The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“INTRODUCTION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING EQUITY ACCOUNTABILITY ACT” mentioning the Department of Interior was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1595 on Dec. 3, 2018.
The Department oversees more than 500 million acres of land. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the department has contributed to a growing water crisis and holds many lands which could be better managed.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
INTRODUCTION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING EQUITY
ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
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HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON
of the district of columbia
in the house of representatives
Monday, December 3, 2018
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce a bill, the Federal Government Advertising Equity Accountability Act, to require all federal agencies to include in their annual budget requests to Congress the amount they spend on advertising contracts with small disadvantaged businesses (SDBs) and businesses owned by minorities and women. Federal agencies would be required to provide prior, current, and projected total expenditures for advertising contracts.
In 2007, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) examined spending on advertising contracts with minority-owned businesses by five agencies--the Department of Defense, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of the Interior, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration--and found that only five percent of the $4.3 billion available for advertising contracts went to minority businesses. In light of these concerning figures, several of my colleagues and I sent a letter to the GAO in April 2016 requesting updated information on the amount of federal advertising dollars spent with SDBs and businesses owned by minorities and women. That GAO report, released in July of this year, showed that in fiscal year 2017, only 16 percent of the federal government's advertising contract obligations went to SDBs and businesses owned by minorities and women.
The federal government is the largest advertiser in the United States, and it has an obligation to ensure fair access to its contracts for SDBs and businesses owned by minorities and women. The GAO's findings make it clear that there is still much progress to be made.
The regular collection of information on federal advertising contract obligations to SDBs and businesses owned by women and minorities, along with the provision of this information to legislators and stakeholders, is essential to bridging the divide between current statistics and a more inclusive advertising landscape. My bill would achieve these goals while also promoting transparency and encouraging federal agencies to strive to reach minorities, who often receive their daily news from smaller media outlets that serve communities of color. The requirement that agencies submit prior, current, and projected information regarding the amount of advertising dollars spent with SDBs and businesses owned by minorities and women will allow federal agencies to evaluate their progress over time. The regular collection of this information will also demonstrate that the promotion of equity in advertising, and in all areas of government, should be a continuous effort that is central to the mission of every agency.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
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