Title: Urging the establishment of a United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation.

Senate Concurrent Resolution # 14 Date Introduced: 2025-06-12 12:00:00

The concurrent resolution S. Con. Res. 14, introduced during the 119th Congress and referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, calls for the establishment of a United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. Sponsored by Senator Booker and co-sponsored by several other prominent senators, the resolution emphasizes the long-standing systemic oppression and racial inequities that have persisted since the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in America in 1619. The resolution outlines the historical context and ongoing impacts of racial discrimination, including chattel slavery, racially biased legislation, and discriminatory policies that have perpetuated the marginalization and socio-economic disenfranchisement of African Americans and other people of color. These issues have contributed to the racial wealth gap, disparities in education, health, employment, and justice, while simultaneously obstructing efforts to achieve lasting racial equity and reconciliation.

The proposed commission seeks to address these entrenched issues through a national initiative focused on truth-telling, racial healing, and transformative justice. It aims to dismantle the belief in a racial hierarchy of human value and foster a collective embrace of common humanity, which are seen as necessary steps toward eliminating racial inequities. This effort is intended to complement, not replace, the ongoing legislative proposals for reparations for African Americans, such as the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals. By acknowledging historical injustices and their present-day manifestations, the resolution advocates for a structured approach to healing the nationâs racial divides, drawing inspiration from international truth and reconciliation processes while underscoring the urgency for such action to safeguard democracy against the dangers of perpetuating long-standing societal divisions.