Progressive Democrat Summer Lee revives federal reparations push, citing systemic harm to Black Americans through U.S. laws.

Progressives Renew Annual Call for Reparations Legislation

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., has reintroduced a congressional resolution that seeks reparations for descendants of enslaved Black Americans. The announcement came Thursday as Lee stood alongside fellow progressive Democrats Reps. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., advocating for federal compensation to address what they described as a longstanding debt owed by the United States government.

The revived legislation follows a similar effort led by former Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., who lost her 2024 primary to a more moderate Democrat. Bush’s 2023 proposal, which called for $14 trillion in reparations, failed to gain traction in the previous Congress. Despite facing similar odds this term, Lee and her allies remain undeterred.

“We are awake. We are organized, and we will win. Reparations now,” Bush said during Lee’s announcement, invoking the progressive movement’s ongoing push for racial justice. Pressley also echoed the urgency of action, declaring, “Trump’s policies are nothing but anti-Blackness on steroids. This America wants to make America Jim Crow again, and then some.”

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Pressley had also introduced a reparations bill earlier this year during Black History Month, framing the proposal as a direct response to what they called an unprecedented attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs by the Trump administration.

Tlaib emphasized the moral imperative behind reparations, saying, “Reparations are a necessary step towards true equity in our country, and a more just future.” She added that it is time for Congress to address the “racist history of slavery and White supremacy” through meaningful action.

Reparations Face Strong Opposition in GOP-Led Congress

The proposal, however, has little chance of success in the 119th Congress, which remains under Republican control with President Donald Trump in the White House. Republican lawmakers, including House Science Committee Chair Brian Babin, R-Texas, have openly opposed reparations. Earlier this year, Babin introduced a bill to strip federal funding from state and local governments that implement reparations policies.

Lee acknowledged the difficult road ahead but stressed the importance of addressing systemic harm. “Reparations are a proposal to level the playing field,” she said. “But the only way we could ever have a level playing field is by remedying the harms that have been done by the system.”

In remarks to Fox News, Lee argued that reparations are a valid part of any discussion about national debt and responsibility. “When we think about the debt that is owed through our country... the Trump administration and the Republican Party talks a lot about paying our debts. This is one of them,” she stated.

Lee also outlined how historic U.S. policies actively harmed Black communities through laws that provided structural advantages to others. “They were not theoretical, but real harms,” she said. “So you can never have equal footing until you remedy that.”

While legislative success remains unlikely, supporters hope the renewed push will sustain public attention on the issue and influence future policy conversations regarding racial justice and government accountability.