The Biden State Department is asking Congress for $76 million to fund its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the State Department's first chief diversity and inclusion officer, testified before Congress Tuesday morning asking for $76 million to increase her staff, track race and gender demographics in the department, and track employee reports of discrimination, harassment, and bullying.
"The Department needs an inclusive workforce with equitable opportunities to ensure our foreign policy is as strong, smart, and creative as it can be," her written testimony states.
Abercrombie-Winstanley's office audited State Department employees to gain demographic information on "race, ethnicity, gender, status of disability, grade, rank, and job series skill codes." She said her office plans to release an annual report tracking "trend lines" for department employees.