I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8708 

To prohibit Federal funding for institutions of higher education that carry 

out diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 12, 2024 

Mr. BILIRAKIS (for himself, Ms. LEE of Florida, and Mr. BAIRD) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 

the Workforce 

A BILL 

To prohibit Federal funding for institutions of higher education that carry out diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Eliminate DEI in Col5 leges Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL FUNDING FOR INSTITU2 TIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION THAT CARRY 

3 OUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION INI4 TIATIVES. 

5 Part B of title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965 

6 (20 U.S.C. 1011 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 

7 the following: 

8 ‘‘SEC. 124. PROHIBITION ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND IN9 CLUSION INITIATIVES. 

10 ‘‘(a) RESTRICTION ON ELIGIBILITY.—Notwith11 standing any other provision of law, no institution of high12 er education shall be eligible to receive funds or any other 

13 form of financial assistance under any Federal program, 

14 including participation in any federally funded or guaran15 teed student loan program, unless the institution certifies 

16 to the Secretary that the institution— 

17 ‘‘(1) does not and will not carry out any pro18 gram, project, initiative, or other activity the pri19 mary purpose of which is to advocate, promote, or 

20 otherwise support diversity, equity, and inclusion; 

21 and 

22 ‘‘(2) does not and will not maintain any office 

23 or other entity within the institution to advocate, 

24 promote, or otherwise support diversity, equity, and 

25 inclusion. 


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1 ‘‘(b) INFORMATION AVAILABILITY.—Each institution 

2 of higher education that provides the certification required 

3 by subsection (a) shall, upon request, make available to 

4 the Secretary any information needed by the Secretary to 

5 verify the truth and accuracy of the certification. 

6 ‘‘(c) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall publish 

7 regulations to implement and enforce the provisions of this 

8 section. 

9 ‘‘(d) APPEALS.—Upon determination by the Sec10 retary to terminate financial assistance to any institution 

11 of higher education under this section, the institution may 

12 file an appeal with an administrative law judge before the 

13 expiration of the 30-day period beginning on the date such 

14 institution is notified of the decision to terminate financial 

15 assistance under this section. Such judge shall hold a 

16 hearing with respect to such termination of assistance be17 fore the expiration of the 45-day period beginning on the 

18 date that such appeal is filed. Such judge may extend such 

19 45-day period upon a motion by the institution concerned. 

20 The decision of the judge with respect to such termination 

21 shall be considered to be a final agency action. 

22 ‘‘(e) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘diver23 sity, equity, and inclusion’ means the concept according 

24 to which individuals are— 


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1 ‘‘(1) classified on basis of race, color, sex, na2 tional origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation; 

3 and 

4 ‘‘(2) afforded differential or preferential treat5 ment basis of such classification.’’. 

Æ 


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