IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 77 
Encouraging the development of best business practices to fully utilize the 
potential of the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 31, 2017 
Mr. THOMAS J. ROONEY of Florida (for himself and Mr. HASTINGS) sub-
mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce 
RESOLUTION 
Encouraging the development of best business practices to 
fully utilize the potential of the United States. 
Whereas the Rooney Rule, formulated by Daniel Rooney, 
chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team in the 
National Football League (referred to in this preamble as 
the ‘‘NFL’’), requires each NFL team with a job opening 
for a coach or general manager position to interview at 
least 1 minority candidate for that position; 
Whereas the Rooney Rule has been successful in increasing 
minority representation in higher leadership positions in 
professional football, as shown by the fact that, in the 80 
years between the hiring of Fritz Pollard as coach of the 
Akron Pros and the implementation of the Rooney Rule 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:29 Jan 31, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR77.IH
HR77
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
•HRES 77 IH 
in 2003, only 7 minority head coaches were hired but, 
since 2003, 15 minority head coaches have been hired; 
Whereas the Rooney Rule has demonstrated that once highly 
qualified and highly skilled diversity candidates are given 
exposure during the hiring process, the abilities of those 
diversity candidates can be better utilized; 
Whereas the RLJ Rule, formulated by Robert L. Johnson, 
founder of Black Entertainment Television (commonly 
known as ‘‘BET’’) and The RLJ Companies, and based 
on the Rooney Rule from the NFL, similarly encourages 
companies to voluntarily establish a best practices policy 
to identify minority candidates and minority vendors by 
implementing a plan to interview— 
(1) not fewer than 2 qualified minority candidates 
for each managerial opening at the director level and 
above; and 
(2) not fewer than 2 qualified minority-owned busi-
nesses before approving a vendor contract; 
Whereas, according to Crist-Kolder Associates, as cited in the 
Wall Street Journal, at the top 668 companies in the 
United States, less than 10 percent of Chief Financial 
Officers are African-American, Hispanic, or of Asian de-
scent; 
Whereas underrepresented groups contain members with the 
necessary abilities, experience, and qualifications for any 
position available; 
Whereas business practices such as the Rooney Rule or the 
RLJ Rule are neither employment quotas nor Federal 
law but rather voluntary initiatives instituted by willing 
entities to provide the human resources necessary to en-
sure success; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:29 Jan 31, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR77.IH
HR77
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
•HRES 77 IH 
Whereas experience has shown that people of all genders, col-
ors, and physical abilities can achieve excellence; 
Whereas the increased involvement of underrepresented work-
ers would improve the economy of the United States and 
the experience of the people of the United States; and 
Whereas ensuring the increased exposure, and resulting in-
creased advancement, of diverse and qualified candidates 
would result in gains by all people of the United States 
through stronger economic opportunities: Now, therefore, 
be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives encour-
ages each corporate, academic, and social entity, regard-
less of size or field of operation, to— 
(1) develop an internal rule modeled after a 
successful business practice, such as the Rooney 
Rule or RLJ Rule, and, in accordance with title VII 
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et 
seq.), adapt that rule to specifications that will best 
fit the procedures of the individual entity; and 
(2) institute the individualized rule described in 
paragraph (1) to ensure that the entity will always 
consider candidates from underrepresented popu-
lations before making a final decision with respect to 
selecting a business vendor or filling a leadership po-
sition. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:29 Jan 31, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR77.IH
HR77
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS