Reparation News  --- NCOBRA’s Renewed Push To Enact HR 40

N'COBRA Legislative Commission (N-LC) has initiated a National Plan to Renew the Push to Enact HR 40 – The Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act.  Centered around this goal are several initiatives,

Primary to this push will be the call for and scheduling of public hearings in 6-8 major cities around HR 40, the Senate Apology and the policy initiatives to remove/address the lingering effects of enslavement.

Central to the passage of HR40 is the getting the legislation out of the Judicial Committee in order to get a full vote in the House of Representatives.. To do so, we must increase the co-sponsorship of the bill to approx. 90 co-sponsors. Among these, are needed a few republicans for bi-partisan support. Forty-seven  (47) current  members of Congress have sponsored this legislation in the past. They have been targeted to renew their co-sponsorship. Eleven current members of the Congressional Black Caucus have not co-sponsored this bill and they are also being targeted. Together, this would amount to 58 co-sponsors

To get the remaining 32 co-sponsors, N-LC, in conjunction with Con. Conyers’ office, is  directing a “Dear Colleague” campaign at progressive representatives. At the request of a constituent of the Congressperson, Con Conyers will send to that Congressperson a “Dear Colleague “ packet. The packet will consist of a letter from Conyers to that Congressperson, a copy of HR 40, a statement of Conyers introducing the HR 40 to the 111th Congress and a statement from Conyers calling for the enactment of HR40 on the heels of a the US Senate Apology for Slavery and Jim Crow Segregation. This “Dear Colleague” effort will be rolled out later this month.

In addition to the hearings and preparing HR 40 for a vote, the Plan also calls for  targeting a US Senator to author a senate companion bill to HR 40 in the Senate. We have selected Sen. Roland Burris D-IL. Letters, calls, e-mails   and information have been initiated between N-LC and the Sen. Burris.. A tentative meeting in Chicago has been set for March 29 to meet with Senator Burris on this issue. A national on-line petition has also been created for this purpose.  http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/SenatorBuirris/

Finally look out for 40,000 for HR 40. This is a national education and organization campaign aimed at increasing the awareness of HR 40 and having informed reparation activist and supporters ready for the hearings and pushing the vote.

For those interested in assisting with the above initiatives- HR 40 public hearings, contacting Representatives for co-sponsorship, or a Senate companion bill, you can contact Kamm Howard, Legislation Commission at khoward.amenta@sbcglobal.net, or 773 520-0369.  For the  40,000 for HR40,  contact Asinia Lukata Chikuyu Information & Media Commission at jackson_ncobra@yahoo.com Click to download 40,000 for HR40

What’s Needed From You to Push HR 40

On June 18, 2009 the United States Senate, with the US House of Representatives, concurring, issued an Apology for Slavery and Jim Crow Segregation to African Americans (Afro-descendants). The author of the Apology, Sen Tom Harkin, D. Iowa, stated following the apology, “The real work lies ahead.”

Ten months following the Apology and there has been no work accomplished by the Legislature. NCOBRA, having deemed the Apology INSUFFICIENT REDRESS, says “real work” can begin with Congress passing HR 40 – The Commission To Study Reparations Proposals for African Americans Act.  You can help with this push to enact HR 40 by doing the following three things:

1)  Go to www.ncobra.org and sign on to 40,000 for HR 40. Here we are assembling a data base of activist that will assist in organizing and appearing at the 6-8 public hearings that will address specific reparation proposals that should be included in the HR 40 study. To have these hearings, we need your help.

2) We are pushing for full co-sponsorship by all the members of the Congressional Black Caucus on HR 40. Call these Congresspersons and tell them that they must join this legislation now.  Let them know that you know that they have never signed on to this legislation and now is the time.

3)  Finally, with the below link, you can sign on a petition to ask Senator Roland Burris to author a companion Senate bill to HR 40.  We are pushing for 1000 signatures.

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/SenatorBuirris

The process will take about 1 minute. Submit your name, and  email address. If you feel inclined, please leave a personal comment. Then click to sign the petition.. 

Pumaja Tutashinde – Together We Will Win