RELEASE: Rep. Cloud and Sen. Vance Introduce Legislation To Eliminate All DEI Programs From The Federal Government

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Michael Cloud (TX-27) and Senator JD Vance (R-OH), along with twenty other members of Congress, have introduced the Dismantle DEI Act to eliminate all federal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and funding for federal agencies, contractors, organizations receiving federal grants, and educational accreditation agencies.

Since the Biden Administration, the federal government has increasingly adopted something referred to as DEI practices, which explicitly makes employment or funding decisions on elements like race above qualifications. This is both absurd and discriminatory in nature. For instance, in 2022, guidance from the FDA led some states to ration alternative treatments to COVID based on race; putting American lives at risk for the sake of DEI. Another example was under the Biden Administration, the Department of Defense agency overseeing military children’s schools approved a $2 million contract for extensive DEI programming and consultations. These practices are not only ridiculous and discriminatory but also an enormous waste of taxpayer money.

The Dismantling DEI Act will put an end to these practices by broadly prohibiting all racist DEI-related activities within the federal government. The bill specifically seeks to cut off funding for these trainings, offices, and programs that have been mentioned. It also goes through the U.S. Code to eliminate legal authorizations for specific DEI programs and offices, ensuring that these divisive practices are rooted out comprehensively.

“DEI practices have zero place in our federal government,” said Congressman Cloud. “These initiatives, presented as promoting fairness, have instead fostered division and racial bias within our institutions and culture – which is not conducive to serving taxpayers well. This bill is a necessary step to restore merit and equality, not equity, in America’s government institutions, and eliminate the DEI bureaucracy that sows division and wastes taxpayer money. It’s absurd to fund these divisive policies, especially using American’s tax dollars, and it’s time for Congress to put an end to them once and for all. I want to thank my friend Senator Vance for his work on this issue and look forward to taking our message to the American people – a message that offers opportunity to ALL Americans rather than a select few.”

“The DEI agenda is a destructive ideology that breeds hatred and racial division. It has no place in our federal government or anywhere else in our society,” said Senator Vance. “I’m proud to introduce this legislation, which would root out DEI from our federal bureaucracy by eliminating such programs and stripping funding for DEI policies anywhere it exists. Americans’ tax dollars should not be co-opted to spread this radical and divisive ideology – this bill would ensure they are not.”

“Contrary to President Biden’s claims, DEI policies have nothing to do with equity or inclusion, and instead perpetuate the very discrimination and division the Left claims to be fighting. The American people have had enough of the political spin and DEI indoctrination that has made our country weaker and more divided than ever. The Dismantling DEI Act comprehensively defunds the federal government’s wasteful DEI bureaucracy—restoring true meritocracy and equal treatment under the law. I applaud Rep. Cloud and Sen. Vance for leading this fight. Heritage Action will issue a Key Vote to urge members to join them and cosponsor this legislation,” said Ryan Walker, Executive Vice President, Heritage Action for America: 

“The Radical Left’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are anti-American and a blatant violation of federal law. Putting melanin before merit creates institutional systemic racism and sexism that divides Americans and advances Joe Biden’s neo-Marxist agenda. Citizens for Renewing America is proud to support this effort to outlaw DEI in our federal government,” said Wade Miller, Executive Director, Citizens for Renewing America.

“DEI destroys competence while making Americans into enemies. This ideology must be fought, and its offices removed. Senator Vance’s and Congressman Cloud’s comprehensive legislation will do just this in the federal bureaucracy,” said Arthur Milikh, Executive Director, Claremont Institute Center for the American Way of Life.

Cosponsors: Marsha Blackburn, Rick Scott, Kevin Cramer, Bill Cassidy, Eric Schmitt, Rep. Nehls, Rep. Tenney, Rep. Lesko, Rep. Harshbarger, Rep. Moore (AL), Rep. Ogles, Rep. Miller (IL), Rep. Weber (TX), Rep. Self, Rep. Mooney, Rep. Biggs, Rep. Higgins, Rep. Yakym, Rep. Collins, and Rep. Luna.

Read the bill here.  Read more on the bill from the FreeBeacon here.