Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman of New York has put forward a $14 trillion reparations plan, aiming to address the historical impact of slavery on Black Americans. Bowman asserts that the federal government should cover the costs without increasing taxes, drawing parallels to the government’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When COVID was destroying us, we invested in the American people in a way that kept the economy afloat,” Bowman stated in an interview with the Journal News on January 16. “The government can invest the same way in reparations without raising taxes on anyone. Where did the money come from? We spent it into existence.”
Bowman is one of nine sponsors supporting H.R. 414, a resolution introduced by Representative Cori Bush (D-MO) in May 2023. The resolution acknowledges the moral and legal obligation of the U.S. to provide reparations for slavery and its ongoing impact on Black lives. The goal is to provide restitution for various discriminatory government policies affecting black Americans in areas such as banking, consumer affairs, housing, health, education, and employment.
H.R. 414 contends that the federal government must pay financial reparations, with respected economists estimating a minimum of $14 trillion required to bridge the racial wealth gap between Black and White Americans. The resolution also refers to scholars’ estimates of 222,505,049 hours of forced labor between 1619 and the end of slavery in 1865, valuing it at $97 trillion today.
To contextualize the $14 trillion proposal, the U.S. Treasury reports that the federal government spent $6.13 trillion in the fiscal year of 2022. The Journal News calculates that the proposed reparations program could potentially provide around $333,000 per African American individual, considering the population of approximately 42 million.
Bowman suggests distributing the $14 trillion over several decades, emphasizing creative approaches to address historical injustices. The reparations proposal has sparked controversy about its feasibility, potential implications, and the broader conversation on addressing historical injustices in the United States.
