Civil Rights Coalition Urges the Office of Science and Technology Policy to Reaffirm Critical Protections
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Civil Rights Coalition Urges the Office of Science and Technology Policy to Reaffirm Critical Protections
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) and a coalition of 33 civil rights organizations are urging the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to reaffirm important civil rights protections as it shapes the nation’s approach to artificial intelligence.
In a comment letter responding to the administration’s Request for Information (RFI) on Removing Regulatory Barriers to AI Innovation, the coalition challenges the idea that core civil rights safeguards are “regulatory burdens.” The RFI was issued pursuant to America’s AI Action Plan which seeks to establish American AI dominance by removing regulatory barriers, investing heavily in infrastructure, and engaging in international AI diplomacy. The letter makes clear: human oversight, explainability, and accountability are not obstacles to innovation. These principles are the foundation for safe and trustworthy AI.
The letter also notes that the RFI’s deregulatory tone conflicts with the administration’s own AI guidance released by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) earlier this year.
“The RFI characterizes core safeguards—such as human oversight, explainability, and accountability—as regulatory burdens,” said Michael Akinwumi, PhD, Chief AI Officer at NFHA and Head of the Responsible AI Lab. “Yet, these same principles are foundational to OMB’s own guidance for federal AI systems. Regulatory reform should therefore build on that foundation, particularly OMB Memo M-25-21, to reduce compliance ambiguity, align implementation across agencies, and strengthen public confidence in emerging technologies.”
The letter urges the OSTP to center civil rights protections in national AI policy, noting that civil rights laws are intended to be adaptive by design. “Policymakers have repeatedly made it clear that technology and algorithms must comply with our nation’s robust civil rights laws. These protections are the legal infrastructure that makes responsible AI possible. OSTP should reaffirm that innovation does not have to come at the cost of people’s rights, by embedding civil rights principles at the core of federal AI policy,” said Christoph Mugge-Durum, AI Governance Researcher at NFHA’s Responsible AI Lab.
The letter requests that AI systems used in housing, lending, and adjacent sectors must operate with fairness, transparency, and accountability, principles that prevent algorithmic redlining and digital discrimination. By reinforcing the duty to monitor, test, and explain automated decisions, such measures prevent discrimination and promote innovation that expands, rather than restricts, access to opportunity.
NFHA argues that a consistent, transparent regulatory framework not only protects people but also gives businesses the clarity needed to innovate responsibly. Embedding such principles from the outset ensures that the AI progress this administration seeks is both sustainable and trusted by the public. Conversely, neglecting these safeguards could introduce uncertainty, erode confidence, and slow the very innovation the reforms aim to promote.
For interviews, please e-mail NFHA Senior Advisor for Communications, Marketing, and Education Julian Glover at JGlover@NationalFairHousing.org
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The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) is the country’s only national civil rights organization dedicated solely to eliminating all forms of housing and lending discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities for all people. As the trade association for over 170 fair housing and justice-centered organizations and individuals throughout the U.S. and its territories, NFHA works to dismantle longstanding barriers to equity and build diverse, inclusive, well-resourced communities.