U.S. Chamber Endorses Bills to Address Race-Based Opportunity Gaps
In June, the Loudoun Chamber joined the U.S. Chamber’s Equality of Opportunity initiative. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched the Equality of Opportunity Initiative in June 2020 to develop real, sustainable solutions to help close race-based opportunity gaps in four areas: education, employment, entrepreneurship, and criminal justice. Systemic inequalities in these four areas perpetuate broader inequalities in our society, hold back individual and business success, and hinder economic growth.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Chamber sent a letter to Members of Congress endorsing more than a dozen individual bills that would help close longstanding opportunity gaps that exist for Black Americans and people of color.
The details: The bills—many of which have bipartisan support—include the Minority Business Development Act of 2019, which would support entrepreneurship in minority communities; the REAL Act of 2019, which would improve educational opportunities for the incarcerated; and the Driving for Opportunity Act of 2020, which would assist in criminal justice efforts.
As part of the endorsement process, these bills will be part of each Member of Congress’s individual scorecard released annually by the Chamber.
The big picture: The move is part of the Chamber’s national Equality of Opportunity initiative to develop real, sustainable solutions to help bridge systemic, race-based opportunity gaps in four areas: education, employment, entrepreneurship, and criminal justice.
Why it matters: The endorsements follow stark findings in the Chamber’s special report released this morning on Race and Inequality on Main Street, and were informed by research from the Chamber’s America’s Opportunity Gaps report released in June.
The full list of bills and the Chamber’s broader Equality of Opportunity policy agenda and action plan to address inequality can be found here.