Feb. 14 (UPI) — The Biden administration on Wednesday highlighted the efforts it has taken in the federal government to advance racial equity and justice for the underserved.
The White House announcement was a mixture of things the administration was already doing to improve equity in banking, health and housing, among other areas, along with new initiatives.
“Since day one of our administration, President Biden and I have fully committed to ensuring that every person in America has equitable access to opportunity and the ability to thrive,” said Vice President Kamala Harris.
“As we mark the one-year anniversary of the second equity executive order, we celebrate the hundreds of government-wide equity accomplishments and recommit to addressing the barriers that remain.”
The White House said the Labor Department will implement “Good Job Principles” to help improve wages in female-dominated sectors and to address childcare and other issues affecting inequality in the workplace for women.
To combat discrimination in home appraisals, the Department of Housing and Urban Development started an initiative to with the National Association of Real Estate Brokers to weed out bias in the field.
The Department of Transportation will implement a $4 billion grant program that will address decades of disinvestment in low-income and blighted communities after the building of the country’s freeway system through urban areas.
Health and Human Services will begin an effort to address gaps in insurance coverage that disproportionately affect women of color in maternal health outcomes, including the expansion of postpartum coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
The White House said the Treasury Department has also invested $9 billion to help financial institutions that serve low and moderate-income communities provide grants, loans and other services.
Other programs will go to combat child food insecurity, environmental concerns such as pollution and wastewater infrastructure in minority communities, reforming the government’s disaster assistance program, assisting disadvantaged farmers and small businesses through tailored relief programs, expanding mental health services for students and veterans, fostering community development in tribal and rural communities and using rental payment history to advance home ownership.
The announcement comes on Douglass Day, when many around the country are celebrating the birthday of famed Black abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who rose from slavery to become one of the country’s foremost advocates against the practice.
Biden signed an executive order a year ago to strengthen racial equity and support for underserved communities. At the time, Biden said the effort would ensure that current federal agencies and programs were servicing the public in an equitable and just manner while supporting those who had been previously locked out of opportunities.
