FY25 Budget Testimony: Office of Human Rights

Mariatu Okonofua, our Public Service Legal Policy Fellow, testifed before the Committee on Public Works and Operations at the FY25 Budget Hearing for the Office of Human Rights.

Our testimony addresses how the proposed cuts to OHR’s budget for FY25 would: a) limit the LAP’s capacity to enforce the Language Access Act of 2004 and 2) effectively address the education sector’s shortcomings. To ensure a budget that prioritizes all District residents’ access to education, health, housing, and other social services, Mariatu recommends an increase in OHR’s FY25 funding to enable the hiring of two additional full-time equivalents (FTEs) in the Language Access Program.