As President Donald Trump and his administration focus on dismantling DEI programs, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley says now is the time to push for reparations.
“I think at a time of, quite frankly, anti-Black racism on steroids coming out of this hostile Trump-Musk White House ... this is the right time,” the Massachusetts congresswoman said in a conversation with GBH News’ Paris Alston.
“I think it’s appropriate at a moment of anti-Blackness that we are pro-Black,” Pressley added, “and we continue to build upon the momentum throughout this country and municipalities throughout the country who have been successful in redress the work of truth, reconciliation, and healing.”
Last month, Pressley introduced H.R. 40 , or the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. The bill would establish a 15-member federal commission to study the impact of slavery in the United States, and then recommend appropriate remedies to Congress.
The late Reps. John Conyers Jr. and Sheila Jackson Lee sponsored prior versions of the bill, with efforts to pass this legislation dating back more than 30 years. Pressley said while the effort has been led in Congress, advocates have been the ones carrying the movement over the years.
Now, Pressley hopes to build on the growing momentum.
“In the 118th Congress, when Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee was still with us and supporting this bill, we had close to 130 co-sponsors for this. So that was more than we’ve ever had,” Pressley said. “I’m already at at 80. And we just reintroduced the bill.”
Still, she recognizes the difficult path ahead given the Republican majority in Congress and the president’s ability to veto legislation.
Pressley said Democrats must respond to the Trump administration’s actions with litigation, legislation and mobilization.
“Everyday, people are showing up to be a part of these actions in resistance,” she said. “And that’s what we’re going to have to do to keep the pace of public outcry, public outrage and that pressure.”
