H.R. 4524 — Equity in Government Act

This section revises federal agency planning requirements under the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010—specifically, strategic plans (5 U.S.C. 306), annual performance plans (31 U.S.C. 1115), and agency priority goals (31 U.S.C. 1120)—to require at least one goal or 20% of total goals in each (whichever greater) to relate to improving the equitable provision of services to underserved communities and individuals (previously no such requirement). It further (1) expands required consultations for strategic and performance plans to include nongovernmental organizations and other stakeholders (e.g., academic and research partners, state/local governments, community/advocacy groups) focused on equitable service provision; and (2) adds definitions applicable to these sections, including "underserved communities" (i.e., populations sharing a characteristic or geographic communities systematically denied full economic, social, or civic participation) and "underserved individual" (i.e., a member of such communities). (Thus, agencies must integrate equity-focused goals into core performance management documents serving as blueprints for operations, resource allocation, and congressional oversight.)

This section expands the duties of agency Performance Improvement Officers by requiring each to establish and head an Agency Equity Advisory Team with at least 10 members representing at least 10 designated senior agency officials (i.e., from agency head, regulatory affairs designee, counsel, civil rights enforcement designee, policy development designee, chief financial officer or designee, chief data officer or designee, chief science officer or designee, chief human capital officer or designee, evaluation officer or designee, statistical official, procurement designee, customer experience leadership, communications or public affairs designee, and public engagement designee). The section also establishes an Equity Subcommittee of the Performance Improvement Council—chaired by OMB's Deputy Director for Management and consisting of agency Performance Improvement Officers and others—to (1) assist the OMB Director in developing guidance on equitable service provision; (2) facilitate interagency sharing of equitable service practices; (3) coordinate with the Chief Data Officer Council's Equitable Data Working Group on equitable data practices; and (4) solicit input from nongovernmental organizations, state and local governments, and service recipients on equitable service best practices. (As background, Performance Improvement Officers coordinate agency strategic planning and performance measurement under the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, while the Performance Improvement Council promotes governmentwide performance improvement.)

This section requires each agency's chief data officer, under section 3520(c)(15) of title 44, United States Code, to ensure the agency applies recommendations of the Chief Data Officer Council (CDO Council) developed pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (5) of section 3520A(b). (As background, the CDO Council coordinates federal data management and statistical activities to improve data use for policymaking, program evaluation, and evidence-building across agencies.) The section further amends section 3520A as follows: (1) revises the Council's functions under subsection (b) to emphasize "equitable" use, collection, access, and policymaking; and to expand collaboration beyond agencies to include academic and research partners, state and local governments, community and advocacy groups, and other stakeholders; (2) requires the Council's annual report under subsection (d) to address the Equitable Data Working Group; (3) revises subsection (e) to direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate, not later than four years after enactment, whether the Council's additional duties (including the working group) improved equitable collection and use of evidence, with the Council terminating no earlier than two years after the GAO submits that report to Congress; (4) establishes under new subsection (f) an Equitable Data Working Group within the Council to prioritize equity in the functions under subsection (b)(1)-(5), with quarterly meetings and reports containing recommendations, membership selected by the Council, and a chair selected by the Council chair; and (5) defines "State" under new subsection (g) to include each state, the District of Columbia, U.S. commonwealths, territories, and possessions, and federally recognized Indian Tribes.