DeGette, colleagues aim to create first-ever U.S. commission to study legacy of slavery, racism and discrimination

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) joined Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and other lawmakers to introduce legislation establishing a United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. The Commission will examine the effects of slavery, institutional racism and discrimination against people of color, and how that history impacts the nation's current laws and policies.

"To most effectively dismantle the systems of inequity and police brutality that led to the murder of George Floyd and countless other Black Americans, we must fully understand the shameful legacy of racism in the United States," DeGette said. "The Commission will study our dark history of slavery, institutional racism and discrimination against people of color, and how that has shaped the country we live in today. This will help us avoid band-aid fixes, and instead address the deep-seeded problems that have plagued our nation for far too long."

The purpose of the Commission is to properly acknowledge and memorialize the history of slavery, institutional racism and discrimination. Lawmakers then hope the Commission will serve as a catalyst for the necessary solutions that are needed to permanently eliminate persistent racial inequities.

"The murder of George Floyd and the current COVID-19 crisis illustrate once again the painful and dangerous legacy that white supremacy has had in our country, and the desperate need to fully acknowledge and understand how our history of inequality continues today," Lee said. "This inequality is at the heart of every crisis we're dealing with right now – the crises of police brutality and mass incarceration, the COVID-19 public health crisis which isdisproportionately affecting communities of color, and the crisis of poverty excluding so many minority families from the American Dream. This is a matter of survival for countless Americans. Only by understanding our past, and confronting the errors that still haunt us today, can we truly move forward as a people and a country."

The legislation is part of a broader package of bills that DeGette is working to get passed through the U.S. House of Representatives – in collaboration with the Congressional Black Caucus – in the aftermath of the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others at the hands of law enforcement officials.

In addition to addressing systemic problems of racism and discrimination, DeGette is focused on legislation that will stamp out police brutality and excessive use of force, increase transparency and police accountability and demilitarize local law enforcement agencies.

"In addition to this Commission, there are urgent legislative actions that Congress must take to address the senseless killings of Black men and women at the hands of law enforcement," DeGette added. "From ending qualified immunity for law enforcement officials, to outlawing chokeholds, to limiting the transfer of military equipment to local police departments, these policies will save lives and begin to heal our communities."

The full text of the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Resolution can be found here.