[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 191 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 191

Expressing support for the designation of September 2023 as ``National 
Leading Entertainment and Arts through Diversity Month'' or ``National 
 LEAD Month'', and empowering underrepresented communities to take the 
                lead within the entertainment industry.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 1, 2023

 Ms. Clarke of New York (for herself, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Meng, and Mr. 
Castro of Texas) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
                to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for the designation of September 2023 as ``National 
Leading Entertainment and Arts through Diversity Month'' or ``National 
 LEAD Month'', and empowering underrepresented communities to take the 
                lead within the entertainment industry.

Whereas there should be more minority representation on and off the screen, and 
        in main decision-making roles that advance equity across industries;
Whereas marginalized communities are defined as communities who experience 
        discrimination and exclusion on the basis of race, gender, sexual 
        orientation or identity, age, and ability;
Whereas oftentimes, these sectors are erased from conversations, yet their 
        distinctive perspectives and lived experiences become the basis for more 
        authentic storytelling;
Whereas women only make up roughly 20 percent of directors and 26 percent of 
        screenwriters;
Whereas all minority groups make up 25 percent of directors and 25 percent of 
        screenwriters;
Whereas White film directors are more than twice as likely as minority directors 
        to helm a film with a budget of $100,000,000 or more;
Whereas roughly 18 percent of films produced by major studios feature LGBT+ 
        stories;
Whereas women over 30 make up 29 percent of female characters and women over 40 
        make up 16 percent of female characters;
Whereas 12 percent of television series characters are disabled, and most 
        portrayals are negative;
Whereas it is critical to recognize the social and cultural impact of diversity 
        on television and the ramifications of underrepresentation;
Whereas allyship campaigns and programs are pivotal to the success of diversity 
        programs, and yet are currently undervalued in diversity, equity, and 
        inclusion training;
Whereas diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs are impactful tools for 
        establishing and maintaining a diverse and motivated workforce;
Whereas 69 percent of executives rate diversity and inclusion as an important 
        issue;
Whereas corporations identified as more diverse and inclusive are 35 percent 
        more likely to outperform their competitors;
Whereas diverse management teams lead to 19 percent higher revenues; and
Whereas adequate representation on television has been overlooked for far too 
        long, and, regardless of industry, we must remain dedicated to 
        inclusion: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses support for the designation of ``National 
        Leading Entertainment and Arts through Diversity Month'';
            (2) supports the purposes and ideals of National Leading 
        Entertainment and Arts through Diversity Month, which 
        emphasizes the importance of increased representation across 
        the industry;
            (3) promotes efforts to increase allyship awareness 
        campaigns among individuals and organizations in the United 
        States, specifically within the entertainment industry;
            (4) champions diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, 
        including but not limited to, implicit-bias training, common 
        ground training, facilitated conversation, cultural 
        sensitivity, community engagement, and antioppression training 
        in the entertainment industry;
            (5) supports partnerships with organizations focused on 
        increasing diversity by providing mentorship, granting 
        scholarships, and committing to creating change; and
            (6) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
        National Leading Entertainment and Arts through Diversity Month 
        with appropriate awareness programs and campaigns for 
        underrepresented communities in the entertainment industry.
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