H.Res. 159: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the current record breaking wealth gap is a national problem for the nation's economic security, and that broad-based, generational and systemic inequities continue to distort economic progress and opportunity for tens of millions of Americans -especially low and middle-income Americans and communities of color.

H.Res. 159: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the current record breaking wealth gap is a national problem for the nation's economic security, and that broad-based, generational and systemic inequities continue to distort economic progress and opportunity for tens of millions of Americans -especially low and middle-income Americans and communities of color.

114th Congress · introduced 2015-03-18 · Economics and Public Finance · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-03-18 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the current record breaking wealth gap is a national problem for the nation's economic security, and that broad-based, generational and systemic inequities continue to distort economic progress and opportunity for tens of millions of Americans -especially low and middle-income Americans and communities of color.

Plain summary

Recognizes that all families need to be economically secure to create opportunities for their children and the nation's next generation. Recognizes that wealth and income inequality hurt economic growth and risks economic security for individual families, our communities, and the nation as a whole. Supports the elimination of the wealth gap and the racial wealth gap as national economic security priorities. Acknowledges that Congress has a responsibility to implement thoughtful, proven and pragmatic policy strategies to eliminate the wealth gap and the racial wealth gap.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

A Yea supports adopting this resolution.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the current record breaking wealth gap is a national problem for the nation's economic security, and that broad-based, generational and systemic inequities continue to distort economic progress and opportunity for tens of millions of Americans -especially low and middle-income Americans and communities of color.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43] · 55 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), James E. Clyburn (D-SC), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Al Green (D-TX), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Hakeem S. Jeffries (D-NY), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Judy Chu (D-CA), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Marc A. Veasey (D-TX), Terri A. Sewell (D-AL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Alma S. Adams (D-NC), Mike Thompson (D-CA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), André Carson (D-IN), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Robin L. Kelly (D-IL), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43] reported raising $1.1 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Roll-call vote: A vote where each member's position is recorded by name, so the public can see how every member voted. "Yea" means yes, "Nay" means no, "Present" means the member was there but did not take a side.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hres159.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hres>

Record fed-us-cong114-hres159 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114