I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5047 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 and the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide rules of construction that 
nothing in those Acts requires the use, teaching, promotion, or rec-
ommendation of any academic discipline, program, or activity that holds 
that the United States is a Nation founded on white supremacy and 
oppression, or that these forces are at the root of American society. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 17, 2021 
Mr. GOOD of Virginia (for himself, Ms. FOXX, Mr. OWENS, Mrs. MILLER of 
Illinois, Mrs. HARSHBARGER, Mr. PERRY, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. ALLEN, and 
Mr. CAWTHORN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 and the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to pro-
vide rules of construction that nothing in those Acts 
requires the use, teaching, promotion, or recommendation 
of any academic discipline, program, or activity that 
holds that the United States is a Nation founded on 
white supremacy and oppression, or that these forces 
are at the root of American society. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Empowering Local 
Curriculum Act’’. 
SEC. 2. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION ON REQUIREMENTS OF 
TEACHING. 
(a) HIGHER EDUCATION.—Part B of title I of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1011 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 124. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION ON REQUIREMENTS OF 
TEACHING. 
‘‘Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require 
the use, teaching, promotion, or recommendation of any 
academic discipline, program, or activity that holds the 
following: 
‘‘(1) The United States is a Nation founded on 
white supremacy and oppression, or that these forces 
are at the root of American society. 
‘‘(2) One race or sex is inherently superior to 
another race or sex. 
‘‘(3) The United States is fundamentally racist 
or sexist. 
‘‘(4) An individual, by virtue of his or her race 
or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, 
whether consciously or unconsciously. 
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‘‘(5) An individual should be discriminated 
against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly 
because of his or her race or sex. 
‘‘(6) Members of one race or sex cannot and 
should not attempt to treat others without respect to 
race or sex. 
‘‘(7) An individual’s moral character is nec-
essarily determined by his or her race or sex. 
‘‘(8) An individual, by virtue of his or her race 
or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in 
the past by other members of the same race or sex. 
‘‘(9) Any individual should feel discomfort, 
guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological 
distress on account of his or her race or sex. 
‘‘(10) Meritocracy or traits such as a hard work 
ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by a par-
ticular race to oppress another race.’’. 
(b) ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION.— 
Subpart 2 of part F of title VIII of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7901 et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 8549D. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION ON REQUIREMENTS 
OF TEACHING. 
‘‘Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require 
the use, teaching, promotion, or recommendation of any 
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academic discipline, program, or activity that holds the 
following: 
‘‘(1) The United States is a Nation founded on 
white supremacy and oppression, or that these forces 
are at the root of American society. 
‘‘(2) One race or sex is inherently superior to 
another race or sex. 
‘‘(3) The United States is fundamentally racist 
or sexist. 
‘‘(4) An individual, by virtue of his or her race 
or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, 
whether consciously or unconsciously. 
‘‘(5) An individual should be discriminated 
against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly 
because of his or her race or sex. 
‘‘(6) Members of one race or sex cannot and 
should not attempt to treat others without respect to 
race or sex. 
‘‘(7) An individual’s moral character is nec-
essarily determined by his or her race or sex. 
‘‘(8) An individual, by virtue of his or her race 
or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in 
the past by other members of the same race or sex. 
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‘‘(9) Any individual should feel discomfort, 
guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological 
distress on account of his or her race or sex. 
‘‘(10) Meritocracy or traits such as a hard work 
ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by a par-
ticular race to oppress another race.’’. 
Æ 
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