US lawmakers unveil anti-slavery constitutional amendment

NEW YORK (AP) — Democrats in the House and Senate are to introduce a joint resolution Wednesday aimed at amending the 13th Amendment’s ban on chattel enslavement. The move would expressly prohibit the use of involuntary servitude as a punishment for crime. The original amendment has permitted exploitation of labor by convicted felons for over 155 years since the abolition of slavery. Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon tells The Associated Press that the 13th Amendment is in part responsible