Supporting the values of the Equity or Else quality-of-life platform and acknowledging the need for the House of Representatives to use the platform as a holistic framework for drafting and implementing policy that promotes racial and economic equity for all across various social issues.
This is a House Resolution (H. Res. 540) introduced in the 119th Congress. It does not itself create law or spend money, but it signals that the House supports the Equity or Else quality-of-life platform and wants the House to use that platform as a holistic framework for drafting and implementing policy aimed at racial and economic equity across a wide range of issues. The resolution emphasizes listening to communities directly affected by inequities and proceeding with transformative legislation. It also outlines a broad set of policy goals—such as improving education, housing, health care, water systems, and employment opportunities—and asserts that equity is foundational to a healthy democracy (including a stark statement that “without equity there is fascism”). The resolution was introduced by a group of Representatives and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. As a non-binding resolution, its effect would be to guide priorities and framing in future policy work rather than to authorize new programs or funding on its own.
Key Points
- 1The House endorses the Equity or Else quality-of-life platform and supports using it as a holistic framework for policy drafting and implementation to advance racial and economic equity.
- 2The resolution recognizes the need to change the House’s belief systems and practices, prioritizing input from impacted communities and crafting transformative legislation across multiple social issues.
- 3It emphasizes that policy and institutional reforms must be guided by the experiences of Black, Brown, Indigenous, and working-class communities, and that equity requires listening to those communities.
- 4The platform includes specific policy investments and reforms, such as:
- 5- Eliminating food deserts and investing in Black farmers
- 6- Funding safety-net hospitals to ensure equitable care
- 7- Expanding transformative initiatives like Medicare for All
- 8- Investing in public schools and ending the school-to-prison pipeline through models like community schools
- 9- Investing in youth centers and affordable or free childcare
- 10- Providing job opportunities for youth
- 11- Supporting rent control as a tool to manage gentrification and promote affordable homeownership
- 12- Eliminating lead pipes and ensuring clean water for all
- 13- Banning discriminatory job screenings for formerly incarcerated people
- 14- Expanding low-cost apprenticeship and job-training opportunities
- 15- Creating better pathways to citizenship for immigrants
- 16The resolution asserts a strong normative claim that equity is essential for a just society and that neglecting equity undermines democracy.