RELEASE: Cloud and Schmitt Introduce Bill to Codify into Law Trump’s Agenda Ending DEI in Federal Government

WASHINGTON — Congressman Michael Cloud (TX-27) and Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) have introduced the Dismantle DEI Act, a bill to codify into law President Trump’s agenda dismantling so-called Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government. This legislation ensures that Trump’s actions are permanently enshrined in law, preventing future administrations from reviving these divisive and wasteful policies.

When President Biden took office, he issued Executive Order 13985, embedding DEI into nearly every federal agency. These programs required agencies to prioritize racial, gender, and identity preferences over merit and performance. Biden further expanded this by creating “Chief Diversity Officers” and mandating “Equity Action Plans,” diverting taxpayer dollars toward programs that undermined fairness and promoted division.

On day one of his Presidency, Donald Trump reversed these actions by issuing an executive order to rescind DEI mandates, eliminate related offices, and halt programs promoting these divisive policies. The Dismantle DEI Act complements Trump’s actions by permanently banning such programs and ensuring they cannot be brought back under new names or disguised titles.

The Dismantle DEI Act:

• Defines and prohibits DEI practices to prevent future administrations from reinstating similar Biden-era DEI policies.
• Ensures all DEI offices are terminated and prohibits agencies from renaming or repurposing them to continue the same functions under new titles.
• Bars federal funds from being used for DEI training, grants, or programs—including identity-based quotas and critical race theory.
• Grants individuals the legal right to challenge any of these violations in court.

The Dismantle DEI Act extends beyond federal agencies, impacting federal contractors, grant recipients, and accreditation bodies. It removes federal support for divisive DEI mandates that have proliferated in both government and private industry, ensuring taxpayer dollars are no longer used to perpetuate these policies.

The legislation comes as federal DEI programs have ballooned under President Biden’s “whole-of-government” approach to racial equity. These initiatives include mandatory DEI training for nuclear engineers, military commanders, and IRS staff. For example, a Sandia National Laboratories training instructed engineers to confront “white male culture,” which it defined as exhibiting traits like “a can-do attitude” and “hard work.” Christopher Rufo of the Manhattan Institute also obtained that the 2019 training session was led by the group “White Men As Full Diversity Partners,” nuclear weapons engineers were instructed to craft brief messages directed at “white women” and “people of color” to convey what they had learned from the experience. 

The Act would also save taxpayers billions by slashing wasteful spending. In 2023 alone, the Biden administration allocated over $16 million for DEI-related training and requested $83 million for similar initiatives at the State Department. DEI policies in health and science funding, particularly through the National Institutes of Health, have diverted billions into programs that prioritize DEI.

FEMA’s DEI Priority Highlight Need for Reform

During a November House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Cloud criticized FEMA’s response to Hurricanes Milton and Helene, pointing to its 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, which lists “Instill Equity as a Foundation of Emergency Management” as its top priority. “Emergency management should be about saving lives and helping all Americans—not pushing divisive agendas,” Cloud said at the time. FEMA’s failures during these disasters exemplify how DEI policies have real-world implications for the well-being of American citizens.

Corporate America Retreats from DEI Mandates

The push to dismantle DEI is part of a broader trend. Over the past year, companies like Walmart, Ford, Meta, and Amazon have significantly scaled back their DEI programs, citing inefficiencies, public dissatisfaction, and divisive outcomes. If major corporations are retreating from DEI mandates, it’s time for the federal government to follow suit.

The Dismantle DEI Act addresses one of the most pressing challenges of our time by confronting the pervasive influence of divisive DEI policies. It reflects the overwhelming desire of the American people to prioritize merit and hard work over immutable characteristics, ensuring their tax dollars support initiatives that unite rather than divide.

This legislation complements President Trump’s Executive Order issued on January 20th, which set the stage for eliminating DEI mandates across the federal government. The Dismantle DEI Act takes those efforts a step further by codifying them into law, ensuring that these divisive and wasteful policies are permanently dismantled. Together, these actions reaffirm our commitment to merit, accountability, and the principle that every American deserves a government that serves with equal dignity and respect.

“DEI was never about fairness or opportunity—it was a Trojan horse for left-wing political social engineering that fosters division, not unity,” said Congressman Cloud. “Hiring and promotion should be because of someone’s merit, excellence, and hard work, regardless of race, religion, or creed. The Dismantle DEI Act is about restoring common sense, ensuring taxpayer dollars are used wisely, and refocusing the federal government on serving all Americans fairly. I’m grateful to President Trump for reversing these harmful policies on Day 1 of his Administration. His leadership put an end to these divisive, un-American programs, and it’s now Congress’s job to follow through and codify the permanent elimination of DEI from our government.”

“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs have plagued our federal government, academic institutions, and other aspects of our society, cheapening standards while disregarding merit,” said Senator Schmitt. “Moreover, taxpayer dollars should not be wasted on this poisonous, divisive ideology. These programs have absolutely no business in our federal government, and I am proud to reintroduce this critical bill that will save taxpayer dollars and put a stop to the DEI madness.”

“The DEI agenda has no place in our federal government. It is nothing more than a Trojan horse designed to push radical, divisive policies under the false pretense of inclusion,” said Peter Holland, Foundation for Government Accountability.  “I’m grateful to Rep. Cloud for taking bold action with the Dismantle DEI Act. Now, taxpayer-funded agencies and programs can refocus on merit and their core mission to address the real issues Americans care about instead of wasting time on a subversive, politically motivated DEI agenda.”
“Americans have long known that DEI policies have nothing to do with preventing discrimination and everything to do with marshaling the power of the state and other institutions to discriminate against and punish the Left’s perceived ‘oppressor classes,’” said Ryan Walker, Heritage Action. “The Dismantle DEI Act safeguards equal protection under the law for all Americans regardless of race or sex, unlike our current system. Heritage Action encourages Congress to dismantle the illegal DEI regime entrenched in the federal government.”

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