HR7927-119

What This Bill Does

The Land Reparations Commission Act establishes a 15-member commission in the legislative branch to address the unfulfilled post-Civil War promise of land to formerly enslaved people and their descendants. The bill defines eligible individuals by reference to people formerly held in slavery in the United States and their descendants, including people entitled under the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company law or Special Field Orders No. 15.

The commission must identify eligible people, notify people it suspects are eligible, accept and assess applications, identify and procure suitable property from Federal lands, repossessed properties, unowned land, and municipal land banks, and determine appropriate compensation as either a land subsidy or one-time cash payment. It must report findings and recommendations to Congress within 18 months after its first full meeting.

Nine members are appointed by the President and congressional party leaders within 60 days of enactment. Those members approve six additional members selected by the chair from major civil-society and reparations organizations. Government officials generally cannot serve, except full-time faculty at state-funded colleges or universities. Seven members form a quorum, although fewer may hold hearings.

The commission may subpoena witnesses and records, seek judicial enforcement and congressional-contempt procedures, contract for research or services only to the extent funded in appropriations laws, obtain confidential Federal information subject to secure handling, request reimbursable GSA support, accept gifts, and delegate authorized acts. It may hire staff outside normal competitive-service and pay-classification rules, use Federal detailees, retain experts, compensate members, and reimburse travel. The Federal Advisory Committee Act does not apply.

The commission terminates 90 days after submitting its report, although the termination provision cites a nonexistent section 4(b)(e). The bill does not itself appropriate money, specify acreage, transfer title, establish a final claim-review appeal, or expressly authorize payment of the land subsidies or cash awards it asks the commission to determine. Its command to procure land is therefore operationally stronger than a study-only commission but remains constrained by absent transfer and funding details.

Who Benefits and How

Eligible descendants and other qualifying applicants gain a Federal identification and application process and a commission charged with locating land and setting compensation proposals. Reparations organizations gain six commission seats, while researchers, consultants, and service providers may receive funded contracts.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The commission, appointing officials, Federal land and records agencies, GSA, and detailed employees must administer appointments, eligibility reviews, land searches, secure information, hearings, and reporting. Subpoenaed witnesses and record holders face compulsory process. Federal taxpayers and land-management programs could bear future costs if Congress later funds procurement or compensation, but this bill supplies no direct appropriation.

Key Provisions

• Establishes a legislative-branch land reparations commission.
• Defines eligible formerly enslaved people and descendants.
• Requires an eligibility notice and application process.
• Directs identification and procurement of suitable land.
• Directs determination of land subsidies or cash payments.
• Requires a report within 18 months of the first meeting.
• Creates a 15-member appointment structure.
• Provides subpoena and judicial-enforcement authority.
• Authorizes contracts only to the extent appropriated.
• Requires secure handling of confidential Federal information.
• Authorizes staff, details, experts, compensation, and travel.
• Exempts the commission from the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
• Terminates the commission 90 days after its report.
• Provides no direct land transfer or compensation appropriation.