Taking Action

In year one of the Biden-Harris Administration, efforts that focus on equity have delivered concrete results for communities that have often been underserved by the federal government. Because of the Administration’s commitment to putting equity at the heart of its work, the Administration has taken ambitious steps. Here are a few:

Public Safety & Criminal Justice Reform

- Signed an Executive Order to improve safety and criminal justice for Native Americans, and address the crisis of missing/murdered indigenous people.

- Began implementing the President’s order to end the Justice Department’s use of private prisons, moving more than 4,000 people out of privatelyoperated detention facilities to date.

Defended Right to Vote & Civil Rights

- Took all-of-government action to promote voting access and to further the ability of all eligible Americans to participate in democracy.

- Called for Congress to pass comprehensive voting reform, including essential steps to restore the Voting Rights Act, even if it takes ending the Senate filibuster to get it done.

Education Excellence & Equality

- Implemented first-of-its-kind maintenance of equity requirement to ensure that high-poverty school districts and schools are protected from funding cuts.

- Signed Executive Orders advancing educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunity for Black, Hispanic, and Native students.

Narrowing Wealth Gaps

Narrowing wealth gaps through federal contracting and procurement. As the largest buyer in the world, the federal government will address racial and gender wealth gaps by leveraging the power of federal procurement to drive greater investment in minority-owned and women-owned small businesses.