Katrina Browne testifies on the Hill for H.R. 40
Posted June 20th, 2019 by James DeWolf PerryOn June 19, 2019 – Juneteenth – a historic hearing took place in a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee on H.R. 40. The bill, originally introduced by Rep. John Conyers in 1989, and now sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, calls for the formation of a national commission to:
- Study the history of slavery and its harmful legacies up to the present day;
- “Educate the American public of the Commission’s findings;” and
- “Recommend appropriate remedies in consideration of the Commission’s findings.”
The bill defines remedies broadly, and invites exploration of the possibility of a national apology, of public policy solutions, and of financial reparations.
Producer/Director Katrina Browne was invited to serve as a witness speaking in support of the bill. Fellow witnesses included: Ta’Nehisi Coates, Danny Glover, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Prof. Eric Miller, and Bishop Eugene Sutton (Episcopal Bishop of Maryland).
Each witness was given five minutes to speak. You can go here to see CSPAN footage of Katrina’s testimony; the transcript of it; and the longer (6-page) written testimony that she submitted for the record, as per the hearing protocols.
We were thrilled that the last line of Katrina’s testimony was quoted as the last line of the New York Times’ coverage of the hearing, and that it was selected as the New York Times quote of the day on the 20th!
Please lend your support to this important legislation!
