JD Vance brings 'Dismantle DEI Act' to eliminate Biden admin's diversity practices

Congressman Michael Cloud (TX) and Senator JD Vance (OH), along with twenty other members of Congress, have introduced the “Dismantle DEI Act.” The bill is aimed at eliminating all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and cutting federal funding for related activities in federal agencies, contractors, and educational institutions. 

The bill responds to an adoption of DEI practices under the Biden Administration, which can prioritize factors like race over qualifications in employment and funding decisions. The proponents of the bill contend that these practices are both discriminatory and wasteful. 

The press release regarding the proposed legislation cited a 2022 FDA guidance that led some states to ration COVID-19 treatments based on race and a $2 million contract approved by the Department of Defense for DEI programming in military children’s schools as examples of harmful DEI practices. 

The bill seeks to broadly prohibit DEI-related activities within the federal government, targeting funding for DEI training, offices, and programs, and aims to remove legal authorizations for specific DEI programs. According to a press release, the bill is designed to “root out” these practices 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,” Cloud added. 

Senator Vance echoed Cloud’s sentiments, describing the DEI agenda as a “destructive ideology that breeds hatred and racial division.” He emphasized that the bill aims to eliminate such programs and strip funding for DEI policies wherever they exist in the federal government. 

“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,” said Senator Vance.