119th Congress (2025-2026)

HR 4524

Equity in Government Act

Introduced

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Official source

Chamber

House

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Bill overview

The Equity in Government Act aims to improve the way the federal government provides services to underserved communities and individuals. It directs agencies to include equity goals in their strategic plans, performance plans, and priority goals, and establishes an Agency Equity Advisory Team to advise on these efforts. The bill also creates an Equity Subcommittee within the Performance Improvement Council to facilitate information sharing and best practice development, and modifies the role of Chief Data Officers to prioritize equitable data practices.

Key provisions

Requires agencies to include equity goals in strategic, performance, and priority plans.
Establishes an Agency Equity Advisory Team with representatives from various agency departments.
Creates an Equity Subcommittee within the Performance Improvement Council to coordinate equity efforts.
Modifies Chief Data Officer responsibilities to prioritize equitable data collection and use.
Defines ‘underserved communities’ and ‘underserved individuals’ for the purpose of the legislation.
Clarifies the definition of ‘State’ to include Indian Tribes.
Directs agencies to solicit input from stakeholders like NGOs and local governments.
Requires a GAO evaluation of the Council's impact on equitable data practices.

Who is affected

Federal Agencies
Underserved Communities
Underserved Individuals
Non-governmental Organizations
State and Local Governments

Notable changes

Positions across the country

No public positions recorded for this legislation.

Arguments in favor

Reasons to support this legislation.

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Arguments opposed

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Legislative history

2025-07-17House

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

2025-07-17

Introduced in House

2025-07-17

Introduced in House

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Jul 17, 2025XMLView source

119th CONGRESS — 1st Session

H. R. 4524

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

A BILL

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.

1.Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Equity in Government Act

2.Amendments

(a)Agency strategic plansSection 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 definitionsIn 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 individualThe term underserved individual means a member of any underserved communities.

(b)Agency performance plansSection 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

(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)EstablishmentThere is established an Equity Subcommittee of the Performance Improvement Council, consisting of members of that Council, to be selected by the Council.

(B)FunctionsThe 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

(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 CouncilNot 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 CouncilThe 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)EstablishmentThere is established within the Council an Equitable Data Working Group.

(2)Purpose and functionsThe 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; reportsNot 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 generalThe Council shall select a subset of the members of the Council to serve as members of the Equitable Data Working Group.

(B)ChairThe 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 definedIn 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.

HR 4524

Bill overview

Key provisions

Who is affected

Notable changes

Sponsors

Primary sponsor

Cosponsors

Positions across the country

Arguments in favor

Arguments opposed

Bill text

Fiscal impact

Positions across the country