Biden says promoting racial equity is an issue of 'the whole of government'

President Biden spoke on Tuesday before signing executive orders, saying his administration will advance equity throughout the federal government.

Video Transcript

JOE BIDEN: I believe this nation and this government need to change their whole approach to the issue of racial equity. Yes, we need criminal justice reform, but that isn't nearly enough. We need to open the promise America to every American, and that means we need to make the issue of racial equity not just an issue for any one department of government, it has to be the business of the whole of government.

That's why I issued, on the first days, my whole of government executive order that will, for the first time, advance equity for all throughout our federal policies and institutions. It focuses on the full range of communities who have been long underserved and overlooked, people of color, Americans with disabilities, LGBTQ Americans, religious minorities, rural, urban, suburban communities facing persistent poverty.

And I've asked Ambassador Susan Rice to lead the administration's charge through the White House and Domestic Policy Council, because I know we'll-- she'll see it through. Every White House-- every White House component and every agency will be involved in this work, because advancing equity has to be everyone's job. Today, I'll be shortly signing an-- an additional package of executive actions to continue this vital work.