
   providing for the establishment of a Cabinet-level Department of 
     Reconciliation charged with eliminating racism and invidious 
                            discrimination.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 9, 2022

Mr. Green of Texas (for himself, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Ms. Clarke of 
New York, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Cleaver, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Ms. Waters, 
Mr. Bowman, Mr. Castro of Texas, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. 
Moore of Wisconsin, Ms. Jacobs of California, Mr. Payne, Mrs. Lawrence, 
 Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Torres of New York, Ms. 
  Bass, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Carson, Ms. Chu, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. 
 Lowenthal, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Norton, Ms. Omar, Mr. Rush, Ms. Schakowsky, 
 Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. DeSaulnier, Ms. 
Velazquez, and Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Declaring unconditional war on racism and invidious discrimination and 
   providing for the establishment of a Cabinet-level Department of 
     Reconciliation charged with eliminating racism and invidious 
                            discrimination.

Whereas this resolution is presented in the spirit of President Lyndon B. 
        Johnson, who--on January 8, 1964, after the assassination of President 
        John F. Kennedy, during a time of great turmoil--proclaimed, ``This 
        administration today, here and now, declares unconditional war on 
        poverty in America . . . Our aim is not only to relieve the symptoms of 
        poverty, but to cure it and, above all, to prevent it.'';
Whereas President Barack Obama indicated, ``In fact, if we hadn't declared 
        `unconditional war on poverty in America,' millions more Americans would 
        be living in poverty today.'';
Whereas some of the programs produced by the War on Poverty include Medicaid, 
        Medicare, expanded Social Security, and Head Start--all of which are 
        still needed today;
Whereas racism and invidious discrimination--like poverty in 1964--remain 
        pervasive in our country;
Whereas history is replete with examples of victims of racism and invidious 
        discrimination being denied life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;
Whereas systemic and institutionalized racism and invidious discrimination exist 
        in virtually all areas of American life, including policing, criminal 
        justice, housing, banking, voting, employment, education, the 
        environment, and health care; and
Whereas the protestations in the aftermath of the tragic death of George Floyd 
        are a clear indication that it has become necessary for Congress to take 
        decisive, immediate and long-term legislative action to address the 
        elimination of racism and invidious discrimination: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns racism and invidious discrimination as evil 
        and antithetical to the United States Constitution;
            (2) declares unconditional war on racism and invidious 
        discrimination in America and will provide the resources and 
        funding for their defeat; and
            (3) shall pass legislation establishing a Cabinet-level 
        Department of Reconciliation charged with ending racism and 
        invidious discrimination, developing and coordinating the 
        implementation of a comprehensive national strategy to 
        eliminate racism and invidious discrimination, with a budget 
        that shall be the equivalent of not less than 10 percent of the 
        Defense Department's budget, and headed by a Secretary of 
        Reconciliation appointed by the President with the advice and 
        consent of the Senate who shall make semi-annual progress 
        reports to Congress.
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