Eliminate DEI in Colleges Act

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8708 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8708

 To prohibit Federal funding for institutions of higher education that 
 carry out diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 12, 2024

    Mr. Bilirakis (for himself, Ms. Lee of Florida, and Mr. Baird) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                      Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To prohibit Federal funding for institutions of higher education that 
 carry out diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Eliminate DEI in Colleges Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL FUNDING FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 
              EDUCATION THAT CARRY OUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION 
              INITIATIVES.

    Part B of title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1011 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 124. PROHIBITION ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION 
              INITIATIVES.

    ``(a) Restriction on Eligibility.--Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, no institution of higher education shall be eligible 
to receive funds or any other form of financial assistance under any 
Federal program, including participation in any federally funded or 
guaranteed student loan program, unless the institution certifies to 
the Secretary that the institution--
            ``(1) does not and will not carry out any program, project, 
        initiative, or other activity the primary purpose of which is 
        to advocate, promote, or otherwise support diversity, equity, 
        and inclusion; and
            ``(2) does not and will not maintain any office or other 
        entity within the institution to advocate, promote, or 
        otherwise support diversity, equity, and inclusion.
    ``(b) Information Availability.--Each institution of higher 
education that provides the certification required by subsection (a) 
shall, upon request, make available to the Secretary any information 
needed by the Secretary to verify the truth and accuracy of the 
certification.
    ``(c) Regulations.--The Secretary shall publish regulations to 
implement and enforce the provisions of this section.
    ``(d) Appeals.--Upon determination by the Secretary to terminate 
financial assistance to any institution of higher education under this 
section, the institution may file an appeal with an administrative law 
judge before the expiration of the 30-day period beginning on the date 
such institution is notified of the decision to terminate financial 
assistance under this section. Such judge shall hold a hearing with 
respect to such termination of assistance before the expiration of the 
45-day period beginning on the date that such appeal is filed. Such 
judge may extend such 45-day period upon a motion by the institution 
concerned. The decision of the judge with respect to such termination 
shall be considered to be a final agency action.
    ``(e) Definition.--In this section, the term `diversity, equity, 
and inclusion' means the concept according to which individuals are--
            ``(1) classified on basis of race, color, sex, national 
        origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation; and
            ``(2) afforded differential or preferential treatment basis 
        of such classification.''.
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