US President Joe Biden, while giving remarks on 100 years of Tulsa Massacre in the city, said he is going to make efforts to bridge gaps and overcome racial inequalities in the country. He announced the new steps his administration will take up in addition to executive action.

Housing discrimination measures

Biden suggested an intragovernmental initiative, which will be headed by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge. The effort will aim to address the inequality in-home appraisals, reported CNN.

Regulatory action, development of standards, enforcement under fair housing laws and guidance in partnership, which will be conducted through the multiple levels of US’ governance structures, will be included under the initiative.

Federal government-small business engagement

Biden also said he would be shifting the focus of federal expenses and aim to procure essential items through locally owned, small and disadvantaged businesses. He emphasised on his goal of setting the share of contracts to such businesses to 50% by 2026, reported CNN.

After taking office in January 2021, Biden signed a flurry of executive orders that month. One of those orders included an alteration to federal purchasing and gave a 180-day deadline to increase capacity to boost US-based manufacturing of products.

Moreover, Biden took onboard Celeste Drake as the country’s Made in America director, who is responsible to work in the interests of minority business owners and small-scale ventures, reported CNN.

Both Biden and his second-in-command, Vice President Kamala Harris, have been vocal about the gap that exists between various communities residing in the country and have been actively working towards bridging the gap.