Biden spent more than $1 billion to infuse DEI policies in his administration

A study by the Functional Government Initiative and the Center for Renewing America reveals that the administration of former President Joe Biden allocated at least $1 billion to policies focused on inclusion, equity, and diversity (DEI).

The study also noted that on his first day in office, former President Biden signed Executive Order 13985, aimed at promoting equity and racial justice within the federal government.

The White House statement on the decision detailed that "The President’s Order emphasized the enormous human costs of systemic racism, persistent poverty, and other disparities, and directed the Federal Government to advance an ambitious, whole-of-government equity agenda that matches the scale of the challenges we face as a country and the opportunities we have to build a more perfect union." 

In that regard, the report revealed that, under the Biden administration, a total of 460 programs in 24 government agencies were identified as redirecting resources to DEI initiatives.

Of these programs, 10 (classified as "cut") are dedicated exclusively to DEI policies, 144 (labeled "weed") allocate substantial resources to DEI initiatives, and 306 programs (referred to as "Audit") incorporate aspects of DEI at various levels, though the extent of their implementation remains undetermined.

However, the report emphasizes that this figure does not account for all DEI-related expenditures, nor does it encompass every program within these agencies. Additionally, the findings highlight a significant increase in DEI policy spending, which the study's authors largely attribute to policy directives set forth by the Biden administration.

"To lead equity advocacy"

The report highlights, for example, that the Department of Defense, as part of its equity plan, stated that its responsibility is "to lead equity advocacy."

The department highlighted, "To lead in advocating equity. Through its current equity efforts, the Department seeks to advance equity for military families and members of underserved communities and to rectify past harms for communities around military installations and bases."

A methodology based on key terms such as "racial equity," "inclusion," and "gender equity" was used to identify these DEI programs within the federal government.

Similarly, the authors made several recommendations to prevent federal agencies from continuing to be burdened by DEI policies. They also highlighted former President Donald Trump's efforts to address and reverse this trend.

These recommendations include: not allocating funds to DEI policies, banning discriminatory ideology, and prohibiting funds from being used to advocate or promote policies that state or imply that the United States is a fundamentally racist country or similar narratives.