,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #beie ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #bg1 #bjbc,ms4 ,smith 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,lujn1 and ,ms4 ,duckworth7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to provide standing authority and accountability for the ,secretary of ,agriculture and senior leadership of the ,department of ,agriculture to improve the equitable availability and distribution of services and program benefits to the people of the ,united ,states1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,ensuring ,accountability for ,equity at ,,usda ,act4 #b4 ,purposes ,the purposes of this ,act and the amendments made by this ,act are-- 7#a7 to implement recommendations from the ,department of ,agriculture ,equity ,commission2 and 7#b7 to emphasize and strengthen section #beja;,a of the ,food1 ,agriculture1 ,conservation1 and ,trade ,act of #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bbgi-a74 #c4 ,transparency and accountability for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers ,section #beja;,a of the ,food1 ,agriculture1 ,conservation1 and ,trade ,act of #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bbgi-a7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#c71 in the paragraph heading1 by striking ,report and inserting ,compilation and presenting of data2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#d71 by striking the report described in paragraph 7#c7 and inserting the following3 8a report that contains-- 7,a7 the compiled and presented data under paragraph 7#c72 7,b7 a description of trends in that data over #e- and #aj-year periods2 and 7,c7 a discussion of efforts to implement necessary improvements to equity identified through activities under subsection 7f71 including metrics to quantify1 and timelines for implementation1 of those improvements4 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7f7 ,examination and assessment of programs ,in furtherance of the purposes of this section1 the ,secretary shall use data collected under this section to examine and assess programs and policies of the ,department of ,agriculture to identify and understand-- 7#a7 communities1 organizations1 groups1 and individuals in need of services or benefits provided under ,department programs2 and 7#b7 the extent to which participants benefitting from funding distributed under ,department programs align with the communities1 organizations1 groups1 and individuals described in paragraph 7#a7 such that the funding effectively reduces disparities in access to ,department programs4 4 #d4 ,ensuring accountability for equity 7a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,a of the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid is amended by inserting after section #baf 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #fiaf7 the following3 #bag4 ,ensuring accountability for equity 7a7 ,performance evaluations ,a performance evaluation of an individual occupying a position of the head of an agency or a senior executive of the ,department shall include an evaluation of appropriate direct efforts of the individual to improve equity in the programs and services under the jurisdiction of the agency head or senior executive4 7b7 ,customer experience 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall issue uniform1 ,department-wide guidance for each agency and office of the ,department relating to-- 7,a7 collecting feedback from participants in ,department programs2 7,b7 responding to that feedback2 and 7,c7 using that feedback to improve efforts to provide more equitable and consistent services to all individuals that seek service from and engage with the ,department4 7#b7 ,requirements ,the guidance issued under paragraph 7#a7 shall require-- 7,a7 opportunities for participants to provide feedback through multiple means1 such as evaluations1 surveys1 or such other means as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate2 7,b7 opportunities described in subparagraph 7,a7 to be advertised through means such as newspaper1 radio1 or such other means as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate2 7,c7 opportunities described in subparagraph 7,a7 to be facilitated and advertised1 and responses to feedback to be provided1 in multiple languages1 as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate2 and 7,d7 specific opportunities for participants with direct involvement in a ,department program to provide feedback1 including by providing appropriate compensation to those participants for time and expertise4 7c7 ,customer service 7#a7 ,training ,the ,secretary shall ensure that employees of the ,department receive cultural competency training1 as appropriate for the roles of the employees4 7#b7 ,language contracts ,the ,secretary shall consider1 in entering into contracts or cooperative agreements for language translation or interpretation services1 whether the needed services would best be provided by a community-based organization4 7#c7 ,staff knowledge of applicable programs 7,a7 ,definitions ,in this paragraph3 7i7 ,customer ,the term customer means a recipient of1 applicant for1 or potential applicant for services or benefits under a ,department program4 7ii7 ,frontline customer service staff ,the term frontline customer service staff means an employee of the ,department who directly interacts with customers4 7,b7 ,capacity building ,the ,secretary shall build the capacity of frontline customer service staff to make available to customers the services or benefits for which the customers are eligible4 7,c7 ,activities ,in carrying out subparagraph 7,b71 the ,secretary may-- 7i7 provide to frontline customer service staff of the ,department-- 7,i7 training and mentoring relating to customer service skillsets2 7,,ii7 training on technical tools at the disposal of the frontline customer service staff2 and 7,,iii7 training and shareable resources relating to-- 7aa7 the ,department programs for which a customer may be eligible2 and 7bb7 the technical requirements and benefits of those programs2 and 7ii7 establish a customer feedback opportunity after each interaction with the ,department4 7d7 ,notifications to ,congress 7#a7 ,lack of authority ,if the ,secretary identifies an opportunity to improve equity in a particular program or service but lacks authority to make the necessary changes1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a notification describing-- 7,a7 that opportunity and lack of authority2 and 7,b7 a recommendation for a legislative change4 7#b7 ,insufficient resources ,if the ,secretary identifies the need for additional resources to improve equity in a particular program or service1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a notification that provides an explanation of the needed resources4 7e7 ,administration ,the ,secretary shall carry out this section using funding and staff from within existing budgets and appropriations for the ,department4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #bif7;b7 of the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gjad7;b77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#aa7 ,the authority of the ,secretary to carry out section #bag4 4