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African Americans Account for a Greater Share of Biden’s Voters than Biden’s Assistant and Under Secretary Nominees
However, President Biden’s nominees for these positions exceed the Black share of all of those who were nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate in 2009 (9 percent).
The Joint Center’s Black Talent Initiative released a report card this week analyzing how President Biden is faring in nominating African Americans to Assistant Secretary and Under Secretary positions that require Senate confirmation.
The analysis found that while Black Americans accounted for 22 percent of Americans who voted for Biden in the 2020 general election, Black Americans accounted for only 16 percent of Biden’s Assistant Secretary nominees and 13 percent of his Under Secretary nominees.
However, President Biden’s nominees for these positions exceed the Black share of all of those who were nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate in 2009 (9 percent).
“Black voters helped elect President Biden and flipped the Senate by electing Senators Ossoff and Warnock in Georgia. Black Americans account for a tiny fraction of nominees in Republican Administrations, and Democratic Administrations that aspire to Black appointments of just over 13 percent are complicit in ensuring that Black Americans will continue to be underrepresented over time,” said Joint Center President Spencer Overton.
“Black Americans must be fairly represented among Assistant Secretary and Under Secretary positions. While we appreciate President Biden’s gains over previous Administrations in appointments, we urge him to nominate more top Black policy leaders to critical leadership positions so that Black communities are adequately represented,” said Overton.
The Biden Administration still has an opportunity to improve Black representation among its Assistant Secretary and Under Secretary positions, as it has announced nominees for only about half of these positions.
While many focus on the diversity of high-profile cabinet positions, Assistant Secretaries and Under Secretaries lead major offices and enjoy significant influence over creating and implementing policy, as well as in hiring, managing, and promoting other political appointees.
Assistant Secretaries and Under Secretaries are also important pipeline positions because they can serve as stepping stones to higher positions in the future.
Read the entire report card at https://jointcenter.org/report-card-on-biden-administration-black-assistant-secretary-and-under-secretary-nominations/
