Pelosi Says She Supports Forming Commission to Consider Reparations for Slavery

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said she supports launching a commission to explore the possibility of paying reparations to black Americans as a form of restitution for slavery, SFGate reports. “Reparations is a challenging issue,” Pelosi was quoted as saying Wednesday during an event at Howard University. “As you probably are aware, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee has the legislation to study it, and I support that and look forward to an open mind and full participation of the public in that discussion.” Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, (D-TX) proposed the legislation, HR 40, in January, which called for the creation of a commission to study the impact of slavery, discrimination, and segregation on African Americans. The group would also make recommendations “concerning any form of apology and compensation to begin the long delayed process of atonement for slavery,” Jackson Lee wrote in a statement.