Queens/Bronx Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced the Political Appointments Inclusion and Diversity Act, which would ensure that demographic information on political appointees is available to the public.
The bill would require the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to work with the White House Office of Presidential Personnel to make a summary of the demographics.
Ocasio-Cortez said that without political appointees reflecting the diversity in the country, they will not be able to meet the needs of the American people.
“The Political Appointments Inclusion and Diversity Act would shine a light on who is at the table in our government and who is not,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “By publicly reporting on the demographics of appointees we will see where efforts need to be improved to ensure that our policymakers are not only talented but diverse and representative of everyone in our country.”
Thirty organizations that prioritize diversity have supported the legislation. Some supporters are Inclusive America, Project on Government Oversight and Mi Familia Vota.
Inclusive America said that this bill is a critical step in making political appointments more transparent and inclusive.
“For too long the lack of transparency of who gets these powerful positions has benefited certain segments of our society,” Inclusive America said in a statement.
This piece of legislation is considered part of the Periodically Listing Updates to Management Act (PLUM Act). The bill would allow the public to have more information about who is serving in senior leadership positions at the executive branch level.
