Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing
This executive order directs the termination of all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and similar programs and policies across the federal government.
It cites the Biden administration's previous DEI initiatives as wasteful and discriminatory, aiming to replace them with a focus on equal dignity and respect for all.
The order mandates specific actions to eliminate DEI offices, review employment practices, and submit detailed reports to the Office of Management and Budget.
It also establishes a monthly review process to monitor progress and inform future policy.
Arguments For
- Intended benefits: Eliminates perceived wasteful spending on DEI initiatives, promotes equal treatment of all individuals in Federal employment and programs, aligns government actions with principles of equal dignity and respect.
- Evidence cited: References President Biden's Executive Order 13985 and subsequent agency Equity Action Plans as examples of excessive and discriminatory DEI programs.
- Implementation methods: Outlines specific actions for relevant agencies, including termination of DEI offices and positions, review of employment practices, and reporting requirements.
- Legal/historical basis: The order is issued under the President's constitutional authority and claims to reverse previous policies deemed unlawful and immoral.
Arguments Against
- Potential impacts: Could lead to unintended consequences in areas such as workplace diversity and inclusion, potentially harming efforts to address systemic inequities.
- Implementation challenges: Requires extensive coordination across various federal agencies, potential legal challenges, and difficulty in accurately assessing and removing all vestiges of past DEI programs.
- Alternative approaches: Implementing less drastic measures to address concerns regarding DEI programs, focusing on auditing existing programs for fairness and cost-effectiveness, evaluating the impact of diversity efforts on government performance.
- Unintended effects: May hinder recruitment and retention of diverse talent in the federal government, negatively impact public trust and perception of the federal government.
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose and Policy. The Biden Administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI), into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government, in areas ranging from airline safety to the military. This was a concerted effort stemming from President Biden’s first day in office, when he issued Executive Order 13985, “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.”
Pursuant to Executive Order 13985 and follow-on orders, nearly every Federal agency and entity submitted “Equity Action Plans” to detail the ways that they have furthered DEIs infiltration of the Federal Government. The public release of these plans demonstrated immense public waste and shameful discrimination. That ends today. Americans deserve a government committed to serving every person with equal dignity and respect, and to expending precious taxpayer resources only on making America great.
This section establishes the executive order's purpose and underlying policy.
It argues that previous administrations implemented discriminatory DEI programs across the federal government, leading to wasteful spending and unfair practices.
The order aims to end these programs and ensure equal treatment for all citizens.
Sec. 2. Implementation. (a) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), assisted by the Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), shall coordinate the termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility” (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear. To carry out this directive, the Director of OPM, with the assistance of the Attorney General as requested, shall review and revise, as appropriate, all existing Federal employment practices, union contracts, and training policies or programs to comply with this order. Federal employment practices, including Federal employee performance reviews, shall reward individual initiative, skills, performance, and hard work and shall not under any circumstances consider DEI or DEIA factors, goals, policies, mandates, or requirements.
(b) Each agency, department, or commission head, in consultation with the Attorney General, the Director of OMB, and the Director of OPM, as appropriate, shall take the following actions within sixty days of this order:
(i) terminate, to the maximum extent allowed by law, all DEI, DEIA, and “environmental justice” offices and positions (including but not limited to “Chief Diversity Officer” positions); all “equity action plans,” “equity” actions, initiatives, or programs, “equity-related” grants or contracts; and all DEI or DEIA performance requirements for employees, contractors, or grantees.
(ii) provide the Director of the OMB with a list of all:
(A) agency or department DEI, DEIA, or “environmental justice” positions, committees, programs, services, activities, budgets, and expenditures in existence on November 4, 2024, and an assessment of whether these positions, committees, programs, services, activities, budgets, and expenditures have been misleadingly relabeled in an attempt to preserve their pre-November 4, 2024 function;
(B) Federal contractors who have provided DEI training or DEI training materials to agency or department employees; and
(C) Federal grantees who received Federal funding to provide or advance DEI, DEIA, or “environmental justice” programs, services, or activities since January 20, 2021.
(iii) direct the deputy agency or department head to:
(A) assess the operational impact (e.g., the number of new DEI hires) and cost of the prior administration’s DEI, DEIA, and “environmental justice” programs and policies; and
(B) recommend actions, such as Congressional notifications under 28 U.S.C. 530D, to align agency or department programs, activities, policies, regulations, guidance, employment practices, enforcement activities, contracts (including set-asides), grants, consent orders, and litigating positions with the policy of equal dignity and respect identified in section 1 of this order. The agency or department head and the Director of OMB shall jointly ensure that the deputy agency or department head has the authority and resources needed to carry out this directive.
(c) To inform and advise the President, so that he may formulate appropriate and effective civil-rights policies for the Executive Branch, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy shall convene a monthly meeting attended by the Director of OMB, the Director of OPM, and each deputy agency or department head to:
(i) hear reports on the prevalence and the economic and social costs of DEI, DEIA, and “environmental justice” in agency or department programs, activities, policies, regulations, guidance, employment practices, enforcement activities, contracts (including set-asides), grants, consent orders, and litigating positions;
(ii) discuss any barriers to measures to comply with this order; and
(iii) monitor and track agency and department progress and identify potential areas for additional Presidential or legislative action to advance the policy of equal dignity and respect.
This section details the implementation of the order.
It assigns responsibility to various federal offices for terminating DEI programs.
It requires agencies to provide reports on the cost and impact of past DEI initiatives and establish a monthly review process to track progress and identify any obstacles to compliance.
Sec. 3. Severability. If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected.
This section ensures that if any part of the order is deemed legally invalid, the remaining provisions will remain in effect.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
This section clarifies that the order does not override existing legal authorities or budgetary processes and does not create any new legal rights or benefits.