Expressing support for Americas Black workers and affirming the need to pass legislation to reduce inequalities and discrimination in the workforce.
This is a House Resolution (H. Res. 170) introduced in the 119th Congress that expresses formal support for America’s Black workers and urges passage of several federal policies to reduce inequalities and discrimination in the workforce. While it frames these issues as urgent and essential to the national economy and security, the resolution itself does not create new laws or provide funding. Instead, it serves as a policy statement and legislative agenda, signaling Congressional intent to prioritize wage and employment gaps, education and training access, workplace protections, and the right to organize. It highlights disparities such as higher unemployment, lower median earnings, education gaps, safety concerns, and discrimination, and it cites four specific pieces of legislation it would like Congress to pass: the PRO Act, the National Apprenticeship Act, the Raise the Wage Act, and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
Key Points
- 1The resolution is a non-binding policy statement, not a law, aimed at influencing Congress and public discussion by showing support for Black workers and a plan to address workforce inequalities.
- 2It documents persistent disparities affecting Black workers, including higher unemployment, lower wages, education attainment gaps, safety risks on the job, and discrimination or harassment in the workplace.
- 3It emphasizes the importance of Black workers to the U.S. economy and national security, and it argues that improving economic opportunity for Black workers benefits the nation as a whole.
- 4It calls for passage of specific legislative measures to improve labor conditions and opportunities: the PRO Act (protecting the right to organize), the National Apprenticeship Act (expanding apprenticeships), the Raise the Wage Act (raising the federal minimum wage), and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (training and job programs).
- 5It also supports broader rights for all workers to fair wages, safe conditions, collective bargaining, and protection from discrimination, and it advocates for more accessible education and training options, including apprenticeships, vocational training, and affordable pathways to work.