Republican lawmakers want to get rid of Biden’s diversity programs.
Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and several other Republican lawmakers in Washington, D.C. are proposing legislation that would dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs across federal government agencies.
Vance announced the Dismantle DEI Act on Wednesday, aimed at eliminating all federal DEI programs and funding for federal agencies, contractors, organizations, and educational accreditation agencies. Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, introduced the bill to the House while Vance introduced it to the Senate.
Other cosponsors of the bill include Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Bill Cassidy, R-La.; Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.; Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.; and Rick Scott, R-Florida, along with 15 members of the House of Representatives.
“The DEI agenda is a destructive ideology that breeds hatred and racial division. It has no place in our federal government or anywhere else in our society,” Vance stated. “I’m proud to introduce this legislation, which would root out DEI from our federal bureaucracy by eliminating such programs and stripping funding for DEI policies wherever they exist. Americans’ tax dollars should not be co-opted to spread this radical and divisive ideology — this bill would ensure they are not.”
The proposed legislation aims to unravel DEI policies that were implemented by President Biden and his administration across all federal agencies. It includes the rescindment of relevant executive orders, termination of chief diversity officers, closure of DEI offices, abolishment of DEI and critical race theory trainings, prohibition of mandatory employee DEI pledges, and elimination of all DEI funding at key government agencies.
“DEI practices have zero place in our federal government,” Cloud expressed. “These initiatives, presented as promoting fairness, have instead fostered division and racial bias within our institutions and culture — which is not conducive to serving taxpayers well. This bill is a necessary step to restore merit and equality, not equity, in America’s government institutions, and eliminate the DEI bureaucracy that sows division and wastes taxpayer money.”
In addition to dismantling policies from the Biden administration, the legislation would prevent entities engaging in prohibited DEI practices from receiving federal contracts. Vance highlighted that almost $1 trillion worth of federal contracts were awarded last year to companies specializing in defense, construction, aerospace, and other industries.
If passed, the legislation could also prohibit federal grant recipients from implementing DEI practices and prevent educational accreditation agencies from using their powers to promote DEI policies in educational institutions.
The proposed legislation comes at a time when House Republicans are using this year’s must-pass defense policy bill as a means to counter left-wing policies by the Biden administration on diversity, LGBTQ representation, and gender ideology.
Over 1,300 amendments have been suggested for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of fiscal year 2025, which lays out the Pentagon’s priorities and national security-related measures in the Department of Energy. Among these amendments, around 10 focus on DEI initiatives within the Pentagon.
Some of the proposed amendments target the dismantling of the department’s two principal diversity offices, the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, along with their staff. There are also measures aimed at barring U.S. service academies from using federal funds to establish DEI offices and blocking any NDAA funding from going towards DEI programs, offices, or personnel.
The current text of the House’s NDAA includes a provision to prevent Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin from forming a DEI-related committee for Pentagon-funded schools. However, a Democrat-led amendment has been introduced to block this policy from being implemented.
Stay informed with the latest stories by following Greg.Wehner@Fox.com on Twitter @GregWehner.
