WASHINGTON — Congress approved a sweeping governance reform bill Thursday designed to increase diversity in federal advisory committees and agency decision-making, marking the culmination of a decade-long push by advocacy groups.
The Inclusive Governance Act mandates demographic representation requirements for all federal advisory boards and establishes new public participation protocols for regulatory rulemaking. The bill passed with bipartisan support, 285-147 in the House and 68-32 in the Senate.
‘This recognizes that expertise exists in all communities,’ said a senior Democratic aide familiar with the negotiations, speaking on background. ‘We’re institutionalizing stakeholder voices that were previously informal or excluded.’
The legislation originated from 2013 recommendations by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which found 74% of federal advisory committee members were white and 65% male. Recent studies by the Brookings Institution show modest improvement to 68% white membership as of 2025.
Implementation will be phased over three years, with the Office of Personnel Management required to establish new appointment procedures by January 2027. Analysts suggest the changes could face logistical challenges in rural states with smaller minority populations.