New Executive Order Aims to Expand Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities

On February 16, the Biden Administration released a new Executive Order (EO), Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The order builds off previous equity-related executive orders by extending and strengthening equity-advancing requirements for federal agencies to deliver better outcomes for the American people. The EO outlines a variety of required federal actions, including:

• Heads of federal agencies shall, within 30 days of the date of the order, ensure that they have in place an Agency Equity Team within their respective agencies to coordinate the implementation of equity initiatives and ensure that their respective agencies are delivering equitable outcomes for the American people.
• In September 2023, and on an annual basis thereafter, concurrent with the agencies’ submission to the Office of Management and Budget for the President’s Budget, agency heads shall submit an Equity Action Plan which includes actions to advance equity.