Text of US HB 8379 (2026)

I 119TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 8379 To prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion in Federal hiring and employment, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 20, 2026 Ms. LETLOW introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform A BILL To prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion in Federal hiring and employment, 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 ‘‘Freedom from Ideolog- 4 ical Requirements in Employment Act’’ or the ‘‘FIRE 5 Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Apr 21, 2026 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8379.IH H8379 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 8379 IH SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLU- 1 SION IN FEDERAL HIRING AND EMPLOY- 2 MENT. 3 (a) IN GENERAL.—No Federal funds may be obli- 4 gated or expended to— 5 (1) require, as a condition for appointment to, 6 or continued employment in, the civil service (as that 7 term is defined in section 2101 of title 5, United 8 States Code)— 9 (A) diversity, equity, and inclusion train- 10 ing; or 11 (B) any individual to sign, endorse, or oth- 12 erwise accent statements that are centered on 13 diversity, equity, and inclusion principles; or 14 (2) develop, implement, distribute, plan, or pur- 15 chase training courses for the Federal workforce 16 that relates to— 17 (A) diversity, equity, and inclusion; 18 (B) critical theory relating to race and 19 gender; 20 (C) intersectionality, sexual orientation, or 21 gender identity; or 22 (D) the assertion that a particular race, 23 color, ethnicity, religion, biological sex, or na- 24 tional origin is inherently or systemically supe- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Apr 21, 2026 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8379.IH H8379 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 8379 IH rior, inferior, oppressive, oppressed, privileged, 1 or unprivileged. 2 (b) APPLICATION.—Nothing in this section shall be 3 construed to apply to commonly accepted and customarily 4 used hiring or employment practices that prevent sexual 5 harassment in the workplace. 6 (c) DEFINITION OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLU- 7 SION.—In this section, the term ‘‘diversity, equity, and in- 8 clusion’’ means any practice, training, statement, or prin- 9 ciple that asserts— 10 (1) a particular race, color, ethnicity, religion, 11 biological sex, or national origin is inherently or sys- 12 temically superior or inferior, oppressive or op- 13 pressed, or privileged or unprivileged; or 14 (2) how systemic racism is embedded in legal 15 systems, policies, and societal structures rather than 16 being solely a product of individual prejudice. 17 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Apr 21, 2026 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H8379.IH H8379 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS