119-hres170

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

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

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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