Politics

U.S. House’s DEI Office Disbanded By GOP Lawmakers

The U.S. House’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion has been disbanded and replaced by the Office of Talent Management, reflecting Republican efforts to eliminate DEI initiatives across the country. #USHouse, #DEIDisbanded, #GOPLawmakers, #DiversityInclusion, #TalentManagement, #GovernmentSpendingBill

WASHINGTON, D.C.

The U.S. House Office of Diversity and Inclusion has been disbanded and replaced by the newly formed “Office of Talent Management” under the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer.

The action was included in the government’s recent spending bill, Sesha Joi Moon, Director, told CNN in late March, and is another effort by critics and Republican lawmakers to eliminate DEI programs and initiatives across the country.

The office was first formed in March 2020 to create a congressional workforce that reflected the makeup of the nation.

Its former website reported the key duties of the department included financial management, candidate services, member services, research and data analytics and professional development.

“On behalf of ODI, it has been an honor to help ensure that the United States Congress embodied a qualified and representative workforce that reflected the country’s vast tapestry,” Moon, a native of Richmond, Va., said.

In a joint statement members of various legislative staff organizations said they were “disheartened” by the loss of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion which “played a pivotal role in increasing diversity in Congress.”

“Unfortunately, the politicization of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives has led to those resources being stripped away from Capitol Hill staff despite their impact,” the statement said. “Eradicating efforts that promote diversity and inclusion could reduce opportunities for staffers of color, creating further barriers to representation in a body that already does not adequately reflect the diversity of the country it represents.”