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Ensuring Accountability for Equity at USDA Act
12/7/2023, 5:06 PM
Summary of Bill S 2595
The bill aims to establish an Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights within the USDA. This office would be responsible for overseeing civil rights compliance within the department, as well as ensuring that all USDA programs and activities are carried out in a fair and equitable manner.
Additionally, the bill seeks to improve transparency and accountability within the USDA by requiring the department to report on its civil rights activities and compliance efforts on an annual basis. This reporting would include information on any complaints or grievances related to civil rights issues within the department, as well as any actions taken to address these issues. Overall, the Ensuring Accountability for Equity at USDA Act is designed to promote fairness and equality within the USDA and ensure that all individuals have equal access to the department's programs and services. By establishing an Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights and requiring annual reporting on civil rights compliance, this bill aims to hold the USDA accountable for its actions and promote a more equitable and inclusive department.
Congressional Summary of S 2595
Ensuring Accountability for Equity at USDA Act
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve the equitable availability and distribution of USDA services and program benefits through specific actions.
Under the bill, USDA must
- include within the performance evaluations for USDA senior leadership a review of an individual's direct efforts to improve equity in USDA programs and services;
- issue uniform, department-wide guidance on collecting and responding to feedback and using that feedback to improve efforts to provide more equitable and consistent services; and
- build frontline USDA customer service staff capacity to make eligible services or benefits available to customers.
USDA must also notify Congress when it has identified an opportunity to improve equity in a particular program or service, but lacks the authority to make the necessary changes.
Further, the bill requires additional information to be included in USDA's annual data report (which is meant to assess and hold USDA accountable for the nondiscriminatory participation of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in USDA programs). The report must also describe trends in the data and include a discussion of efforts to implement necessary improvements to equity.
In addition, USDA must use collected data to examine and assess USDA programs and policies to identify and understand communities, organizations, groups, and individuals in need of USDA services or benefits.
