Current status is Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4524

1. Short title
2. Amendments
3. Performance improvement officers
4. Chief data officers

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the "Equity in Government Act".

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) Additional definitions - 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.".

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

(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.

(2) Equity Subcommittee - 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.

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

(15) - ensure the agency applies the recommendations of the Chief Data Officer Council developed pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (5) of section 3520A(b).

(2) Evaluation and termination - 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.";

(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.

(D) Equitable Data Working Group - 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.

119-HR4524