H.R. 925 — Dismantle DEI Act of 2025

This section rescinds Executive Orders 13985, 13988, 14020, 14031, 14035, and 14091, and National Security Memoranda NSM-3 and NSM-4 (relating to racial equity and underserved communities, gender identity and sexual orientation discrimination, the White House Gender Policy Council, equity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the federal workforce, foreign policy and national security workforce, and LGBTQI+ human rights); (2) prohibits executive agency heads from carrying out these orders and memoranda; and (3) directs federal agencies to close, terminate, and wind up any related programs or offices within 90 days of enactment, including appropriate reductions in force and without transferring, reassigning, or redesignating any eliminated employee or contractor positions or functions.

This section directs the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), not later than 180 days after enactment, to (1) revise OPM regulations, policies, procedures, manuals, circulars, courses, training, and guidance to comply with this Act and its amendments; (2) rescind such materials promulgated to comply with specified executive orders and memoranda; (3) terminate, close, and wind up OPM's Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (ODEIA) with an appropriate reduction in force and no transfers, reassignments, or redesignations of its employees or contractors; and (4) terminate, close, and wind up the Chief Diversity Officers Executive Council similarly. It revokes the Council's charter upon enactment. The section also amends federal personnel management law by adding a new subsection to prohibit racist behavior and racist training government-wide—including (A) discrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, religion, biological sex, or national origin; (B) training asserting such characteristics confer inherent superiority, inferiority, oppression, privilege, or similar status; (C) maintaining offices to promote prohibited diversity, equity, or inclusion (DEI) practices; (D) employing consultants for such practices; (E) maintaining rules, policies, or training for such practices; and (F) requiring assent to statements endorsing such concepts as a condition of employment, promotion, or participation—and directs OPM to establish prohibiting standards and an oversight program ensuring compliance with these prohibitions, federal employee anti-discrimination protections (42 U.S.C. §2000e-16), and merit system principles.

This section directs the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), not later than 180 days after enactment, to (1) revise all OMB regulations, policies, procedures, manuals, circulars, courses, training, and guidance to ensure compliance with this Act and its amendments; (2) rescind such materials promulgated to comply with the Executive orders and memoranda described in section 101(a)(2); and (3) rescind the version of Circular A-4 (i.e., guidance on regulatory impact analysis) adopted on November 9, 2023.

This section prohibits the use of federal funds appropriated or otherwise made available by law for maintaining in any federal agency (1) offices relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, or accessibility (DEIA), or substantially similar offices; or (2) the Chief Diversity Officers Executive Council, chief diversity officers, agency equity teams, specified interagency councils or working groups (e.g., White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council, Equitable Data Working Group), employee resource or affinity groups based on race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity, DEIA trainings or substantially similar trainings (e.g., on critical race theory, intersectionality), DEIA data dashboards, Office of Personnel Management DEIA councils, or DEIA-related positions. Exceptions apply to (1) plans, reports, or surveys required by law and (2) equal employment opportunity offices or Americans with Disabilities Act enforcement as historically organized and operated.

This section directs the head of any federal agency with an office relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, or accessibility to terminate, close, and wind up that office—and undertake an appropriate reduction in force—not later than 90 days after enactment. The section prohibits reassigning or redesignating any employee or contractor whose position or function is eliminated and exempts Equal Employment Opportunity offices and offices enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act, as historically organized and operated.

This section (1) adds to the list of prohibited personnel practices under current law any personnel action (or threat thereof) against a federal employee or applicant for employment due to their failure to complete specified trainings, assent to statements, or engage in practices related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), critical theory, intersectionality, sexual orientation or gender identity, or concepts asserting that a particular race, color, ethnicity, religion, biological sex, or national origin is inherently or systemically superior or inferior, oppressive or oppressed, privileged or unprivileged; (2) prohibits performance appraisal systems for federal employees from adversely evaluating individuals for such failures; and (3) prohibits performance appraisal systems for Senior Executive Service (SES) members from adversely evaluating senior executives for such failures. (As background, prohibited personnel practices are enforced by the Merit Systems Protection Board and include actions violating merit system principles; performance appraisal systems under current law inform training, rewards, promotions, reductions in grade, retention, and removals.)

This section amends the federal employee training requirements (5 U.S.C. §4103) to prohibit agencies from developing, implementing, distributing, publishing, establishing, or purchasing any training program or plan—(1) with respect to diversity, equity, and inclusion, critical theory (relating to race, gender, or otherwise), intersectionality, sexual orientation or gender identity, or any substantially similar theory or policy; or (2) that asserts or requires trainees to assert that a particular race, color, ethnicity, religion, biological sex, or national origin is inherently or systemically superior or inferior, oppressive or oppressed, or privileged or unprivileged. It further prohibits requiring any employee to complete such training. The section also amends regulations under 5 U.S.C. §4118 to incorporate these prohibitions. (As background, 5 U.S.C. §4103 requires each federal agency head to establish, operate, maintain, and evaluate training programs for agency employees to improve performance toward agency mission and goals.)

This section prohibits the use of any federal funds appropriated or otherwise made available by law in any federal agency to develop, implement, distribute, publish, or purchase a training course that (1) relates to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; a critical theory relating to race, gender, or otherwise; or intersectionality, sexual orientation, or gender identity; or (2) asserts or requires trainees to assert that a particular race, color, ethnicity, religion, biological sex, or national origin is inherently or systemically superior, inferior, oppressive, oppressed, privileged, or unprivileged.

This section amends the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act (41 U.S.C. 6502), which requires labor standards in federal contracts exceeding $10,000 for manufacturing or furnishing materials, supplies, articles, or equipment, and the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (41 U.S.C. 6703), which requires similar standards in federal service contracts, to add new required contract stipulations prohibiting performance in working environments provided by or under the control of contractors or subcontractors subject to or required to comply with a prohibited diversity, equity, or inclusion (DEI) practice (as defined in section 1201 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964). (1) Adds this stipulation as new paragraph (5) to the Walsh-Healey Act. (2) Adds this stipulation as new paragraph (6) to the Service Contract Act.

This section revises the prohibition on discrimination under 40 U.S.C. 122 for programs or activities carried out by or receiving federal assistance under subtitle I of title 40, United States Code (i.e., federal real property acquisition and management), to bar exclusion from participation, denial of benefits, or other discrimination based on race, color, biological sex, ethnicity, religion, or national origin (previously, sex only). It further prohibits subjecting individuals to or requiring compliance with a prohibited diversity, equity, and inclusion practice (as defined in section 1201 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964). The section directs federal agency heads to enforce these prohibitions through agency rules, regulations, policies, and executive actions similar to those under title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.) and clarifies that such enforcement does not preclude other legal remedies.

This section prohibits federal contractors from using federal funds to (1) maintain an office relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, or accessibility (DEI/A) or a substantially similar office; (2) maintain or employ a chief diversity officer or substantially similar position; or (3) develop, implement, distribute, publish, or purchase certain training courses, including those on DEI/A, critical theories relating to race or gender, intersectionality, sexual orientation or gender identity, or courses asserting inherent superiority or inferiority based on race, color, ethnicity, religion, biological sex, or national origin (or substantially similar courses). A rule of construction clarifies that the prohibition does not apply to (1) historically organized Equal Employment Opportunity offices; (2) offices enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar programs as historically operated; or (3) use of non-federal funds.

This section establishes requirements for all federal grant agreements by adding a new section 6310 to Chapter 63 of title 31, United States Code. It prohibits executive agencies from awarding grants unless the agreement specifies that no federal funds may be used by recipients to (1) maintain an office relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, or accessibility; (2) maintain or employ a chief diversity officer or similar position; (3) develop, conduct, or purchase specified trainings on diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, critical race or gender theories, intersectionality, sexual orientation, or gender identity—or trainings asserting inherent superiority, inferiority, privilege, or oppression based on race, color, religion, ethnicity, biological sex, or national origin; or (4) engage in a prohibited diversity, equity, or inclusion practice as defined in section 1201 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It exempts equal employment opportunity offices and Americans with Disabilities Act enforcement as historically operated, permits use of non-federal funds for any purpose, and does not restrict funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

This section establishes requirements for cooperative agreements under 31 U.S.C. ch. 63 by prohibiting the head of an executive agency from entering into such an agreement unless it specifies that no federal funds may be used by any party for (1) maintaining an office relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, or accessibility; (2) maintaining or employing a chief diversity officer or similar officer; (3) developing, implementing, distributing, publishing, or purchasing specified trainings on diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, critical race or gender theories, intersectionality, sexual orientation, gender identity, or assertions of inherent racial/ethnic/sex superiority or inferiority; or (4) engaging in a prohibited diversity, equity, or inclusion practice as defined in section 1201 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The section exempts equal employment opportunity offices and Americans with Disabilities Act enforcement offices as historically organized and operated, and it permits use of non-federal funds for any purpose.

This section amends the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) to establish prohibitions on "prohibited diversity, equity, or inclusion practices"—as defined in section 1201 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—with respect to advisory committees established by federal agency heads. (As background, FACA governs the creation, operation, and termination of federal advisory committees, which provide independent policy advice to executive agencies.) It bars the General Services Administration Administrator, agency heads, advisory committee chairs, and the committees themselves from authorizing, permitting, or implementing such practices. The section directs termination of a violating advisory committee within 30 days of a finding by the Administrator or the relevant agency Inspector General. It further authorizes any person to file a civil action in U.S. district court seeking a determination of violation and an order directing the Administrator to immediately terminate the committee, with prevailing plaintiffs eligible for a writ of mandamus or other equitable relief, at least $1,000 per violation per day, reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, compensatory damages, and other appropriate relief.

This section amends annual review requirements for federal advisory committees (i.e., groups that provide independent policy advice to executive branch agencies) to include determining whether each committee complies with the Dismantle DEI Act of 2025. It further adds a new subsection (f) requiring the General Services Administration Administrator to (1) prescribe guidelines and management controls to enforce that Act and (2) ensure the Committee Management Secretariat complies with and enforces it. Additionally, it directs the Administrator to revise, not later than 180 days after enactment, any inconsistent rules, regulations, policies, guidance, guidelines, management controls, governing documents, practices, requirements, training, education, coursework, or similar devices.

This section requires each agency head to establish uniform administrative guidelines and management controls for advisory committees to ensure compliance with the Dismantle DEI Act of 2025 and adds to the duties of the Advisory Committee Management Officer the responsibility to ensure such compliance.

This section adds a new criterion, paragraph (10), to the standards accrediting agencies must meet for recognition by the Secretary of Education as reliable authorities on the quality of higher education for Title IV student aid eligibility. The new criterion requires accreditors to confirm that their accreditation standards do not (1) require, encourage, or coerce institutions of higher education to engage in prohibited diversity, equity, and inclusion practices (as defined in section 1201 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964); (2) assess an institution's commitment to any ideology, belief, or viewpoint; (3) prohibit or discourage an institution from engaging in constitutionally protected activity, including maintaining a religious mission, operating as a religious institution, or associating with a religious organization; or (4) discriminate against an institution for religious speech, practice, or exercise.

This section prohibits the Secretary of Education from using funds provided under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to (1) maintain an Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, an Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, an Office of Diversity and Inclusion, a Diversity Office, or a substantially similar office; (2) maintain or employ a Chief Diversity Officer or substantially similar officer; (3) develop, implement, distribute, publish, or purchase trainings relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA); diversity, equity, and inclusion; diversity and inclusion; diversity; critical theory (race, gender, or otherwise); intersectionality; or sexual orientation or gender identity; or (4) develop, implement, distribute, publish, or purchase trainings asserting or requiring assertion that a particular race, color, ethnicity, religion, biological sex, or national origin is inherently or systemically superior, inferior, oppressive or oppressed, privileged, or unprivileged. It specifies that these prohibitions do not apply to (A) equal employment opportunity offices or officers as historically organized and operated; (B) offices enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or similar programs as historically organized and operated; or (C) the use of non-federal funds by department contractors or ESEA grant recipients.

This section (1) repeals Section 342 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (12 U.S.C. 5452), which required certain federal financial regulators to establish Offices of Minority and Women Inclusion to promote diversity in agency employment, management, and contracting, and makes conforming amendments; (2) amends Section 701(f) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e(f)) to define "employee" as including any compensated director of a public company with a registration statement in effect under the Securities Act of 1933; (3) adds Section 503A to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6803) to prohibit federal functional regulators from engaging in or requiring a prohibited diversity, equity, and inclusion practice, as defined in Section 1201 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; (4) adds subsection (o) to Section 15A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78o–3) to impose the same prohibition on national securities associations with respect to their members; and (5) strikes "and racial, ethnic, and gender diversity" from the criteria for appointing members to the Community Development Advisory Board, which advises the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund on its programs supporting financial institutions serving low-income and underserved communities.

This section repeals certain Department of Defense diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) reporting requirements and programs. Specifically, it (1) eliminates from the Secretary of Defense's annual report to Congress the requirement for reports from each military department on the status of diversity and inclusion among members, civilian employees, military service academies, Officer Candidate and Training Schools, and Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs (10 U.S.C. §113(c)(2)); (2) repeals the position of Chief Diversity Officer (10 U.S.C. §147), who was responsible for advising on DEI policy and programs across the department; and (3) repeals the program requiring a strategy and metrics to increase diversity in military leadership (10 U.S.C. §656).

This section (1) repeals the requirement under the Homeland Security Education Program (6 U.S.C. 415(c)(3))—a graduate-level program in the National Capital Region providing educational opportunities to senior federal officials and selected state and local officials with homeland security and emergency management responsibilities—that the Administrator take reasonable steps to ensure the student body represents racial, gender, and ethnic diversity; and (2) amends Coast Guard law (14 U.S.C. 1903(d)(2)) by striking “, including diversity, inclusion, and issues regarding women specifically.”

This section establishes a private right of action allowing any person alleging a violation of the Act to bring a civil action in U.S. district court. If the plaintiff prevails, the court may award (1) a writ of mandamus or other equitable or declaratory relief; (2) a minimum of $1,000 per violation per day; (3) reasonable attorney’s fees and litigation costs; (4) compensatory damages; and (5) all other appropriate relief.

This section declares the provisions of the Act and its amendments severable, such that if any provision or its application to any person or circumstance is held unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act, its amendments, and their applications are not affected.