A group of House Republicans introduced legislation Thursday that would ban race-based preferences in the federal government.
The Daily Caller first obtained a copy of the bill, titled the Fairness, Anti-Discrimination and Individual Rights (FAIR) Act. The legislation would specifically prohibit the Biden administration, federal contractors or any other recipient of federal funds from intentionally discriminating against or granting a preference to any person based on their race, color or national origin.
Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany spearheaded the bill and was joined by Utah Rep. Burgess Owens, California Rep. Michelle Steel and Florida Rep. Byron Donalds.
“It’s pretty simple. If we are serious about ending discrimination in the United States, the first step is for the government to stop doing the discriminating,” Tiffany told the Caller before introducing the legislation. “It is long past time for the government to take its thumb off the scale and get out of the business of racial discrimination.”
Here Is What The Legislation Would Do:
- Bar any agency, officer or employee of the federal government from intentionally discriminating against or granting preferential treatment to any person or group of persons based in whole or in part on race, color or national origin in connection with federal contracting or subcontracting.
- Bar requiring or encouraging any federal contractor or subcontractor, or the recipient of any federal license or financial assistance, to discriminate against or grant preferential treatment to any person or group of persons based in whole or in part on race, color or national origin in connection with any federal contract, subcontract, license or financial assistance.
- Bar any state or private entity that receives federal financial assistance from intentionally discriminating against or granting preferential treatment to any person or group of persons based in whole or in part on race, color or national origin in connection with any contract, subcontract, employment or admission to any educational institution.
“Growing up as a Black American in the Jim Crow South, I experienced firsthand the true ugliness of discrimination based on the color of my skin,” Owens said. “Our nation’s Constitution is clear: no person shall be subjected to discrimination based on religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, sex or physical or mental disability. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration is determined to divide Americans along racial lines. That is why I am proud to help Representative Tiffany introduce the FAIR Act to continue promoting the ideals of our nation for all Americans—regardless of their skin tone—in the federal government’s hiring, contracting, and funding process.” (RELATED: ‘Unsuccessful Experiment’: After Supreme Court Arguments, Advocates Say It’s Time To End Race-Based Admissions)
READ THE LEGISLATION HERE:
(DAILY CALLER OBTAINED) — … by Henry Rodgers
“I’ve worked for decades to root out racial discrimination wherever it appears,” Steel told the Caller. “I’m proud to join Rep. Tiffany to introduce the FAIR Act to prevent race-based discrimination across the federal government and ensure that the United States continues our efforts to live up to our highest ideals of liberty and justice for all.” (RELATED: Americans Still Agree Race Should Not Be Factored Into College Admission: POLL)
The legislation comes weeks after President Joe Biden signed an executive order directing all federal agencies to produce an annual “equity action plan.”