HARRISBURG, June 8 – Yesterday, House Resolution 128 was introduced by state Reps. Stephen Kinsey, D-Phila., and Carol Kazeem, D-Delaware, urging Congress to end legal slavery was reported out of the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee.
While the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery, it left a loophole that allows for slavery/involuntary servitude as punishment for committing a crime.
Kinsey’s resolution would urge the U.S. Congress to end this loophole.
“Slavery is America’s greatest sin, and we can no longer allow it to continue any further in any shape or fashion,” Kinsey said. “The loophole in the 13th Amendment allows for America’s legacy of slavery and racism to continue- we must end it. No one should be forced to work involuntarily. Today’s committee vote for this resolution is a positive step towards fully abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude in our country.”
“Slavery has no place in the world today. Yet here in the United States, through a loophole in the 13th Amendment, we can still force labor on someone as punishment for a crime,” Kazeem said. “This is not what represents the America of today, and it’s about time we finally got rid of slavery in our country. We hope our colleagues in the state House will join us in calling on our Congress in Washington to join us in this mission.”
H.R. 128 will now head to the full House for future consideration.
