H.Res. 170

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 170 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 170

Expressing support for Americas Black workers and affirming the need to 
pass legislation to reduce inequalities and discrimination in the 
workforce.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 27, 2025

Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania (for himself, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. 
Carter of Louisiana, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. 
Ivey, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Norton, Mrs. 
Ramirez, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Veasey, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Lee 
of Pennsylvania, Ms. Bynum, and Mr. Carson) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION

Expressing support for Americas Black workers and affirming the need to 
pass legislation to reduce inequalities and discrimination in the 
workforce.

Whereas a competitive economy for the United States requires the participation 
of a robust Black workforce;
Whereas unjust Black labor, first through forced slave labor, and later through 
dangerous, undercompensated, and sometimes abusive employment, has been 
essential to the historic success of the American economy;
Whereas the Black unemployment rate is consistently higher than the overall 
United States unemployment rate, with the Black unemployment rate at the 
time of this resolution's introduction being 3 percentage points higher 
than overall unemployment;
Whereas full-time Black workers' median weekly earnings historically lag behind 
the total average median weekly earnings, and as of 2023, Black workers 
take home only 87 percent of average full-time workers' median weekly 
earnings;
Whereas graduation from high school and higher education institutions are 
directly correlated with higher incomes and stronger job security, and 
Black Americans lag in completion of higher education, in part due to 
systemic racism within America's school systems;
Whereas many States continue to have insufficient labor standards, low minimum 
wages, harmful right-to-work laws, inadequate unemployment systems, and 
a lack of State-level protections against discrimination, all of which 
hurt Black workers and families;
Whereas Black workers face a higher likelihood of fatal and nonfatal injuries in 
the workplace compared to injury rates for all workers;
Whereas studies show that a significant percentage of Black workers continue to 
face discrimination or harassment in the workplace on account of their 
race or ethnicity, resulting in decreased safety in the workplace, and 
disadvantages to economic mobility for Black workers;
Whereas Black workers are more likely to be union members than non-Black 
workers, and have long been important participants in the American labor 
movement and the fight for better conditions, more just compensation, 
and the right to organize;
Whereas Black women are disproportionately affected by the same issues that 
affect Black men in the workforce, including making only 69 cents for 
every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic men and having higher 
unemployment rates than Black men;
Whereas expanding apprenticeships and preapprenticeships must be part of any 
strategy to build careers for Black youths, as apprentice and 
preapprentice programs have proven to be a practical and efficient 
method for high school and college students to improve personal economic 
outlooks; and
Whereas educational opportunities for Black youths should encompass a broad 
range of options to fit the diverse needs of young people entering the 
workforce, including making vocational and trade schools, technical 
colleges, higher education institutions, community colleges, job 
training programs, apprenticeships and preapprenticeships, and work-
study programs more affordable and accessible: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports efforts to reduce inequalities facing the 
Black workforce, including closing the wage gap, closing the 
unemployment gap, and improving access to job training 
programs, career skills building programs, and educational 
opportunities;
(2) supports the right of every American worker, regardless 
of race or ethnicity, to fair wages, safe working conditions, 
collective bargaining and organizing rights, and protection 
from discrimination;
(3) supports the passage of legislation that would improve 
labor conditions for Black workers, including--
(A) the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act;
(B) the National Apprenticeship Act;
(C) the Raise the Wage Act; and
(D) the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act; 
and
(4) recognizes the--
(A) historical and contemporary importance of the 
Black workforce to American prosperity and national 
economic security; and
(B) need to improve economic opportunity for Black 
workers as necessary for both individual well-being and 
the well-being of the Nation.
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