IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 608 

Recognizing the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in higher 

education. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 20, 2023 

Mr. VEASEY (for himself, Mr. ALLRED, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Mr. JOHNSON

of Georgia, Ms. NORTON, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. DOGGETT, Ms. CROCKETT, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. VICENTE GONZALEZ of Texas, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, 

Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Ms. 

CASTOR of Florida, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. THANEDAR, Ms. ESCOBAR, 

Mr. SOTO, Ms. BARRAGA ́N, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Ms. TOKUDA, Ms. WILLIAMS

of Georgia, Mr. EVANS, Ms. BROWN, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. 

MCGARVEY, Mrs. MCCLELLAN, Mr. CARSON, Ms. CLARKE of New York, 

Mr. TAKANO, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. MOULTON, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, 

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Ms. SEWELL, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. 

HORSFORD, Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. FROST, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. JACOBS, 

Mr. GARCI ́A of Illinois, Ms. STRICKLAND, Ms. KUSTER, Ms. STEVENS, 

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. CLEAVER, Ms. SA ́NCHEZ, Ms. GARCIA of 

Texas, Mrs. BEATTY, Mrs. TORRES of California, Ms. PORTER, Ms. 

PLASKETT, Mrs. FLETCHER, Ms. TITUS, Mr. LYNCH, Mrs. FOUSHEE, 

Ms. TLAIB, Mr. CASE, Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania, and Mr. CASAR) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Education and the Workforce 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion 

efforts in higher education. 

Whereas one of the primary goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in higher education is to create a learning 


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2 

•HRES 608 IH 

environment where all students, faculty, and staff succeed 

and thrive; 

Whereas, while students of color receive the greatest benefits 

of having educators that look like them, diversity benefits 

everyone; 

Whereas, when students experience a sense of belonging on 

campus, their academic, health, and engagement outcomes improve; 

Whereas having different and divergent perspectives can create positive learning outcomes; 

Whereas academic freedom is a cornerstone of a college or 

university’s mission, allowing faculty, staff, and students 

to pursue their curiosity and interests, free from political 

interference or intrusion, and advance the public good; 

Whereas diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts strengthen an 

institution’s ability to recruit, hire, develop, promote, and 

retain the Nation’s talent and remove barriers to equal 

opportunity; 

Whereas providing full opportunity to the Nation’s talent is 

vital to the health of the Nation’s economy and crucial 

to addressing the ongoing critical needs in the Nation’s 

businesses, hospitals, classrooms, and other economic and 

social endeavors; 

Whereas historically disenfranchised groups have faced barriers in participating in the classroom setting as students, faculty, and staff; 

Whereas a growing body of evidence demonstrates that diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workplaces yield 

higher performing institutions of higher education; 


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•HRES 608 IH 

Whereas strong higher education programs help educators 

recognize the value and unique aspects of what makes 

each student different, and help them embrace those differences in the classroom; 

Whereas many institutions of higher education across the 

country, including minority-serving institutions such as 

historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges 

and universities, and Hispanic-serving institutions, struggle to recruit and hire a more diverse teaching workforce; 

Whereas investing in and providing guidance on cultural competence and antibias trainings and resources for hiring 

managers help develop initiatives that increase the racial 

diversity of the workforce; 

Whereas States can improve retention of teachers of color by 

investing in programming that provides ongoing support 

and growth opportunities, and improves poor working 

conditions that disproportionately impact teachers of 

color; 

Whereas State legislatures are attempting to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at institutions of 

higher education; 

Whereas the notion that diversity, equity, and inclusion policies favor one demographic group over another ignores 

Federal antidiscrimination law; and 

Whereas prohibiting diversity, equity, and inclusion offices, as 

well as related trainings and consideration of race, gender, or ethnicity in hiring decisions, threatens the academic mission of institutions of higher education and the 

ability of institutions to provide a diverse and inclusive 

learning environment: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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•HRES 608 IH 

1 (1) recognizes the importance of diversity, eq2 uity, and inclusion efforts at institutions of higher 

3 education; 

4 (2) acknowledges the importance of diversity, 

5 equity, and inclusion pursuant to the House rules of 

6 the 118th Congress; 

7 (3) champions diversity, equity, and inclusion 

8 programs, including implicit bias training, common 

9 ground training, facilitated conversation, cultural 

10 sensitivity, community engagement, and 

11 antioppression training in higher education; and 

12 (4) supports and acknowledges the importance 

13 of academic freedom for faculty, staff, and students 

14 at institutions of higher education 

Æ 


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