A post-reparations America
Ayanna Pressley on her push for the US to redress the harms of slavery—plus House immigration and deregulation votes, Republican budget markups, and RFK’s confirmation fate.
Although Donald Trump signed a proclamation 11 days ago recognizing February as National Black History Month, several intelligence agencies, armed forces, and civilian departments within his administration have banned activities and events related to the month and other special observances to comply with an executive order the president signed to eliminate federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
And in recent years, we’ve seen rollbacks of voting rights, affirmative action and initiatives to advance DEI, which have made even the most optimistic Americans bearish that the nation will ever address the enduring effects of slavery and systemic racism.
I asked Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), who this week reintroduced H.R. 40—a bill to establish a federal commission to examine the lasting impact of slavery and develop reparations proposals for Black descendants of enslaved people—to paint a picture of what a post-reparations America could look like for those who believe it’s out of reach.
“We cannot only do the work of resistance. It is important to advance a vision of another world that we believe is possible, and we have to name that in order to manifest that,” Pressley told me. “A world where Black boy joy is a rite of passage, a world where Black men grow old, a world where you can be Black and birthing and safe and sacred and that that is a right and not a privilege. A world where we pass on not generational trauma, but generational wealth, health and Black joy. So we’re naming that.”
The proposed commission would include 15 members: three appointed by the president, three appointed by the House speaker, three appointed by the Senate pro tempore, and six experts on racial justice, economics, civil rights, reparative justice and related fields. It would provide recommendations and advocate for local, state and federal public policies.
Opponents of reparations argue that slavery ended more than 150 years ago, and since no one today was involved, compensation to Black descendants of enslaved people would be unfair to those with no personal connection to slavery.
“We have done this for Native American [people], for indigenous peoples. We have done this for Japanese Americans,” Pressley said. So when people say, ‘Well, my family didn’t own a slave, why should I care about this?’ Well, we were able to do truth, reconciliation and the reparative work for Japanese Americans and not everybody played a role in that, either.”
Critics also point to existing civil rights laws, affirmative action and social programs as adequate attempts to reconcile historical injustices. Practically speaking, some wonder who would qualify, how payments would be calculated, and whether financial compensation, land, or policy changes would be the most effective remedy.
Others contend that the American government isn’t solely responsible for slavery and that reparations could violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. I’ve also heard the argument that reparations would deepen racial divisions and set a precedent for other groups to seek compensation for historical injustices.
But Pressley said that if the US can legislate hurt and harm—as it did through Jim Crow laws, for example—then the same nation can legislate justice and healing.
“And for those that would say we need to just get over it?” she added. “That’s interesting when, as a nation, you are benefiting right now from an economy that was built on the brutalized backs and the indignities and the horrors of chattel slavery in our African ancestors.”
H.R. 40’s legislative history spans decades. The late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) assumed sponsorship of the bill in 2017 following the retirement of the late Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), who initially introduced it in 1989. The House Judiciary Committee advanced the bill in April 2021 when Democrats controlled the chamber. Under the Republican majority last Congress, the bill was referred to the Judiciary Committee but was not considered. Pressley has taken the baton as the lead sponsor with Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) for H.R. 40’s next chapter.
Pressley became emotional when she discussed taking up the mantle from Jackson Lee, whose daughter Erica Lee Carter joined Pressley and members of the Congressional Black Caucus to reintroduce the bill. (Carter completed her mom’s term last year, representing the downtown Houston district Jackson Lee did for almost 30 years.)
“I got emotional because I’m humbled and because I feel a tremendous responsibility. These are unprecedented and deeply consequential times,” she said. “I’m not afraid of hard fighting. I’m not deterred by challenging landscapes because I’ve always believed that the power of the people is greater than the people in power.”
Paid subscribers also got these bonus posts this week:
“Schumer, Jeffries hustle to keep pace with Trump’s actions and Democratic demands”: “The top two Democrats are under intense pressure to use aggressive messaging and tactics to counter a runaway executive and disgruntled voter base.”
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Hill Talk
Hill Talk is a new series that features a quick, high-impact Q&A with a lawmaker or legislative stakeholder about key issues and current events. This week’s talk is with Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), a House Education and Workforce Committee member and a former National Teacher of the Year.
Once Upon a Hill: The Education Department is under fire from the Trump administration’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency and the broader MAGA movement. President Trump just this week called for its immediate elimination. How are you communicating the stakes with your constituents and the American people?
Jahana Hayes: [Republicans] don’t want to cut taxes for people, they want to continue to reward their wealthiest cronies. I think the American people need to understand that, and that’s one of the things I'm going to try to do.
It’s not just about voting for a budget or voting for a program. I need to spell out this is what that looks like for you. Cuts to the Department of Education means that your child who gets an [Individualized Education Plan], first of all, those civil rights protections that are granted by law may not be implemented or adhered to, and second of all, the funding that's used to support those things may mean that your child doesn’t have the occupational therapist that they need in school so that they can meet their academic goals, something as easy as that.
Parents understand that, but when you talk about closing a department that seems so obscure. So I think as Democrats, we have to keep painting the picture of, “Okay, this is what this looks like for you. This is what a cut to Medicaid looks like to your mother or to your child.” So, and I think that's the language people understand.
OUAH: A constituent challenged President Biden’s 2022 student loan cancellation plan at a recent district town hall. You responded by pointing out that you weren’t a homeowner, didn’t own stocks, or have a car when the government bailed out the mortgage, banking, and auto industries. What made you choose those examples to make your point?
JH: Those are just examples that popped into my head. But I think the overall point I was trying to make is that as Americans, we pay taxes into a system that, in turn, helps groups in need, and that is not new or specific to the student loan debt crisis or to any of the actions taken by the [Biden] administration.
The statement that he made [suggested] the reason why we’re in this is because of student loans. And I wanted to remind him of the tax cuts to billionaires, and that’s something that we can address. It’s not that Democrats are against looking at saving money in the government or making sure programs work effectively, but this selective outrage when it comes to especially the communities that are hardest hit and Americans that are hardest hit, we have to stop.
Let’s Catch Up
⟿ The House Budget Committee on Thursday night passed a blueprint that will serve as the framework for a massive bill filled with several of President Trump’s legislative priorities. The resolution allocates up to $4.5 trillion over the next decade to extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts. It proposes at least $1.5 trillion in funding reductions over 10 years, potentially affecting programs like Medicaid and SNAP. It designates an additional $300 billion for national defense and border security and includes a $4 trillion increase in the federal debt limit to ensure the government meets its financial obligations.
The markup lasted more than 12 hours. Republicans voted down more than 30 amendments sponsored by committee Democrats that would block cuts to social programs, protect the Affordable Care Act, keep prescription drug prices from spiking, and prevent billionaires from accessing sensitive taxpayer data in the wake of Elon Musk’s government takeover. Republicans passed two amendments, including one that would enable more tax cuts if funding for domestic programs is slashed beyond the baseline instructed in the resolution.
With the bill out of committee, Speaker Mike Johnson has cleared a significant hurdle and satisfied the demands of hardline conservatives. But it remains to be seen if the rest of his conference will accept deep cuts to essential social programs. Johnson is expected to bring the resolution to the floor for a full vote after next week’s President’s Day recess.
⟿ The Senate Budget Committee advanced its budget resolution to the floor on Wednesday. Republicans are pursuing a two-bill strategy to fulfill the anti-immigration elements of President Trump’s agenda as soon as possible while handling tax cuts in a separate measure.
The resolution allocated $175 billion over four years to the Department of Homeland Security to complete the southern border wall, enhance surveillance technology, increase detention capacity, and expand the Border Patrol Workforce. An additional $150 billion is proposed for defense spending to expand the Navy, strengthen the defense industrial base, develop an integrated air and missile defense system, and modernize strategic nuclear forces.
Senate Republicans have preferred splitting Trump’s legislative priorities into separate bills since the party won unified control of the government after the 2024 election. They argue that most members in both chambers agree the Trump administration needs more resources to carry out the president’s mass deportation operation and reinforce the military. They also argue that tax policy is so complicated that it should be handled independently. House Republicans have opted for a single measure because they know notching the votes for it will be hard enough—two could be virtually impossible.
The Senate could vote on the resolution as early as next week after several hours of debate and consideration of unlimited amendments in a marathon series known as a “vote-a-rama.”
⟿ The Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services as the chamber continues its work to approve President Trump’s cabinet.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) joined all Democrats in opposing both nominations. He railed against Gabbard for her past perceived skepticism toward US intelligence agencies, her past defense of whistleblower Edward Snowden, her past meetings with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, and her sympathetic views on President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Meanwhile, RFK Jr. earned the ire of the former Republican leader and polio survivor for trafficking in anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. But each had the support of enough key swing votes to be confirmed ultimately.
As DNI, Gabbard said she would prioritize depoliticizing intelligence, strengthening global partnerships, and restoring public trust through transparency and accountability. She pledged to provide objective intelligence to policymakers, address gaps in US intelligence capabilities, and engage with allies, starting with an upcoming trip to Germany for the Munich Security Conference.
RFK Jr. outlined priorities that include addressing the nation’s health crisis by focusing on chronic diseases and mental health issues linked to social isolation. During his confirmation hearings, he emphasized the importance of transparency regarding food ingredients and advocated for changes in food assistance programs to prioritize healthier options. Kennedy says he’s not coming for vaccines but wants more transparency on their efficacy and side effects. He’s also pushing for a vaccine safety review and expanding the federal compensation program for vaccine injuries.
The Senate also confirmed Brooke Rollins to lead the Department of Agriculture. It advanced the nominations of Howard Lutnick to be Commerce Secretary and Kelly Loeffler to head the Small Business Administration. The last of the controversial nominees, Kash Patel, for FBI Director, advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee this week and could receive a confirmation vote next week.
⟿ Marjorie Taylor Greene chaired the first hearing of the House Oversight DOGE (Delivering on Government Efficiency) subcommittee this week. The hearing focused on the nation’s $36 trillion debt and government waste, with Democrats criticizing Elon Musk’s role in government restructuring and Republicans defending efforts to reduce spending.
Based on interviews with four of the six Democrats on the panel, they walked into the hearing with two goals: to show they’re serious about making government work and to push back against what they see as an effort to dismantle it. After the hearing, I asked one of the subcommittee Democrats, Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), to describe the hearing in one word. “Pfft,” he said, using the onomatopoeia that represents a sound often associated with disbelief or dismissal.
This week, I joined the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Politically Georgia” radio show to discuss the subcommittee hearing and Greene’s role as its chair and a leader in the broader MAGA movement (Spotify, Apple).
House Oversight Committee Chair Jim Comer (R-Ky.) announced the formation of the DOGE panel last November and appointed Greene due in part to her alignment with its goals of reducing government waste and enhancing efficiency. As chair, she has pledged to focus on eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse within federal agencies, which she says would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government operations. The committee is expected to work closely with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory body led by Musk, appointed by President Trump to streamline government functions theoretically.
Greene’s chairship represents a remarkable resurgence for the third-term congresswoman. She was stripped of her committee assignments in 2021 due to her past support for violent and extremist conspiracy theories. Before taking office, she had promoted QAnon, suggested that mass shootings were staged, and endorsed violence against Democratic politicians.
⟿ The House passed a bill that would ban undocumented immigrants who flee border patrol from ever being admitted into the US. 50 Democrats joined all voting Republicans in favor of the legislation, which is named after Raul Gonzalez, a Customs and Border Protection agent who died in 2022 from injuries sustained in an ATV accident after pursuing migrants who had crossed the border illegally into Texas. The final tally was 264–155.
House Republicans claimed the bill would enact meaningful consequences that make undocumented immigrants think twice before fleeing arrest. But Democrats argued that it undermines due process by allowing deportations without a conviction and noted that current law already makes fleeing law enforcement a deportable offense. They also criticized the bill’s new mandatory minimum penalties, saying they are poorly written and do not require proof of intent to cause harm.
The bill is a part of the Republican Party’s broader anti-immigration agenda, including another, the Laken Riley Act, the Trump administration’s mass deportation operation, and the Senate GOP’s current push to pass party-line legislation to fund it. A similar bill passed the House last year but stalled in the then-Democratic-controlled Senate.
The House also passed a separate bill to allow Congress to disapprove multiple “midnight rules,” regulations issued in the final months of a presidential administration through a single resolution, rather than requiring separate votes on each rule.
This legislation has been introduced multiple times, primarily by Republicans, who argue that it helps prevent regulatory overreach by lame-duck administrations. However, Democrats have generally opposed it, citing concerns that it undermines the regulatory process and weakens agencies’ ability to implement necessary rules.
The final vote was 212–208. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) was the only Republican to oppose the bill, while Rep. Henry Cuellar was the only Democrat to support it.
Read All About It
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“How the Village People went from ‘Y.M.C.A.’ to MAGA” by David Browne: “The history of the disco band is littered with lineup changes, legal issues, and music vibe shifts, but it’s the association with Trump that brought the most drama.”
“Vance is laying the groundwork” by Kristen Soltis Anderson: “The vice president is the millennial Republican we should have seen coming.”
“The fringe cause that could derail the Republican agenda” by Oren Cass: “Will these strategies do to Trump’s presidency what they did to Biden’s?”
“How many New Yorkers are secretly subsidized by their parents?” by Madeline Leung Coleman: “Boomers are slowly transferring trillions of dollars to their New York City children, one down payment and Via Carota tab at a time.”
“Why are young men so hopeless at dating?” by Allie Volpe: “The rules of romance have changed. Can men keep up?”