Press Sec says Biden may consider reparations policies. What will former academics in his circle advise?
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during a press briefing that President Joe Biden would be open to racial reparations.
As Campus Reform has previously reported, Biden appointed former academics to his administration who have written in favor of reparations.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki indicated that President Joe Biden may be willing to push for racial reparations. As Campus Reform previously reported, Biden has former academics in his circle that would likely advise him to endorse such legislation.
“Does the President support the legislation?” asked a reporter during a February press conference. “He stopped short of saying that during the campaign. Would he sign that if it came to his desk?”
“Well, he’s supported a study of reparations, which is I believe is what’s being discussed, and studying the continuing impacts of slavery, which is being discussed in this hearing on H.R. 40, I believe it is,” answered Psaki. “And he continues to demonstrate his commitment to take comprehensive action to address the systemic racism that persists today. Obviously, that is — having that study is a part of that, but he has signed an executive order on his first day, which would begin to deliver on his commitment to having an across-government approach to addressing racial inequality and making sure equity is a part of his entire policy agenda.”
When pressed on whether Biden would sign H.R. 40, Psaki said, “Well, it’s working its way through Congress. He’d certainly support a study, but we’ll see what happens through the legislative process.”
When the reporter asked why Biden would not create an executive order for reparations, Psaki mentioned his previous executive orders on racial equity.
In the first week of the Biden administration, Campus Reform reported on the appointment of Alondra Nelson — a Princeton University sociologist — as the Office of Science and Technology Policy Deputy Director for Science and Society.
[RELATED: Biden taps Princeton prof for science team. She has an idea on how gov’t can use DNA.]
In 2016, Nelson published a book called The Social Life of DNA: Race, Reparations, and Reconciliation After the Genome, which argues that cutting-edge biotechnology can be used as a basis for determining “legal claims for slavery reparations specifically based on ancestry.”
Biden is the first President in American history to elevate the director of the OSTP to a Cabinet-level position.
Campus Reform reached out to the Biden administration for comment; this article will be updated accordingly.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @BenZeisloft
