Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced a plan Monday to create a new spending advisory panel on equity, justice, and diversity, which she will implement if elected as chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee next year.
“The panel would comprehensively review federal programs and the president’s budget requests to identify ongoing inequities in communities of color and historically marginalized communities,” said Wasserman Schultz in a letter to fellow members of the House Appropriations Committee.
She added that the panel, which would be called the “House Appropriations Committee Advisory Panel on Equity and Justice,” would look for new opportunities in the 12 annual appropriations bills to direct resources toward communities that have suffered historical inequities and injustices. She proposed these reforms against the backdrop of demonstrations nationwide against police brutality and racial injustices.
The Florida representative and former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee said House appropriators had “a rare window” to “advance and affirm our Democratic priorities” by bringing equality and equity to the federal budgeting and spending process.
House Democrats are expected to win comfortably enough races during the 2020 election to retain control of the chamber, and thus, the party will get to choose the heads of all the House committees, including the Appropriations Committee.
The plan has been released as Wasserman Schultz is competing against congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat from Connecticut and a more senior member, to replace retiring Chairwoman Nita Lowey, a Democrat from New York.
