Republicans introduce measure that bans DEI in the federal government

Congressional Republicans have introduced a bill to ban diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and funding in the federal government.

O Dismantle the DEI ActIntroduced Wednesday by Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), it would eliminate all federal DEI programs and end DEI-related funding for agencies, contractors, organizations, and educational accrediting agencies that receive federal funding.

“The DEI agenda is a destructive ideology that breeds hatred and racial division,” Vance said in a statement. “It has no place in our federal government or anywhere else in our society. I am proud to introduce this legislation, which would eradicate DEI from our federal bureaucracy, eliminating such programs and withdrawing 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.”

In 2021, President Biden issued a executive order which created a policy to “cultivate a workforce that takes advantage of the Nation’s diversity.”

The order also called for the removal of structural barriers to opportunities that underserved and minority communities face.

Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas), the lead sponsor of the measure in the House, said DEI initiatives present themselves as promoting justice, but “instead, they have promoted division and racial bias within our institutions and culture”.

“This bill is a necessary step toward restoring merit and equality, not equity, in America’s government institutions, and eliminating the DEI bureaucracy that sows division and wastes taxpayer dollars,” Cloud said. “It is absurd to fund these divisive policies, especially using American tax dollars, and it is time for Congress to end them once and for all.”

In total, 15 House Republicans supported the bill.

Republicans have pushed back on DEI for some time, calling it yet another component of a “woke” agenda.

Last year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill that prohibits the state’s public universities from funding diversity, equity and inclusion programs and requires commitments to diversity in statements during hiring. The legislation also eliminated majors and minors who delve into critical race theory and “radical” feminist or gender theories.

In February, Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) directed the state’s public universities to stop considering DEI claims in their hiring practices.

Overall, legislation in a dozen states aimed at cutting DEI spending and rewriting hiring guidelines at colleges and universities has been introduced in legislatures across the country.

The Dismantle DEI Act is the latest step toward banning such programs at the federal level.

In March, the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion was disbanded as part of a government spending bill.

But Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida), who joined Vance in introducing the bill, said Democrats under Biden have promoted “a far-left policy that undermines the merits of radical ideology.”

“Americans are fed up,” Scott said. “Taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for federal government agencies to advance their agreed upon DEI agenda, which is why I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Dismantle DEI Act to put an end to this misuse of taxpayer dollars once and for all.”

In addition to rescinding Biden’s 2021 executive order, the law would also eliminate the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility within the Office of Personnel Management, as well as the Executive Council of Chief Diversity Officers.

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), a co-sponsor of the act, called DEI’s rhetoric and programs “poisonous ideology.”

“Dismantling DEI that resides in government agencies has been a priority of mine since day one – I am proud to join Senator Vance in this crucial effort to rid our federal institutions of DEI programs once and for all,” he said.

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story