The Equity in Government Act requires federal agencies to make fairness and equal access a core part of how they operate and measure success. Specifically, each agency must include equity goals in their strategic plans—at least one goal or 20% of all goals, whichever is larger—focused on serving underserved communities and individuals better. These are groups that have historically been left out of economic, social, and civic opportunities.

The bill creates new oversight structures to make this happen. Every agency must establish an Equity Advisory Team with at least 10 senior leaders from different departments (like civil rights, data, finance, and customer service) who work together on equity issues. At the government-wide level, a new Equity Subcommittee will help agencies share best practices and develop guidance on providing services fairly. The bill also creates an Equitable Data Working Group to ensure agencies collect and use data in ways that don't accidentally leave out or harm underserved populations.

Agencies must also involve outside partners in their planning—including nonprofits, universities, local governments, and community groups—to get real-world input on what equity means in practice. The bill requires the Government Accountability Office to evaluate whether these changes actually improve how fairly federal services reach people, with a report due four years after the law passes. Overall, this bill aims to embed equity into federal government operations at every level, from planning to data collection to service delivery.