The US Congress will take a historic step on April 14, 2021 when a congressional committee is to vote on a slavery reparations bill. The centuries-long injustices of slavery and its legacy, fueling the persistence of racial inequality today, remain largely unaccounted for. As states, cities, and other institutions pursue reckonings, Congress should step up to lead the nation in accounting and atoning for the ongoing impact of slavery. The committee vote on H.R. 40 is a crucial step in that direction.