Sponsors (9)
The bill creates a uniform, race‑neutral baseline for federal employment, contracting, admissions, and funding—protecting individuals and businesses from race‑based preferences—while trading off the ability of institutions and agencies to use race‑conscious remedies, and increasing litigation and administrative burdens as parties and agencies adjust.
Federal employees, applicants, students, and contractors tied to federal funding are protected from being intentionally hired, admitted, contracted with, or treated differently on the basis of race, color, or national origin, establishing a uniform race‑neutral baseline across federally connected programs.
Small businesses, license applicants, and recipients of federal assistance are protected from being required to adopt race‑based preferences as a condition of receiving contracts, licenses, or funding.
People harmed by prohibited race‑based actions (including employees, applicants, and students) can sue for relief and recover reasonable attorney's fees, making enforcement more accessible.
Students, racial and ethnic minority applicants, and beneficiaries of targeted programs may lose the ability of institutions and agencies to use race‑conscious measures designed to remedy past discrimination or promote diversity, reducing targeted support and representation.
Federal, state, and local governments, contractors, and taxpayers face increased litigation risk and legal uncertainty because disputes will arise over what counts as 'intentional' discrimination or an impermissible 'preference,' raising compliance and defense costs.
Entities that receive federal funds (schools, nonprofits, state and local agencies, contractors) may incur meaningful administrative and compliance costs to revise hiring, admissions, procurement, and program rules to satisfy the Act and meet a tight six‑month rewrite deadline, risking rushed rulemaking.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Prohibits intentional race-, color-, or national-origin-based preferences by the federal government and by recipients of federal funds in contracts, employment, and admissions, and creates a private right of action.
Official title: To provide for equal protection of the law and to prohibit discrimination and preferential treatment on the basis of race, color, or national origin in Federal actions, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 23, 2025 by Thomas P. TIFFANY · Last progress January 23, 2025
Prohibits the federal government, federal contractors, and recipients of federal financial assistance from intentionally discriminating for or against people on the basis of race, color, or national origin, and bars the government from requiring such preferences. It requires federal agencies to revise policies to comply within six months, preserves existing immigration laws and existing contracts/cases, and creates a private right of action allowing harmed individuals to sue and recover remedies including back pay and attorney’s fees.