CRT Act

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3163 To prohibit the award of Federal funds to schools that promote certain race-based theories to students, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 12, 2021 Mr. ROY (for himself, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. BIGGS, Mr. HICE of Georgia, Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina, Mr. BUCK, Mrs. GREENE of Georgia, Mrs. MILLER of Illinois, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mrs. LESKO, Mr. BUDD, Mr. TIFFANY, Mr. GOOD of Virginia, Mr. HARRIS, Mr. GOSAR, Mr. MOORE of Alabama, Mrs. BOEBERT, Mr. CLOUD, Mr. BABIN, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. PERRY, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. BROOKS, Mr. RICE of South Carolina, Mr. LOUDERMILK, and Mr. SESSIONS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To prohibit the award of Federal funds to schools that pro- mote certain race-based theories to students, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Combating Racist 4 Teaching in Schools Act’’ or the ‘‘CRT Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 15:54 Jun 22, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3163.IH H3163 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 3163 IH SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON AWARD OF FEDERAL FUNDS TO 1 CERTAIN SCHOOLS. 2 (a) PROHIBITION ON AWARD OF FUNDS TO CERTAIN 3 ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS.—No Federal 4 funds received by a State or local educational agency may 5 be allocated to an elementary or secondary school that pro- 6 motes the race-based theories described in subsection (c) 7 or compels teachers or students to affirm, adhere to, 8 adopt, or process beliefs in a manner that violates title 9 VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 10 (b) PROHIBITION ON AWARD OF FUNDS TO CERTAIN 11 INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—No Federal 12 funds may be awarded to an institution of higher edu- 13 cation if such institution promotes the race-based theories 14 described in subsection (c) or compels teachers or students 15 to affirm, adhere to, adopt, or process beliefs in a manner 16 that violates title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 17 (c) RACE-BASED THEORIES DESCRIBED.—The race- 18 based theories described in this subsection are the fol- 19 lowing: 20 (1) Any race is inherently superior or inferior 21 to any other race, color, or national origin. 22 (2) The United States is a fundamentally racist 23 country. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 15:54 Jun 22, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3163.IH H3163 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 3163 IH (3) The Declaration of Independence or Con- 1 stitution of the United States are fundamentally rac- 2 ist documents. 3 (4) An individual’s moral character or worth is 4 determined by the individual’s race, color, or na- 5 tional origin. 6 (5) An individual, by virtue of the individual’s 7 race, is inherently racist or oppressive, whether con- 8 sciously or unconsciously. 9 (6) An individual, because of the individual’s 10 race, bears responsibility for the actions committed 11 by other members of the individual’s race, color, or 12 national origin. 13 (d) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.— 14 (1) PROTECTED SPEECH NOT RESTRICTED.— 15 Nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict 16 the speech of a student, teacher, or any other indi- 17 vidual outside of a school setting. 18 (2) ACCESS TO MATERIALS FOR THE PURPOSE 19 OF RESEARCH OR INDEPENDENT STUDY.—Nothing 20 in this section shall be construed to prevent an indi- 21 vidual from accessing materials that advocate theo- 22 ries described in subsection (c) for the purpose of re- 23 search or independent study. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 15:54 Jun 22, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3163.IH H3163 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 3163 IH (3) CONTEXTUAL EDUCATION.—Nothing in this 1 section shall be construed to prevent a covered 2 school from stating theories described in subsection 3 (c) or assigning materials that advocate such theo- 4 ries for educational purposes in contexts that make 5 it clear the school does not sponsor, approve, or en- 6 dorse such theories or materials. 7 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 8 (1) COVERED SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘covered 9 school’’ means an elementary school, a secondary 10 school, or an institution of higher education. 11 (2) ESEA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘elementary 12 school’’, ‘‘local educational agency’’, ‘‘secondary 13 school’’, and ‘‘State’’ have the meanings given those 14 terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Sec- 15 ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 16 (3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 17 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 18 meaning given that term in section 102 of the High- 19 er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002). 20 (4) PROMOTE.—The term ‘‘promote’’, when 21 used with respect to a race-based theory described in 22 subsection (c), means— 23 (A) to include such theories or materials 24 that advocate such theories in curricula, read- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 15:54 Jun 22, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3163.IH H3163 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 3163 IH ing lists, seminars, workshops, trainings, or 1 other educational or professional settings in a 2 manner that could reasonably give rise to the 3 appearance of official sponsorship, approval, or 4 endorsement; 5 (B) to contract with, hire, or otherwise en- 6 gage speakers, consultants, diversity trainers, 7 and other persons for the purpose of advocating 8 such theories; 9 (C) to compel students to profess a belief 10 in such theories; or 11 (D) to segregate students or other individ- 12 uals by race in any setting, including in edu- 13 cational or training sessions. 14 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 15:54 Jun 22, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3163.IH H3163 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS