To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit institutions of higher education from requiring ideological oaths or similar statements, and for other purposes.

This bill prohibits an institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in federal student aid programs from requiring a student enrolled at the IHE, an employee or contractor of the IHE, or an applicant for admission to or employment or contracting at the IHE to make certain ideological oaths or similar statements.

Specifically, the bill prohibits an IHE from compelling, requiring, inducing, or soliciting such an individual to (1) endorse an ideology that promotes the differential treatment of an individual or group of individuals based on race, color, or ethnicity; or (2) provide a statement indicating certain information about the individual, including the individual's views on efforts involving diversity, equity, and inclusion or other specified concepts.

Additionally, the bill prohibits an IHE from providing preferential consideration to a student, employee, or contractor based on the individual's unsolicited support for an ideology that promotes the differential treatment of an individual or group of individuals based on race, color, or ethnicity.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6848 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6848

 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit institutions of 
     higher education from requiring ideological oaths or similar 
                  statements, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 19, 2023

 Mr. Crenshaw introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit institutions of 
     higher education from requiring ideological oaths or similar 
                  statements, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PROHIBITION RELATING TO IDEOLOGICAL OATHS AND SIMILAR 
              STATEMENTS.

    Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1094(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(30)(A) The institution will not--
                    ``(i) compel, require, induce, or solicit a student 
                enrolled at the institution, an employee or contractor 
                of the institution, or an applicant for admission to or 
                employment or contracting at the institution to--
                            ``(I) endorse an ideology that promotes the 
                        differential treatment of an individual or 
                        group of individuals based on race, color, or 
                        ethnicity; or
                            ``(II) provide a statement indicating the 
                        person's--
                                    ``(aa) race, color, ethnicity, or 
                                national origin, except to the minimum 
                                extent needed record any necessary 
                                demographic information;
                                    ``(bb) views on, experience with, 
                                or past or planned contributions to 
                                efforts involving diversity, equity, 
                                and inclusion, marginalized groups, 
                                antiracism, social justice, 
                                intersectionality, or related concepts; 
                                or
                                    ``(cc) views on or experience with 
                                race, color, ethnicity, national 
                                origin, or other immutable 
                                characteristics; or
                    ``(ii) provide preferential consideration to a 
                student enrolled at the institution, an employee or 
                contractor of the institution, or an applicant for 
                admission to or employment or contracting at the 
                institution on the basis of the person's unsolicited 
                statement in support of an ideology described in clause 
                (i)(I).
                    ``(B) Nothing in this paragraph may be construed--
                    ``(i) to restrict academic research or coursework;
                    ``(ii) to prevent a person from providing to an 
                institution of higher education the information 
                described in subparagraph (A) on the person's own 
                initiative separate from any specific requirement or 
                request from the institution; or
                    ``(iii) to prevent an institution from requiring an 
                applicant for admission to or employment or contracting 
                at the institution to--
                            ``(I) disclose or discuss the content of 
                        the applicant's research or artistic creations;
                            ``(II) certify compliance with State and 
                        Federal antidiscrimination law; or
                            ``(III) discuss pedagogical approaches or 
                        experience with students with learning 
                        disabilities.''.
                                 <all>