Black Americans should receive $333k each in ‘creative’ slavery reparation scheme, says Democrat

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A bill that could see Black Americans receive a $14 trillion slavery reparation scheme is being backed by a New York ‘Squad’ lawmaker. Jamaal Bowman, a Democrat and member of the informal lawmaker group ‘The Squad,’ has advocated for a bill introduced in the House that seeks recognition from the federal government of the lasting harm Black Americans endure due to slavery and hopes to create a $14 trillion reparations programme, according to The Journal News. “Congressman Lawler strongly opposes any law that would force today’s American taxpayers to pay reparations for slavery that ended 160 years ago - and nearly 200 years ago in New York State,” said NY lawmaker Mike Lawler’s campaign spokesman Chris Russell, according to The Journal News. “Aside from the $14-trillion dollar price tag requiring massive tax or debt increases, the congressman believes such a law would only lead to a greater racial divide and resentment at a time when we need to come together as a nation.” However, Mr Bowman has argued that the federal government does have the means to provide the funds - since the start of the Covid pandemic, the government has provided $4.6 trillion to help the country, according to the US Government Accountability Office.