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H.R. 2583

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To establish the Office of the Special Inspector General for Unlawful Discrimination in Higher Education within the Department of Education.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · April 1, 2025 · Sponsor: Mr. Taylor · Committee: Committee on Education and Workforce

H.R. 2583

SEC. 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the College Admissions Accountability Act of 2025.

SEC. 2. Findings

Congress makes the following findings:
- 21st century elite college admissions functions as the Nation’s sorting machine for prestige and opportunity, allocating a limited number of valuable credentials.
- For decades United States colleges and universities adopted admissions policies and practices that rendered special preferences to applicants on the basis of race.
- In Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, 143 S. Ct. 2141 (2023), the Supreme Court of the United States found race-based admissions policies to be in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The Court further held that . universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 () prohibits entities that receive Federal funding from discriminating based on race. 42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.
- Following the Court’s ruling, several United States colleges and universities issued statements or unveiled new policies at odds with its letter and spirit.
- Institutions of higher education, including their offices of admission, must comply with the Constitution and laws of the United States, as interpreted by the judiciary.
- It is the duty of the United States Government to protect the civil rights of its citizens and to enforce the Constitution and laws of the United States, as interpreted by the judiciary.

SEC. 3. Special inspector general for unlawful discrimination in higher education

(a) Definitions
- In this section:
  - The term means— appropriate committees of Congress
  - The term "covered individual means any individual who—
  - The term means an institution of higher education that receives funds from Federal student assistance or Federal institutional aid under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (). covered institution 20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.
(b) Office of inspector general
- There is hereby established within the Department the Office of the Special Inspector General for Unlawful Discrimination in Higher Education.
(c) Appointment of inspector general; removal; basic pay
- (1) In general
  - The head of the Office of the Special Inspector General for Unlawful Discrimination in Higher Education shall be the Special Inspector General for Unlawful Discrimination in Higher Education (referred to in this section as the ), who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
- (2) Nomination
  - The nomination of the Special Inspector General shall be made on the basis of integrity and demonstrated familiarity with higher education and admissions, in addition to expertise in auditing, civil rights, law, academic administration, education regulation, or investigations.
- (3) Removal
  - The Special inspector General shall be removable from office in accordance with the provisions of section 403(b) of title 5, United States Code.
- (4) Basic pay
  - The annual rate of basic pay of the Special Inspector General shall be the annual rate of basic pay for an Inspector General under section 403 of title 5, United States Code.
(d) Duties
- (1) In general
  - It shall be the duty of the Special Inspector General to, in accordance with section 404(b)(1) of title 5, United States Code—
    - receive, review, and investigate allegations from covered individuals or employees of covered institutions of admissions decisions, policies, or practices, or financial aid determinations or academic programs, that are in violation of—
      - (i) the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, pursuant to the holding in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, 143 S. Ct. 2141 (2023) (referred to in this subsection as the ); or
      - (ii) title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 () (referred to in this subsection as ); 42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.
    - review any Federal policies and programs that have the effect of incentivizing covered institutions to violate the Equal Protection Clause or title VI; and

College Admissions Accountability Act of 2025 · Introduced in House (2025-04-01) · Congress.wiki

(g) Reports

(1) Quarterly reports
- (A) In general
  - Not later than 60 days after the date on which the Special Inspector General is confirmed, and once every calendar quarter thereafter, the Special Inspector General shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report summarizing the activities of the Special Inspector General during the 3-month period ending on the date on which the Special Inspector General submits the report.
- (B) Contents
  - Each report submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include, for the period covered by the report, the following:
    - (i) A general description of the allegations received and reviewed by the Special Inspector General under subsection (d)(1)(A).
    - (ii) Recommendations of the Special Inspector General regarding reforms that the Special Inspector General believes should be undertaken with respect to the authority of the Special Inspector General and matters within the authority of the Special Inspector General to review and investigate, including the authority described in subsection (d)(1)(B).
    - (iii) For a covered institution with respect to which an allegation submitted under this section applies, the steps that the covered institution with respect to which an allegation submitted under this section applies, the steps that the covered institution has taken, and has yet to take, to remedy the issues outlined in the allegation.
    - (iv) Data regarding the number of allegations received and reviewed by the Special Inspector General under this section that document any legitimate violation, as determined by the Special inspector General, which shall—
    - be disaggregated by the number of violations committed by each covered institution; and
    - contain a separate provision listing the number of those acts that relate to racial bias, which shall be disaggregated as described in subclause (I).
    - (v) Commentary by the Special Inspector General regarding the level of cooperation by each covered institution with respect to reviews and investigations performed by the Special Inspector General, including, with respect to each covered institution has implemented recommendations made by the Special Inspector General and whether the covered institution has provided information or access requested by the Special Inspector General.
(2) Rule of construction
- Nothing in this subsection may be construed to authorize the public disclosure of information that is—
  - specifically prohibited from disclosure by any other provision of law;
  - specifically required by Executive order to be protected from disclosure in the interest of national defense or national security or in the conduct of foreign affairs; or
  - a part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

H.R. 2583

Table of contents

SEC. 1. Short title

SEC. 2. Findings

SEC. 3. Special inspector general for unlawful discrimination in higher education