July 17, 2025
Ms. Pressley (for herself, Mr. Garcia of California, Ms. Adams, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Bishop, Ms. Brown, Mr. Carson, Mr. Clyburn, Ms. Crockett, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Fields, Mrs. Foushee, Mr. Frost, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Horsford, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Kennedy of New York, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Mr. Lynch, Mrs. McIver, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Mfume, Ms. Norton, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Ms. Omar, Ms. Plaskett, Mrs. Ramirez, Mr. Raskin, Ms. Simon, Mr. Soto, Ms. Stansbury, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Velázquez, Mrs. Watson Coleman, and Ms. Williams of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
To amend titles 5, 31, and 44, United States Code, to improve the equitable provision of services to underserved communities and individuals, to establish an Agency Equity Advisory Team, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Equity in Government Act
.
Sec. 2. Amendments
(a) Agency strategic plans
Section 306 of title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)(2), by inserting after of the agency
the following: , with at least one goal, or 20 percent of the total number of goals, whichever is greater, relating to improving the equitable provision of services to underserved communities and individuals
;
(2)
in subsection (d), by inserting after in such a plan
the following: , including nongovernmental organizations and other stakeholders, including academic and research partners, State and local governments, and community and advocacy groups, that can address how to improve the equitable provision of services to underserved communities and individuals
; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(d) Additional definitions
In this section and sections 1115 and 1120 of title 31:
(1) State
The term State means each State of the United States, the District of Columbia, each commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States, and each federally recognized Indian Tribe.
(2) Underserved communities
The term underserved communities means populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life.
(3) Underserved individual
The term underserved individual means a member of any underserved communities.
(b) Agency performance plans
Section 1115(b) of title 31, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1), by inserting after and the next fiscal year
the following: , with at least one performance goal, or 20 percent of the total number of performance goals, whichever is greater, relating to improving the equitable provision of services to underserved communities and individuals
; and
(2)
in paragraph (5)(E), by inserting after other agencies
the following: , nongovernmental organizations, and other stakeholders, including academic and research partners, State and local governments, and community and advocacy groups,
.
(c) Agency priority goals
Section 1120(b)(1) of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the first sentence the following: At least one of the priority goals of each agency, or 20 percent of the priority goals of the agency, whichever is greater, shall be related to improving the equitable provision of services to underserved communities and individuals.
.
Sec. 3. Performance improvement officers
Section 1124 of title 31, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)(2)—
(A)
in subparagraph (E), by striking ; and
and inserting a semicolon;
(B)
in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
; and
(C)
by inserting at the end the following:
(G)
establish and serve as the head of an Agency Equity Advisory Team, with at least 10 members, that includes representation from at least 10 of the following:
(i)
The head of the agency.
(ii)
Regulatory affairs senior designee.
(iii)
Counsel.
(iv)
Civil rights enforcement senior designee.
(v)
Policy development senior designee.
(vi)
Chief Financial Officer, Controller, or senior designee.
(vii)
Chief Data Officer or senior designee.
(viii)
Chief Science Officer or senior designee.
(ix)
Chief Human Capital Officer or senior designee.
(x)
Evaluation Officer or senior designee.
(xi)
Statistical official.
(xii)
Procurement senior designee.
(xiii)
Customer or user experience leadership.
(xiv)
Communications or public affairs senior designee.
(xv)
Public engagement senior designee.; and
(2)
in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(4) Equity Subcommittee
(A) Establishment
There is established an Equity Subcommittee of the Performance Improvement Council, consisting of members of that Council, to be selected by the Council.
(B) Functions
The Equity Subcommittee of the Performance Improvement Council shall—
(i)
assist the Director of the Office of Management and Budget in identifying guidance agencies need on how to provide services more equitably and developing such guidance;
(ii)
facilitate the sharing of information across agencies regarding practices that have led to the more equitable provision of services;
(iii)
coordinate with the Equitable Data Working Group of the Chief Data Officer Council (established pursuant to section 3520A of title 44) to ensure that agencies share best practices related to the equitable collection and use of data; and
(iv)
solicit input from nongovernmental organizations, State and local governments, and recipients of government services to determine best practices for providing government services equitably.
Sec. 4. Chief data officers
Title 44, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in section 3520(c)—
(A)
in paragraph (13), by striking ; and
and inserting a semicolon;
(B)
in paragraph (14) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
; and
(C)
by inserting at the end the following new paragraph:
(15)
ensure the agency applies the recommendations of the Chief Data Officer Council developed pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (5) of section 3520A(b). ; and
(2)
in section 3520A—
(A)
in subsection (b)—
(i)
in paragraph (1), by striking the use
and inserting the equitable use
;
(ii)
in paragraph (2), by striking between agencies
and inserting between agencies, academic and research partners, State and local governments, community and advocacy groups, and other stakeholders
;
(iii)
in paragraph (3), by striking policymaking
and inserting equitable policymaking
;
(iv)
in paragraph (4), by striking access
and inserting equitable access
; and
(v)
in paragraph (5), by striking collection
and inserting equitable collection
;
(B)
in subsection (d), by striking the Council.
and inserting the Council, including the work of the Equitable Data Working Group.
;
(C)
by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:
(e) Evaluation and termination
(1) GAO Evaluation of Council
Not later than 4 years after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on whether the additional duties of the Council, including the Equitable Data Working Group, improved the equitable collection and use of evidence, including for program evaluation, in the Federal Government.
(2) Termination of Council
The Council, including the Equitable Data Working Group, shall not terminate until at least two years after the date on which the Comptroller General submits the report under paragraph (1) to Congress.; and
(D)
by adding at the end the following new subsections:
(f) Equitable Data Working Group
(1) Establishment
There is established within the Council an Equitable Data Working Group.
(2) Purpose and functions
The Equitable Data Working Group shall ensure that the Council prioritizes equity when carrying out the functions of the Council described in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (b).
(3) Meetings; reports
Not less frequently than once per quarter, the Equitable Data Working Group shall meet submit to the Chief Data Officer Council a written report with recommendations on how to execute the functions described in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (b) to better achieve equitable methods and outcomes.
(4) Membership
(A) In general
The Council shall select a subset of the members of the Council to serve as members of the Equitable Data Working Group.
(B) Chair
The Chair of the Council shall select the Chair of the Equitable Data Working Group from among the members of the Equitable Data Working Group.
(g) State defined
In this section and section 1124 of title 31, the term State means each State of the United States, the District of Columbia, each commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States, and each federally recognized Indian Tribe.