On June 16, 2021, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the formation of the House Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth, chaired by Rep. Jim Hines (D-CT). Members include Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Angie Craig (D-MN), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Sarah Jacobs (D-CA).
Speaker Pelosi's remarks
https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/61621-1 Excerpt:
The Select Committee is called the ‘Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth.’ It is predicated on something said by Franklin Roosevelt, when he established something called the Temporary National Committee – the Temporary National Economic Committee. And this is what he said at the time: ‘The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of the private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their – democracy, than the democratic state itself … the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the business system does not provide employment and produce and distribute goods in a way as to sustain an acceptable standard of living.’
He went on to say in a message to Congress – he made this announcement in an address to Congress. He said, ‘We believe in a way of living in which political democracy and free enterprise – free private enterprise, for profit, should serve and protect each other, to ensure a maximum of human liberty not for a few but for all.’
So, in that spirit, we have established this Select Committee. I'm very proud of those who have accepted the invitation to join the Committee, and you’ll – I will be acknowledging them in a moment.
Committee website:
https://fairgrowth.house.gov/
Hearing on The Nature and Consequences of American Economic Disparity, July 29, 2021
https://fairgrowth.house.gov/legislation/hearings/nature-and-consequences-american-economic-disparity
Witnesses:
Mr. Jason Furman, Aetna Professor of the Practice of Economic Policy, Harvard University;
Ms. Joi O. Chaney, Executive Director of the Washington Bureau and Senior Vice President for Policy and Advocacy, the National Urban League;
Prof. Janet Currie, Henry Putnam Professor of Economics and Public Affairs, Princeton University;
Prof. James Kenneth Galbraith, Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr. Chair in Government/Business Relations, LBJ School of Public Affairs, the University of Texas at Austin;
Ms. Shailly Gupta Barnes, Policy Director, the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival and Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice
Economist Diane Lim named as Policy Director, August 9, 2021
https://fairgrowth.house.gov/news/press-releases/economic-disparity-and-fairness-growth-committee-names-several-staff-leadership