H.R. 7927

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7927 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7927

To establish a Commission on Land Reparations, whose purpose is to 
study and distribute land reparations to African-American descendants 
of slaves promised land by the Federal Government.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 12, 2026

Mr. Thanedar introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish a Commission on Land Reparations, whose purpose is to 
study and distribute land reparations to African-American descendants 
of slaves promised land by the Federal Government.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Land Reparations Commission Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Following the Civil War, former enslaved Black 
Americans were promised ``40 acres and a mule'' of confiscated 
Confederate land by the Government through General Sherman's 
Field Order 15, which was never truly fulfilled, as Black 
Americans who were provided land by the Government following 
the Civil War had their land stripped away by President Andrew 
Johnson.
(2) Following the Civil War, the 39th Congress passed H.R. 
613, ``An Act to establish a Bureau for relief of Freedman and 
Refugees''. In section 5 of that bill, it is stated that the 
established Bureau can ``...reserve from sale or settlement 
under the homestead or preemption laws, and assign for the use 
of the freedmen and loyal refugees, male or female, unoccupied 
public lands in Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and 
Arkansas...''.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to establish a commission 
to study and develop land reparation proposals for African Americans as 
a result of--
(1) the institution of slavery, including both the Trans-
Atlantic and the domestic ``trade'' which existed from 1565 in 
colonial Florida and from 1619 through 1865 within the other 
colonies that became the United States, and which included the 
Federal and State Governments that constitutionally and 
statutorily supported the institution of slavery; and
(2) the failure of previously proposed remediations to 
address the unkept promise of land to previously enslaved 
Americans upon the abolition of slavery in 1865.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the 
Commission on Land Reparations established under this Act.
(2) Eligible individuals.--The term ``eligible 
individuals'' means individuals described as ``persons 
heretofore held in slavery in the United States, or their 
descendants'' in section 5 of the Act entitled ``An Act to 
incorporate the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company'' (13 
Stat. 511), including those entitled to receive benefits from 
reparations under such Act or Special Field Orders No. 15 
issued by General W.T. Sherman in January 1865.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT AND DUTIES.

(a) Establishment.--There is established in the legislative branch 
the Commission on Land Reparations.
(b) Duties.--The Commission shall perform the following duties:
(1) Identify eligible individuals.
(2) Establish a process by which identified eligible 
individuals are to be informed of their suspected eligibility, 
and by which applicants who believe themselves eligible for 
land reparations can apply and have their eligibility assessed.
(3) Identify and procure suitable land, as determined by 
the Commission, from among Federal lands, repossessed 
properties, unowned land, and municipal land banks.
(4) Determine appropriate compensation for eligible 
individuals in the form of either a subsidy for suitable lands 
or a one-time cash payment.
(5) Submit a written report of its findings and 
recommendations to the Congress not later than the date which 
is 18 months after the date of the first meeting of the full 
Commission pursuant to section 5(f).

SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.

(a) Number and Appointment.--
(1) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of 15 
members including the Chair, who shall be appointed as follows:
(A) Politically appointed members.--Not later than 
60 days after the date of enactment of this Act:
(i) One member shall be appointed by the 
President.
(ii) Two members shall be appointed by the 
House Majority Leader, in consultation with the 
committee of jurisdiction of the House.
(iii) Two members shall be appointed by the 
House Minority Leader, in consultation with the 
committee of jurisdiction of the House.
(iv) Two members shall be appointed by the 
Senate Majority Leader, in consultation with 
the committee of jurisdiction of the Senate.
(v) Two members shall be appointed by the 
Senate Minority Leader, in consultation with 
the committee of the jurisdiction of the 
Senate.
(B) Subject matter experts.--Not later than 60 days 
after the appointment of the Chair under section 5(e), 
six members, who shall be individuals appointed by the 
Chair, and approved by a majority of the members 
appointed under subparagraph (A). Such individuals 
shall be from the major civil society and reparations 
organizations that have historically championed the 
cause of reparatory justice.
(2) Qualification.--All members of the Commission shall be 
persons who are especially qualified to serve on the Commission 
by virtue of their education, training, activism or experience, 
particularly in the field of African-American studies and 
reparatory justice.
(3) Limitation.--No person who is a member of Congress or 
an officer or employee of the Federal Government or any State 
or local government may serve as a member of the Commission, 
with the exception of those employed as full-time faculty at 
State-funded colleges or universities.
(b) Terms.--The term of office for members shall be for the life of 
the Commission.
(c) Quorum.--Seven members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
(d) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Commission shall--
(1) not affect the powers of the Commission; and
(2) be filled in the same manner in which the original 
appointment was made.
(e) Chair.--There shall be a Chair of the Commission selected, from 
among the 9 politically appointed members described in subsection 
(a)(1)(A), jointly by the Majority Leader of the Senate and the 
Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, in consultation with 
the committees of jurisdiction. The term of office shall be for the 
life of the Commission.
(f) Initial Meeting of Full Commission.--The Chair shall call an 
initial meeting of the full Commission not later than 45 days after the 
appointment of all members under subsection (a)(1).

SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

(a) Hearings and Evidence.--The Commission may, for purposes of 
carrying out this Act--
(1) hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, take 
testimony, receive evidence, and administer oaths; and
(2) require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and 
testimony of witnesses and the production of books, records, 
correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents.
(b) Subpoenas.--
(1) Service.--Subpoenas issued under this section may be 
served by any person designated by the Commission.
(2) Enforcement.--
(A) In general.--In the case of contumacy or 
failure to obey a subpoena issued under this section, 
the United States district court for the judicial 
district in which the subpoenaed person resides, is 
served, or may be found, or where the subpoena is 
returnable, may issue an order requiring such person to 
appear at any designated place to testify or to produce 
documentary or other evidence. Any failure to obey the 
order of the court may be punished by the court as a 
contempt of that court.
(B) Additional enforcement.--Sections 102 through 
104 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (2 
U.S.C. 192 through 194) shall apply in the case of any 
failure of any witness to comply with any subpoena or 
to testify when summoned under the authority of this 
section.
(C) Issuance.--A subpoena may be issued under this 
section only--
(i) by the agreement of the Chair; or
(ii) by the affirmative vote of a majority 
of the Commission, a majority being present.
(c) Contracting.--To the extent or in amounts provided in 
Appropriations acts, and subject to the applicable laws and 
regulations, the Commission may enter into contracts with government 
entities, private entities, or persons for goods or services, including 
for conducting research or surveys, the preparation of reports, and 
other activities necessary for the discharge of the duties of the 
Commission.
(d) Information From Federal Agencies and Other Entities.--The 
Commission may secure directly from any department, agency, bureau, 
board, commission, office, independent establishment, or 
instrumentality of the United States any information related to any 
inquiry of the Commission conducted under this Act, including 
information of a confidential nature (which the Commission shall 
maintain in a secure manner). Each such department, agency, bureau, 
board, commission, office, independent establishment, or 
instrumentality shall furnish such information directly to the 
Commission upon request.
(e) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the 
Commission--
(1) the Administrator of General Services shall provide to 
the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative 
support services necessary for the Commission to carry out its 
responsibilities under this Act; and
(2) other Federal departments and agencies may provide to 
the Commission any administrative support services as may be 
determined by the head of such department or agency to be 
advisable and authorized by law.
(f) Donations of Goods and Services.--The Commission may accept, 
use, and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property.
(g) Postal Services.--The Commission may use the United States 
mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as departments 
and agencies of the United States.
(h) Powers of Subcommittees, Members, and Agents.--Any 
subcommittee, member, or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by 
the Commission, take any action which the Commission is authorized to 
take by this section.

SEC. 7. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

(a) Staff.--The may appoint additional personnel, as may be 
necessary, to enable the Commission to carry out its functions.
(b) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The Chair and 
staff of the Commission may be appointed without regard to the 
provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in 
the competitive service, and may be paid with out regard to the 
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title 
relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that 
no rate of pay fixed under this paragraph may exceed the equivalent of 
that payable for a position at level V of the Executive Schedule under 
section 5316 of title 5, United States Code. Any individual appointed 
under this section shall be treated as an employee for purposes of 
chapters 63, 81, 83, 84, 85, 87, 89, 89A, 89B, and 90 of that title.
(c) Detailees.--Any Federal Government employee may be detailed to 
the Commission without reimbursement from the Commission, and such 
detailee shall retain the rights, status, and privileges of his or her 
regular employment without interruption.
(d) Consultant Services.--The Commission is authorized to procure 
the services of experts and consultants in accordance with section 3109 
of title 5, United States Code, but at rates not to exceed the daily 
rate paid a person occupying a position at level IV of the Executive 
Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code.
(e) Compensation and Travel Expenses.--
(1) Compensation.--Each member of the Commission may be 
compensated at a rate not to exceed the daily equivalent of the 
annual rate of basic pay in effect for a position at level IV 
of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United 
States Code, for each day during which that member is engaged 
in the actual performance of the duties of the Commission.
(2) Travel expenses.--While away from their homes or 
regular places of business in the performance of services for 
the Commission, members of the Commission shall be allowed 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the 
Government service are allowed expenses under section 5703(b) 
of title 5, United States Code.
(f) Nonapplicability of Federal Advisory Committee Act.--The 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the 
Commission.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION.

The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the 
Commission submits its report to the Congress under section 4(b)(e).
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