To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit graduate medical schools from receiving Federal financial assistance if such schools adopt certain policies and requirements relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Bill Number
- H.R. 3518
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Education
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-20: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T22:08:20Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill, H.R. 3518, aims to restrict federal financial assistance to graduate medical schools (such as those offering medical residencies or advanced training) that implement specific policies or requirements related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). It seeks to prevent what the bill describes as compelled ideological statements or discriminatory practices based on race, sex, ethnicity, or similar characteristics, while ensuring compliance with existing civil rights laws.
Key Provisions
- Certification Requirements for Funding (Section 1): Graduate medical schools must certify to the Secretary of Education that they:
- Do not require faculty, staff, or students to express or pledge certain tenets (e.g., classifying individuals as "oppressed" or "oppressors" based on race or sex; treating people adversely based on these traits; holding individuals inherently responsible for past actions of their group; or labeling America as inherently racist or oppressive) as a condition for benefits like admission, employment, or education.
- Avoid actions that discriminate against students based on race, ethnicity, color, or national origin, such as creating race-based classifications, privileges, courses, or distinctions.
- Do not mandate courses or studies compelling adoption of the above tenets.
- Do not maintain or contract with a DEI office (defined as any unit that directs or compels expression of ideas violating civil rights laws).
- Do not require or incentivize "diversity statements" (written or oral assertions of superiority/inferiority, adverse treatment, or collective guilt based on race, sex, etc.) for admission or employment.
- Will comply with key civil rights laws, including Titles IV and VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (prohibiting discrimination in education), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (sex discrimination), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (disability discrimination), and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975.
- Accreditation Standards (Section 2): Amends the Higher Education Act to require accrediting agencies evaluating graduate medical programs to ensure they do not mandate policies conflicting with the new certification rules as a condition for accreditation.
- Rules of Construction (Section 3): Clarifies that the bill does not:
- Prevent teaching about medical needs related to sex, race, or other traits, or collecting demographic data for informational purposes.
- Force religious institutions to act against their beliefs.
- Limit First Amendment rights (free speech), academic instruction (except as specified), research, student groups, guest speakers, or compliance with anti-discrimination laws.
- Severability (Section 4): If any part is ruled invalid, the rest remains in effect.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new Section 124 to Part B of Title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965, introducing funding eligibility tied to DEI practices—previously, federal aid focused on accreditation, financial need, and basic civil rights compliance without specific DEI restrictions.
- Modifies Section 496(a) to impose DEI-related conditions on accrediting agencies for medical programs, expanding federal oversight beyond general quality standards.
- These changes prioritize anti-discrimination enforcement while targeting perceived ideological overreach in DEI, without altering core civil rights protections.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Department of Education gains new certification review responsibilities, potentially increasing administrative workload and enforcement costs for federal student loans and grants.
- On Citizens: Medical students and trainees may face changes in admissions, curriculum, and campus environment; non-compliant schools could lose funding, raising tuition or limiting access to federal loans for affected students.
- On Institutions: Graduate medical schools must overhaul or eliminate certain DEI programs to retain funding, possibly reducing support for underrepresented groups while emphasizing merit-based practices.
- International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it could affect U.S. medical education's global reputation if perceived as limiting diversity efforts in training future doctors.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Graduate Medical Schools and Institutions of Higher Education: Directly lose eligibility for federal funds (e.g., loans, grants) if non-compliant, affecting operations and accreditation.
- Students and Faculty: Impacted by potential changes to admissions, required statements, courses, and offices supporting diversity.
- Accrediting Agencies: Must align standards with the new rules or risk losing recognition from the Department of Education.
- Department of Education and Federal Government: Responsible for enforcement, certifications, and compliance monitoring.
- Underrepresented Groups: Could see reduced DEI initiatives, though civil rights laws remain intact to prevent overt discrimination.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces existing civil rights laws but introduces enforceable certifications, potentially leading to lawsuits over what constitutes a "DEI office" or compelled speech; the severability clause protects the bill's core from partial invalidation.
- Constitutional: Explicitly preserves First Amendment protections (free speech and religion), but critics might argue it indirectly chills academic freedom or viewpoint diversity; aligns with equal protection under the 14th Amendment by prohibiting race-based distinctions.
- Political: Sparks debate on DEI in education, with supporters viewing it as curbing "woke" indoctrination and opponents seeing it as undermining efforts to address inequities in medicine; as an introduced bill (not yet law), it reflects partisan divides in the 119th Congress.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Murphy, Gregory F. [R-NC-3]
Cosponsors (16)
Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4], Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16], Rep. Onder, Robert F. [R-MO-3], Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7], Rep. Nehls, Troy E. [R-TX-22], Rep. Moore, Tim [R-NC-14], Rep. Jackson, Ronny [R-TX-13], Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3], Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1], Rep. Begich, Nicholas J. [R-AK-At Large], Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24], Rep. Crenshaw, Dan [R-TX-2], Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10], Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-20: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2025-05-20: Introduced in House
- 2025-05-20: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit graduate medical schools from receiving Federal financial assistance if such schools adopt certain policies and requirements relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion. — issued 2025-05-20 — PDF (9 pages)