Published at The Washington Times

A new report by Open the Books reveals that the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) employs 294 people in diversity-focused positions, with 182 of them earning six-figure salaries. The top earner, working at the FDA, makes $221,000 annually. The department’s 2025 budget mentions diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives 829 times, representing hundreds of millions in spending.

The report highlights various DEI-related expenditures, including targeted vaccine programs for gay Black men, opioid programs addressing systemic racism, and a $5 million proposal to diversify the doula workforce. Notable spending includes $5,000 for a virtual appearance by antiracism author Ibram X. Kendi at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2022, which came with strict usage restrictions and required removal after 30 days.

HHS, which employs about 80,000 people across multiple divisions, has 92 DEI employees working under Secretary Xavier Becerra, with over 200 others distributed throughout various agencies. 

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