Rep Barbara Lee calls on Apple to release diversity data

Rep Barbara Lee (D-CA) called on the nation's technology companies to release federal data on the diversity of their work forces.

Rep Lee was in Silicon Valley with two other members of the Congressional Black Caucus to turn up the heat on the tech industry to hire more African Americans. "We have asked them all to release the data," Rep Lee said. "If they believe in inclusion, they have to release the data so the public knows that they are being transparent and that they are committed to doing the right thing." Apple, one of technology's most powerful companies, has refused requests from USA TODAY to make public data it routinely supplies to the US Department of Labor on the demographics of their workers. "Apple seems to be moving in the right direction. Tim Cook wants his company to look like the country and I think they are very committed to doing everything they can do," Rep Lee said.