[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 240 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 240
Affirming that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are
fundamental values of the United States and emphasizing the ongoing
need to address discrimination and inequality in the workplace, pre-K
through 12th grade and higher education systems, government programs,
the military, and our society.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 21, 2025
Ms. Hirono (for herself, Mr. Booker, Mr. Coons, Ms. Duckworth, Mr.
Padilla, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Whitehouse, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Welch, Mr.
Blumenthal, and Ms. Smith) submitted the following resolution; which
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Affirming that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are
fundamental values of the United States and emphasizing the ongoing
need to address discrimination and inequality in the workplace, pre-K
through 12th grade and higher education systems, government programs,
the military, and our society.
Whereas everyone should have the opportunity to achieve the American Dream, and
it is too often out of reach for hardworking and talented individuals
due to discriminatory barriers to opportunity;
Whereas diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives address
discriminatory barriers to opportunity and ongoing discrimination;
Whereas diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives allow
everyone to access equal opportunity and are not unlawful quotas;
Whereas, for 6 decades, Presidents of both major political parties have
supported diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives to
strengthen the workforce, expand opportunity, and ensure everyone has a
fair shot at achieving the American Dream;
Whereas diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are broadly popular;
Whereas polling shows that over 70 percent of people in the United States,
including majorities of White, Black, Latino, and Asian American
populations, support diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility
initiatives;
Whereas data from the Department of Labor, the Bureau of the Census, the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Survey of Consumer
Finances, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, the Department of Housing and Urban Development,
the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Urban Institute, the Brookings
Institution, the Pew Research Center, Citi Group, the KFF Survey on
Racism, Discrimination, and Health, the GLSEN National School Climate
Survey, McKinsey & Company, and numerous other sources show that Black,
Latino, Asian American, and Indigenous people, women, LGBTQ+ people, and
people with disabilities experience persistent segregation, exclusion,
and discrimination in education, employment, healthcare, access to
capital and financial services, housing, and other sectors, which
demonstrates the necessity for diversity, equity, inclusion, and
accessibility practices, policies, and programs;
Whereas disability-based discrimination constitutes more than half (53.26
percent) of all housing discrimination complaints filed with fair
housing organizations and government agencies;
Whereas, for the past several years, disability has continued to be the top
basis of discrimination reported under the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C.
3601 et seq.), representing 5,128 complaints filed with the Department
of Housing and Urban Development and its Fair Housing Assistance Program
partners in fiscal year 2023;
Whereas less than 5 percent of housing nationwide is accessible to individuals
with moderate mobility difficulties, and less than 1 percent of housing
is accessible for those who use wheelchairs;
Whereas approximately 32 percent of adults with disabilities have reported
unfair treatment in healthcare settings due to their disabilities or
other personal characteristics;
Whereas, in 2023, only 22.5 percent of people with disabilities were employed,
compared to 65.8 percent of those without disabilities;
Whereas students with disabilities frequently receive insufficient support,
resulting in lower graduation rates and limited career opportunities;
Whereas Black and Latino homebuyers--
(1) have been steered toward or away from certain neighborhoods, which
impacts their ability to buy homes in their preferred areas;
(2) face appraisal discrimination, which diminishes their wealth by
undervaluing their property; and
(3) are more likely than White homebuyers to receive costly subprime
mortgages, even when their financial situations are comparably qualified;
Whereas these disparities highlight systemic issues in the housing market that
disproportionately disadvantage Black and Latino communities,
emphasizing the need for ongoing efforts to address and rectify
discriminatory lending and appraisal practices;
Whereas the racial wealth gap has widened in recent decades, with Black and
Latino households experiencing significantly lower average net wealth
than White households;
Whereas, while White households hold 86.8 percent of the overall wealth of the
United States, they only account for 68.1 percent of the total
households in the United States, and in comparison, Black and Hispanic
households hold 2.9 percent and 2.8 percent of the overall wealth of the
United States, respectively, while accounting for 15.6 percent and 10.9
percent of the United States population, respectively;
Whereas nearly 30 percent of LGBTQ+ people have encountered discrimination,
including being denied or discouraged from buying or renting a home,
being denied loans, being physically and verbally harassed, and having
landlords refuse to provide maintenance;
Whereas people of color have faced significant discrimination in healthcare,
impacting access to care, treatment quality, health outcomes, and trust
in medical institutions;
Whereas this discrimination has led to disparities in treatment, access, health
outcomes, and social determinants of health;
Whereas racial biases result in inadequate pain management, misdiagnoses, and
higher maternal and infant mortality rates, particularly among Black and
Indigenous women;
Whereas historical injustices contribute to deep mistrust in the medical system,
affecting participation in clinical trials and preventive care;
Whereas environmental racism, lack of culturally competent mental health
services, and unequal access to quality healthcare further worsen health
disparities;
Whereas healthcare discrimination negatively impacts the lives of LGBTQ+ people;
Whereas 1 out of 5 transgender people have been turned away from healthcare, and
more than 60 percent of LGBTQ+ adults have had a negative interaction
with a healthcare provider, such as being blamed for their health
challenges, being ignored, and being denied pain medications;
Whereas, for LGBTQ+ people, these experiences cut across racial lines;
Whereas Black, Indigenous, and Latino students continue to experience
discrimination in the pre-k through 12th grade and higher education
systems that create barriers to accessing and completing a quality
education;
Whereas Black students and Indigenous students are disproportionately
disciplined in schools and excluded from classrooms, feeding a pipeline
to prison and disengagement from school, particularly for Black girls,
who are 4 times more likely to be suspended, 4 times more likely to be
expelled, and 3 times more likely to have the police called on them in
school, compared to White girls;
Whereas 1 in 5 Black students and 1 in 4 Latino students experience
discrimination on college and university campuses;
Whereas most students who are parents while attending higher education identify
as Black, Indigenous, and Latino, and they face a variety of barriers to
graduation while learning in schools that do not consider their
parenting responsibilities;
Whereas LGBTQ+ students face hostility and discrimination in educational
settings, which negatively impacts their success in schools;
Whereas more than \2/3\ of LGBTQ+ students feel unsafe at school due to their
sexual orientation or gender identity, and more than \1/3\ of LGBTQ+
students have missed school as a result;
Whereas occupational segregation of Black workers into lower-paid jobs and less
lucrative industries persists despite an increase in the number of Black
people with college degrees over the previous 20 years;
Whereas Black, Latino, Asian American, and Indigenous workers are over
represented in dangerous jobs with worse pay and fewer benefits due to
ongoing occupational segregation;
Whereas, in 2023, the wage gap widened for the first time in 20 years, with
women working full-time, year-round jobs receiving 83 cents for every
dollar paid to men while that number was 84 cents in 2022, and Black
women experienced a more severe backslide;
Whereas, in 2023, Black women working full-time, year-round jobs were paid 66
cents for every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic men, compared to 69
cents in 2022;
Whereas Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women were paid
97 cents, Latinas were paid 58 cents, and Native women were paid 58
cents for every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic men;
Whereas women at all education levels experience a wage gap compared to their
male counterparts;
Whereas a Latina with a professional degree stands to lose over $2,900,000 over
her lifetime due to the wage gap;
Whereas Native women working a full-time, year-round job must get a bachelor's
degree (typical pay of $58,113) to be paid more than White, non-Hispanic
men working a full-time, year-round job with a high school diploma
(typical pay of $50,976);
Whereas disabled women also face a pay gap;
Whereas a disabled woman working a full-time, year-round job is paid 68 cents
for every dollar paid to a non-disabled man;
Whereas studies reveal wage disparities for LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly for
transgender and bisexual people;
Whereas data shows LGBTQ+ workers earn about 90 cents, transgender men earn 70
cents, and transgender women earn 60 cents for every dollar that all
full-time workers are paid;
Whereas approximately 40 percent of Black workers, 25 percent of Asian workers,
and 20 percent of Latino workers report experiencing discrimination or
being treated unfairly by an employer in hiring, pay, or promotions
because of their race or ethnicity;
Whereas women continue to face discrimination in the workplace, and many women
of color experience the dual burden of race and sex discrimination at
work;
Whereas 1 recent study found that 40 percent of working women experience sexual
harassment on the job;
Whereas some studies indicate that as many as 60 percent of women have
experienced workplace sexual harassment, and in some industries, that
number is as high as 90 percent;
Whereas women also continue to face occupational segregation, limiting their
access to higher paying careers across the spectrum;
Whereas, in the skilled trades, women make up just 3.9 percent of the workforce;
Whereas, in private law firms, just 18 percent of associates are women of color,
only 28 percent of partners are women, and just over 5 percent of
partners are women of color;
Whereas, in corporate management generally, women still make up just 29 percent
of C-suite positions;
Whereas, despite legal protections guaranteed by Title VII of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.) and the Supreme Court's ruling in
Bostock v. Clayton County, 590 U.S. 644 (2020), many LGBTQ+ individuals
still encounter workplace discrimination, including being fired, denied
promotions, or harassed due to their sexual orientation or gender
identity;
Whereas \1/2\ of LGBTQ+ adults and 70 percent of transgender workers reported
experiencing some form of workplace discrimination or harassment;
Whereas LGBTQ+ workers of color and LGBTQ+ workers with disabilities report
experiencing workplace discrimination at higher rates than LGBTQ+
workers who do not identify as people of color or people with
disabilities;
Whereas discriminatory lending practices, barriers to funding, and limited
access to capital make it difficult for Black, Latino, and Asian
American entrepreneurs to start or expand businesses;
Whereas venture capital firms reject Black-owned businesses at 3 times the rate
of their white counterparts;
Whereas Black women receive less than 0.35 percent of all venture capital
funding despite Black people making up 14.2 percent of the United States
population;
Whereas Latino small business owners experience similar barriers to access to
funding;
Whereas racial disparities exist in government contract awards;
Whereas firms owned by people of color receive a smaller share of contracting
dollars than their representation among available firms;
Whereas, in fiscal year 2023, Black-owned businesses secured approximately
$9,990,000,000 in Federal contracts, representing less than 1.3 percent
of the total amount awarded by the Federal Government;
Whereas, in fiscal year 2023, Latino-owned small companies received roughly
$10,900,000,000 in Federal contracts, and Asian American-owned
businesses were awarded $9,000,000,000 in Federal contracts out of
$774,000,000,000 in Federal contracts;
Whereas the persistence of discrimination in the United States limits our
innovation and productivity, weakens our economy, and undermines our
democracy;
Whereas the failure to effectively address growing inequality has decreased
economic mobility rates in the United States and made the American Dream
more elusive regardless of talent or hard work;
Whereas the Federal Government is responsible for addressing discriminatory
barriers to opportunity in the United States by increasing and enhancing
initiatives that support diversity, equity, inclusion, and
accessibility, and enforcing anti-discrimination laws;
Whereas, according to an analysis by Citi Group, disparities for Black people
across the economic system of the United States from 2004 to 2024 have
cost the United States economy $16,000,000,000,000;
Whereas studies show that companies with workforces that are diverse on multiple
levels, including by race, are more innovative, productive, and
profitable;
Whereas diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives can address
disparities and reduce labor shortages in high-demand industries like
technology, healthcare, and finance, ensuring that the United States can
compete in the global marketplace;
Whereas the United States is best served when the Federal workforce reflects the
talent and contributions of people from all backgrounds;
Whereas career pathway programs, investment in Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and other minority-
serving institutions, access to financial aid, expanding access to
apprenticeship and job skills training programs, offering mentorship
opportunities, and other solutions help talented individuals overcome
barriers to opportunity;
Whereas diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives are crucial
in ensuring fair and comprehensive access to core services for all
communities, whether in education, healthcare, employment, or government
programs;
Whereas diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives ensure that
core services are designed to meet the diverse needs of all populations,
especially historically underserved or marginalized communities;
Whereas, without an equity lens, systemic barriers, such as cost,
transportation, and a lack of culturally competent services, may prevent
some groups from accessing essential resources;
Whereas government agencies and organizations that integrate diversity, equity,
inclusion, and accessibility principles develop policies that
intentionally reduce disparities in service accessibility;
Whereas diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility-focused transportation
policies could ensure rural communities and individuals with
disabilities have equal access to public transit;
Whereas a diverse workforce in service-oriented fields, such as education,
healthcare, and social services, leads to better understanding and
responsiveness to community needs;
Whereas inclusion training can reduce biases that might otherwise result in
service denial or discrimination;
Whereas qualified students and workers who benefit from scholarships,
internships, training programs, and mentorships supported by diversity,
equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives could lose these
opportunities, potentially widening existing disparities;
Whereas diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives in schools,
colleges, and universities help foster inclusive environments and
support underrepresented students;
Whereas eliminating these initiatives may reduce retention and graduation rates
among underrepresented groups;
Whereas companies and organizations may struggle to recruit and retain skilled,
diverse workforces, which could potentially affect innovation,
productivity, and competitiveness;
Whereas diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives bring down
costs in several ways through reduced turnover and hiring costs and
better decision making;
Whereas diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives help
mitigate the risk of discrimination lawsuits by helping to ensure equal
opportunity and workplace cultures of respect;
Whereas diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives often
support small minority- and women-owned businesses through procurement
goals and funding, and their elimination could hinder such businesses'
growth and success;
Whereas diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts and policies in
healthcare ensure culturally competent and bias-free care and address
social determinants of health, such as housing and food security;
Whereas diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts and policies in
healthcare promote culturally competent providers who understand and