From Sacramento to Washington: How State Black Caucus Wins Build the Case for H.R. 40

Forcing the Vote · Part 4 of 5

State caucuses can only repair the harms their own states caused. The full debt — slavery protected by the U.S. Constitution, and a century of federally backed exclusion — belongs to the federal government. That's why state wins and federal pressure are one strategy.

What is H.R. 40?

H.R. 40 is the long-running bill to create a federal commission to study and develop reparations proposals for descendants of American slavery. It was first introduced by Rep. John Conyers in 1989 and has been reintroduced in nearly every Congress since. Its number honors the "forty acres" promise.

Track the current version and its cosponsors on Congress.gov.

Who carries it in Congress?

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is the federal counterpart of the state caucuses. Its members have been the main sponsors of H.R. 40 and related bills. Like state caucuses, the CBC can introduce bills but needs House leadership to bring them to a vote.

How do state wins help the federal fight?

• Proof of concept. A working state bureau or eligibility system shows Congress it can be done.
• Model language. Federal staff borrow definitions, like California's lineage standard.
• Data. State commissions document harms county by county — evidence a federal commission would need.
• Political cover. Members of Congress from states that already acted face less risk voting yes.

What changed after the 2026 midterms?

New House and Senate majorities improve the odds of hearings. But hearings are not payments. The same rule from Sacramento applies in Washington: a bill moves only when leadership schedules it, and leadership moves when voters push. See our analysis of the 2026 midterms.

Frequently asked questions

What is H.R. 40?

A federal bill to create a commission to study and develop reparations proposals for descendants of American slavery, first introduced by Rep. John Conyers in 1989.

How do state reparations laws help H.R. 40?

They prove programs can work, supply model eligibility language and data, and give members of Congress political cover to vote yes.

The bottom line

The state capitol and the U.S. Capitol are two ends of one road. Every state caucus win adds weight to the federal claim — and every federal hearing makes it easier for state leaders to say yes.