Text of US HB 1282 (2025)

I 119TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1282 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 FEBRUARY 13, 2025 Mr. BILIRAKIS (for himself and Mr. BAIRD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce A BILL To prohibit Federal funding for institutions of higher edu- cation that carry out diversity, equity, and inclusion ini- tiatives, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Eliminate DEI in Col- 4 leges Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:31 Mar 10, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1282.IH H1282 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 1282 IH SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL FUNDING FOR INSTITU- 1 TIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION THAT CARRY 2 OUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION INI- 3 TIATIVES. 4 Part B of title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965 5 (20 U.S.C. 1011 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 6 the following: 7 ‘‘SEC. 124. PROHIBITION ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND IN- 8 CLUSION INITIATIVES. 9 ‘‘(a) RESTRICTION ON ELIGIBILITY.—Notwith- 10 standing any other provision of law, no institution of high- 11 er education shall be eligible to receive funds or any other 12 form of financial assistance under any Federal program, 13 including participation in any federally funded or guaran- 14 teed student loan program, unless the institution certifies 15 to the Secretary that the institution— 16 ‘‘(1) does not and will not carry out any pro- 17 gram, project, initiative, or other activity the pri- 18 mary purpose of which is to advocate, promote, or 19 otherwise support diversity, equity, and inclusion; 20 and 21 ‘‘(2) does not and will not maintain any office 22 or other entity within the institution to advocate, 23 promote, or otherwise support diversity, equity, and 24 inclusion. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:31 Mar 10, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1282.IH H1282 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 1282 IH ‘‘(b) INFORMATION AVAILABILITY.—Each institution 1 of higher education that provides the certification required 2 by subsection (a) shall, upon request, make available to 3 the Secretary any information needed by the Secretary to 4 verify the truth and accuracy of the certification. 5 ‘‘(c) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall publish 6 regulations to implement and enforce the provisions of this 7 section. 8 ‘‘(d) APPEALS.—Upon determination by the Sec- 9 retary to terminate financial assistance to any institution 10 of higher education under this section, the institution may 11 file an appeal with an administrative law judge before the 12 expiration of the 30-day period beginning on the date such 13 institution is notified of the decision to terminate financial 14 assistance under this section. Such judge shall hold a 15 hearing with respect to such termination of assistance be- 16 fore the expiration of the 45-day period beginning on the 17 date that such appeal is filed. Such judge may extend such 18 45-day period upon a motion by the institution concerned. 19 The decision of the judge with respect to such termination 20 shall be considered to be a final agency action. 21 ‘‘(e) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘diver- 22 sity, equity, and inclusion’ means the concept according 23 to which individuals are— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:31 Mar 10, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1282.IH H1282 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HR 1282 IH ‘‘(1) classified on basis of race, color, sex, na- 1 tional origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation; 2 and 3 ‘‘(2) afforded differential or preferential treat- 4 ment basis of such classification.’’. 5 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:31 Mar 10, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1282.IH H1282 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB