42 U.S.C. § 2000d–1 (THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE)
§ 2000d–1. Federal authority and financial assistance to programs or activities by way of grant, loan, or contract other than contract of insurance or guaranty; rules and regulations; approval by President; compliance with requirements; reports to Congressional committees; effective date of administrative action
Each Federal department and agency which is empowered to extend Federal financial assistance to any program or activity, by way of grant, loan, or contract other than a contract of insurance or guaranty, is authorized and directed to effectuate the provisions of section 2000d of this title with respect to such program or activity by issuing rules, regulations, or orders of general applicability which shall be consistent with achievement of the objectives of the statute authorizing the financial assistance in connection with which the action is taken. No such rule, regulation, or order shall become effective unless and until approved by the President. Compliance with any requirement adopted pursuant to this section may be effected (1) by the termination of or refusal to grant or to continue assistance under such program or activity to any recipient as to whom there has been an express finding on the record, after opportunity for hearing, of a failure to comply with such requirement, but such termination or refusal shall be limited to the particular political entity, or part thereof, or other recipient as to whom such a finding has been made and, shall be limited in its effect to the particular program, or part thereof, in which such noncompliance has been so found, or (2) by any other means authorized by law: Provided, however, That no such action shall be taken until the department or agency concerned has advised the appropriate person or persons of the failure to comply with the requirement and has determined that compliance cannot be secured by voluntary means. In the case of any action terminating, or refusing to grant or continue, assistance because of failure to comply with a requirement imposed pursuant to this section, the head of the Federal department or agency shall file with the committees of the House and Senate having legislative jurisdiction over the program or activity involved a full written report of the circumstances and the grounds for such action. No such action shall become effective until thirty days have elapsed after the filing of such report.
(Pub. L. 88–352, title VI, § 602, July 2, 1964, 78 Stat. 252.)
heading: Delegation of Functions
text: Function of the President relating to approval of rules, regulations, and orders of general applicability under this section, delegated to the Attorney General, see section 1–101 of Ex. Ord. No. 12250, Nov. 2, 1980, 45 F.R. 72995, set out below.
heading: Equal Opportunity in Federal Employment
text: Nondiscrimination in government employment and in employment by government contractors and subcontractors, see Ex. Ord. No. 11246, eff. Sept. 24, 1965, 30 F.R. 12319, and Ex. Ord. No. 11478, eff. Aug. 8, 1969, 34 F.R. 12985, set out as notes under section 2000e of this title.
heading: Executive Order No. 11247
text: Ex. Ord. No. 11247, eff. Sept. 24, 1965, 30 F.R. 12327, which related to enforcement of coordination of nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 11764, eff. Jan. 21, 1974, 39 F.R. 2575, formerly set out below.
heading: Executive Order No. 11764
text: Ex. Ord. No. 11764, Jan. 21, 1974, 39 F.R. 2575, which related to coordination of enforcement of provisions of this subchapter, was revoked by section 1–501 of Ex. Ord. No. 12250, Nov. 2, 1980, 45 F.R. 72996, set out below.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 12250. Leadership and Coordination of Implementation and Enforcement of Nondiscrimination Laws
text: Ex. Ord. No. 12250, Nov. 2, 1980, 45 F.R. 72995, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and statutes of the United States of America, including section 602 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d–1), Section 902 of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1682), and Section 301 of Title 3 of the United States Code, and in order to provide, under the leadership of the Attorney General, for the consistent and effective implementation of various laws prohibiting discriminatory practices in Federal programs and programs receiving Federal financial assistance, it is hereby ordered as follows:
heading: 1–1. Delegation of Function
text: 1–101. The function vested in the President by Section 602 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d–1), relating to the approval of rules, regulations, and orders of general applicability, is hereby delegated to the Attorney General.
1–102. The function vested in the President by Section 902 of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1682), relating to the approval of rules, regulations, and orders of general applicability, is hereby delegated to the Attorney General.
heading: 1–2. Coordination of Nondiscrimination Provisions
text: 1–201. The Attorney General shall coordinate the implementation and enforcement by Executive agencies of various nondiscrimination provisions of the following laws:
(a) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.).
(b) Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.).
(c) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794).
(d) Any other provision of Federal statutory law which provides, in whole or in part, that no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, national origin, handicap, religion, or sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
1–202. In furtherance of the Attorney General’s responsibility for the coordination of the implementation and enforcement of the nondiscrimination provisions of laws covered by this Order, the Attorney General shall review the existing and proposed rules, regulations, and orders of general applicability of the Executive agencies in order to identify those which are inadequate, unclear or unnecessarily inconsistent.
1–203. The Attorney General shall develop standards and procedures for taking enforcement actions and for conducting investigations and compliance reviews.
1–204. The Attorney General shall issue guidelines for establishing reasonable time limits on efforts to secure voluntary compliance, on the initiation of sanctions, and for referral to the Department of Justice for enforcement where there is noncompliance.
1–205. The Attorney General shall establish and implement a schedule for the review of the agencies’ regulations which implement the various nondiscrimination laws covered by this Order.
1–206. The Attorney General shall establish guidelines and standards for the development of consistent and effective recordkeeping and reporting requirements by Executive agencies; for the sharing and exchange by agencies of compliance records, findings, and supporting documentation; for the development of comprehensive employee training programs; for the development of effective information programs; and for the development of cooperative programs with State and local agencies, including sharing of information, deferring of enforcement activities, and providing technical assistance.
1–207. The Attorney General shall initiate cooperative programs between and among agencies, including the development of sample memoranda of understanding, designed to improve the coordination of the laws covered by this Order.
heading: 1–3. Implementation by the Attorney General
text: 1–301. In consultation with the affected agencies, the Attorney General shall promptly prepare a plan for the implementation of this Order. This plan shall be submitted to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
1–302. The Attorney General shall periodically evaluate the implementation of the nondiscrimination provisions of the laws covered by this Order, and advise the heads of the agencies concerned on the results of such evaluations as to recommendations for needed improvement in implementation or enforcement.
1–303. The Attorney General shall carry out his functions under this Order, including the issuance of such regulations as he deems necessary, in consultation with affected agencies.
1–304. The Attorney General shall annually report to the President through the Director of the Office of Management and Budget on the progress in achieving the purposes of this Order. This report shall include any recommendations for changes in the implementation or enforcement of the nondiscrimination provisions of the laws covered by this Order.
1–305. The Attorney General shall chair the Interagency Coordinating Council established by Section 507 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794c).
heading: 1–4. Agency Implementation
text: 1–401. Each Executive agency shall cooperate with the Attorney General in the performance of the Attorney General’s functions under this Order and shall, unless prohibited by law, furnish such reports and information as the Attorney General may request.
1–402. Each Executive agency responsible for implementing a nondiscrimination provision of a law covered by this Order shall issue appropriate implementing directives (whether in the nature of regulations or policy guidance). To the extent permitted by law, they shall be consistent with the requirements prescribed by the Attorney General pursuant to this Order and shall be subject to the approval of the Attorney General, who may require that some or all of them be submitted for approval before taking effect.
1–403. Within 60 days after a date set by the Attorney General, Executive agencies shall submit to the Attorney General their plans for implementing their responsibilities under this Order.
heading: 1–5. General Provisions
text: 1–501. Executive Order No. 11764 is revoked. The present regulations of the Attorney General relating to the coordination of enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [this subchapter] shall continue in effect until revoked or modified (28 CFR 42.401 to 42.415).
1–502. Executive Order No. 11914 is revoked. The present regulations of the Secretary of Health and Human Services relating to the coordination of the implementation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended [29 U.S.C. 794], shall be deemed to have been issued by the Attorney General pursuant to this Order and shall continue in effect until revoked or modified by the Attorney General.
1–503. Nothing in this Order shall vest the Attorney General with the authority to coordinate the implementation and enforcement by Executive agencies of statutory provisions relating to equal employment.
1–504. Existing agency regulations implementing the nondiscrimination provisions of laws covered by this Order shall continue in effect until revoked or modified.
Jimmy Carter.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 13166. Improving Access to Services for Persons With Limited English Proficiency
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13166, Aug. 11, 2000, 65 F.R. 50121, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve access to federally conducted and federally assisted programs and activities for persons who, as a result of national origin, are limited in their English proficiency (LEP), it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Goals.
The Federal Government provides and funds an array of services that can be made accessible to otherwise eligible persons who are not proficient in the English language. The Federal Government is committed to improving the accessibility of these services to eligible LEP persons, a goal that reinforces its equally important commitment to promoting programs and activities designed to help individuals learn English. To this end, each Federal agency shall examine the services it provides and develop and implement a system by which LEP persons can meaningfully access those services consistent with, and without unduly burdening, the fundamental mission of the agency. Each Federal agency shall also work to ensure that recipients of Federal financial assistance (recipients) provide meaningful access to their LEP applicants and beneficiaries. To assist the agencies with this endeavor, the Department of Justice has today issued a general guidance document (LEP Guidance), which sets forth the compliance standards that recipients must follow to ensure that the programs and activities they normally provide in English are accessible to LEP persons and thus do not discriminate on the basis of national origin in violation of title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.], as amended, and its implementing regulations. As described in the LEP Guidance, recipients must take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to their programs and activities by LEP persons.
Sec. 2. Federally Conducted Programs and Activities.
Each Federal agency shall prepare a plan to improve access to its federally conducted programs and activities by eligible LEP persons. Each plan shall be consistent with the standards set forth in the LEP Guidance, and shall include the steps the agency will take to ensure that eligible LEP persons can meaningfully access the agency’s programs and activities. Agencies shall develop and begin to implement these plans within 120 days of the date of this order, and shall send copies of their plans to the Department of Justice, which shall serve as the central repository of the agencies’ plans.
Sec. 3. Federally Assisted Programs and Activities.
Each agency providing Federal financial assistance shall draft title VI guidance specifically tailored to its recipients that is consistent with the LEP Guidance issued by the Department of Justice. This agency-specific guidance shall detail how the general standards established in the LEP Guidance will be applied to the agency’s recipients. The agency-specific guidance shall take into account the types of services provided by the recipients, the individuals served by the recipients, and other factors set out in the LEP Guidance. Agencies that already have developed title VI guidance that the Department of Justice determines is consistent with the LEP Guidance shall examine their existing guidance, as well as their programs and activities, to determine if additional guidance is necessary to comply with this order. The Department of Justice shall consult with the agencies in creating their guidance and, within 120 days of the date of this order, each agency shall submit its specific guidance to the Department of Justice for review and approval. Following approval by the Department of Justice, each agency shall publish its guidance document in the Federal Register for public comment.
Sec. 4. Consultations.
In carrying out this order, agencies shall ensure that stakeholders, such as LEP persons and their representative organizations, recipients, and other appropriate individuals or entities, have an adequate opportunity to provide input. Agencies will evaluate the particular needs of the LEP persons they and their recipients serve and the burdens of compliance on the agency and its recipients. This input from stakeholders will assist the agencies in developing an approach to ensuring meaningful access by LEP persons that is practical and effective, fiscally responsible, responsive to the particular circumstances of each agency, and can be readily implemented.
Sec. 5. Judicial Review.
This order is intended only to improve the internal management of the executive branch and does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or equity by a party against the United States, its agencies, its officers or employees, or any person.
William J. Clinton.