White House advisor Cedric Richmond says Biden wants to tackle racial barriers as Congress considers studying reparations

• Cedric Richmond said that it's feasible to make progress on race while Congress studies reparations.
• Richmond said that Biden felt an urgency to begin tackling longstanding issues now.
• "We don't want to wait on a study that we even support," Richmond said.

White House senior advisor Cedric Richmond said during an interview that aired on Sunday that it's feasible for President Joe Biden to move forward on combatting racial inequities while Congress studies reparations for slavery.

During an episode of "Axios on HBO," Richmond expressed confidence that House Resolution 40, which would create a commission to study reparation proposals, would pass.

Richmond also said that the Biden administration felt an urgency to begin tackling longstanding issues now.

"We have to start breaking down systemic racism and barriers that have held people of color back and especially African-Americans who were enslaved," he said. "We have to do stuff now to improve the plight, status, future, and empowerment of Black people all around the country."

He added: "We don't want to wait on a study that we even support. But we're going to start acting now."

During the 2020 presidential campaign, Biden was a proponent of studying reparations, and the White House confirmed last month that President Joe Biden continued to back a study of the issue.

"He certainly would support a study of reparations," the White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, said. "He understands we don't need a study to take action right now on systemic racism, so he wants to take actions within his own government in the meantime."

Biden made his first moves shortly after taking office, issuing several executive actions aimed at advancing racial equity, which included a directive for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to initiate a plan "to redress racially discriminatory federal housing policies that have contributed to wealth inequality."

When asked if a potential reparations bill could be passed by the end of Biden's first term, Richmond said that the timeline was unclear, but noted that several education-related initiatives could be in place.

"If you start talking about free college tuition to HBCUs [Historically Black Colleges and Universities] and you start talking about free community college in Title I and all of those things, I think that you are well on your way. Those are doable."