Under federal law, an array of civil rights statutes is available to protect individuals from discrimination. Although these laws share similar features, the type of discrimination that they prohibit and the circumstances under which they operate vary from statute to statute. This report provides a brief overview of selected federal civil rights statutes, as well as information about other CRS products that discuss these laws. This report, however, is intended to provide an introductory overview and comparison of the selected statutes and therefore does not address additional civil rights protections that may be available under state or local statutes or federal or state constitutional law. The Civil Rights Act (CRA) of 1964 is perhaps the most prominent civil rights legislation enacted in modern times. The statute, which served as a model for subsequent anti-discrimination laws, greatly expanded civil rights protections in a wide variety of settings. Among other provisions: Title VII of the CRA prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. In addition, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which was enacted in 1978 as an amendment to the sex discrimination provisions of Title VII, made it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including the federal government and state and local governments. Individuals who believe they are the victims of employment discrimination must file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which is responsible for enforcing individual Title VII claims against private employers. The Department of Justice (DOJ) enforces Title VII against state and local governments, but may do so only after the EEOC has conducted an initial investigation. Title VI of the CRA prohibits discrimination in federally funded programs or activities on the basis of race, color, or national origin. Individuals who believe they are victims of discrimination may file a complaint with the federal agency that provides funds to a recipient, or they may file a lawsuit in federal court. Each federal agency is responsible for enforcing Title VI compliance with respect to its funding recipients, but DOJ plays a role in coordinating federal Title VI activities. Title II of the CRA prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin in public accommodations. Public accommodations, which are defined as establishments that serve the public and that have a connection to interstate commerce, include hotels and motels, restaurants and bars, and entertainment venues such as movie theaters or sports arenas. DOJ enforces Title II. For additional information on the CRA, see CRS Report RS22256, Federal Affirmative Action Law: A Brief History , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RL30410, Affirmative Action and Diversity in Public Education: Legal Developments , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RL30470, Affirmative Action in Employment: A Legal Overview , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report R41271, Timeliness of Disparate Impact Discrimination Claims Filed Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act: A Legal Analysis of Lewis v. City of Chicago , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report R40697, Race Discrimination and the Supreme Court: A Legal Analysis of Ricci v. DeStefano , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RS22686, Pay Discrimination Claims Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act: A Legal Analysis of the Supreme Court's Decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Inc. , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RL30253, Sex Discrimination and the United States Supreme Court: Developments in the Law , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RL33736, Sexual Harassment: Developments in Federal Law , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report R40934, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination in Employment: A Legal Analysis of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) , by [author name scrubbed] and Cynthia Brougher; CRS Report 94-970, Awards of Attorneys' Fees by Federal Courts and Federal Agencies , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RS22745, Religion and the Workplace: Legal Analysis of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as It Applies to Religion and Religious Organizations , by Cynthia Brougher; CRS Report RL33356, English as the Official Language of the United States: Legal Background , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RS22492, Employment Discrimination and Retaliation Claims: A Legal Analysis of the Supreme Court Ruling in Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Co. v. White , by [author name scrubbed]; and CRS Report RL31077, Private Actions to Sue for Civil Rights Violations in Federally Assisted Programs After Alexander v. Sandoval , by [author name scrubbed] (pdf). The Equal Pay Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex with regard to the compensation paid to men and women for substantially equal work performed in the same establishment. The act is enforced by the EEOC. Pay discrimination claims may also be brought under Title VII of the CRA. For additional information on the Equal Pay Act, see CRS Report RL31867, Pay Equity Legislation , by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]; and CRS Report 98-278, The Gender Wage Gap and Pay Equity: Is Comparable Worth the Next Step? , by [author name scrubbed]. The Voting Rights Act, which was enacted shortly after the CRA and which was designed to prevent the disenfranchisement of black voters in the South, prohibits voting practices that discriminate on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group. Specifically, the act prohibits the use of discriminatory redistricting plans or voter registration procedures and authorizes the use of federal voting observers to monitor elections. DOJ enforces the statute, but individuals can also sue in federal court. For additional information on the Voting Rights Act, see CRS Report R42482, Congressional Redistricting and the Voting Rights Act: A Legal Overview , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RS22479, Congressional Redistricting: A Legal Analysis of the Supreme Court Ruling in League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) v. Perry , by [author name scrubbed]; and CRS Report RS21593, Redistricting and the Voting Rights Act: A Legal Analysis of Georgia v. Ashcroft , by [author name scrubbed]. Like Title VII of the CRA, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of age. The ADEA, which protects individuals who are age 40 or older, applies to employers with 20 or more employees and is enforced by the EEOC. For additional information on the ADEA, see CRS Report RL34652, The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA): A Legal Overview , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report R41279, Mixed-Motive Claims Under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act: A Legal Analysis of the Supreme Court's Ruling in Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc. , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RS22170, The Age Discrimination in Employment Act and Disparate Impact Claims: An Analysis of the Supreme Court's Ruling in Smith v. City of Jackson , by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RS21845, Final Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Rules on Retiree Health Plans and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RL33004, Cash Balance Pension Plans and Claims of Age Discrimination , by Jennifer Staman and [author name scrubbed]; and CRS Report RL30364, Legal Issues Affecting the Right of State Employees to Bring Suit Under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and Other Federal Labor Laws , by [author name scrubbed] (pdf). The Fair Housing Act (FHA), which was originally enacted in 1968, prohibits discrimination in the sale or rental of housing on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or familial status. The statute applies to both public and private housing and may be enforced by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), DOJ, and individuals who file suit in federal court. For additional information on the FHA, see CRS Report 95-710, The Fair Housing Act (FHA): A Legal Overview , by [author name scrubbed]. Like Title VI of the CRA, Title IX's prohibition on discrimination is tied to federal funding. Specifically, Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs or activities. Although the Title IX regulations bar recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of sex in a wide range of educational programs or activities, such as student admissions, scholarships, and access to courses, the statute is perhaps best known for prohibiting sex discrimination in intercollegiate athletics. Individuals who believe they are victims of discrimination may file a complaint with the federal agency that provides education funds to a recipient, or they may file a lawsuit in federal court. As with Title VI, each federal agency is responsible for enforcing Title IX compliance with respect to its funding recipients, but DOJ plays a role in coordinating federal Title IX activities.