I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6008 
To reduce and prevent the sale and use of fraudulent degrees in order 
to protect the integrity of valid higher education degrees that are used 
for Federal purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 28, 2006 
Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota (for herself, Mr. BISHOP of New York, and Mr. 
GRIJALVA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Commit-
tees on Energy and Commerce, Government Reform, Judiciary, and 
Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each 
case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To reduce and prevent the sale and use of fraudulent degrees 
in order to protect the integrity of valid higher education 
degrees that are used for Federal purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Diploma Integrity Pro-
tection Act of 2006’’. 
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SEC. 2. PURPOSE; DEFINITIONS. 
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to protect 
institutions of higher education, businesses and other em-
ployers, professional licensing boards, patients and clients 
of degree holders, taxpayers, and other individuals from 
any person claiming to possess a legitimate academic de-
gree that in fact was issued by a fraudulent or nonexistent 
school, by a non-educational entity posing as a school, or 
by any entity in violation of Federal or State law. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) 
DEGREE-GRANTING
INSTITUTION.—The 
term ‘‘degree-granting institution’’ means any entity 
that offers or confers an academic, professional, or 
occupational degree, diploma, or certificate, if such 
degree, diploma, or certificate may be used to rep-
resent to the general public that the individual pos-
sessing such degree, diploma, or certificate has com-
pleted a program of education or training beyond 
secondary education. 
(2) DIPLOMA MILL.—The term ‘‘diploma mill’’ 
means any entity that— 
(A) lacks valid accreditation by an agency 
recognized by a Federal agency, a State govern-
ment, or the Council for Higher Education Ac-
creditation as a valid accrediting agency of in-
stitutions of higher education; and 
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(B) offers degrees, diplomas, or certifi-
cations, for a fee, that may be used to represent 
to the general public that the individual pos-
sessing such a degree, diploma, or certification 
has completed a program of education or train-
ing beyond secondary education, but little or no 
education or course work is required to obtain 
such a degree, diploma, or certification. 
(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 102 of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002). 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows: 
(1) Diploma mills (entities that sell fraudulent 
degrees, diplomas, or certifications), have pro-
liferated in recent decades due to inconsistent law 
enforcement and technological advances such as the 
Internet and electronic mail. 
(2) Diploma mills take many different forms 
but often share common characteristics, such as— 
(A) lack of accreditation or false claims of 
accreditation by agencies not recognized by the 
Department of Education or by the Council for 
Higher Education Accreditation; 
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