Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Education
Families
Housing and Community Development
Labor and Employment
Law
Sports and Recreation
118th congress
This bill would restore and expand protections of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to clarify that disparate impacts on certain populations constitute a sufficient basis for rights of action under such Acts. It would combat intentional and unintentional discrimination against people based on (actual or perceived) race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, or national origin. It would also protect people from discrimination in housing, schooling, public accommodations, employment, government facilities, privatized government functions, federally funded programs, and any commercial establishment (online or physical). It would eliminate qualified immunity for government employees, including police officers who violate people's civil rights, and it bans racial and gender profiling in policing. It would hold all employers accountable for the actions of all employees and eliminating court-created defenses that allow employers to escape liability for creating hostile work environments. Finally, it would provide victims of disparate impact discrimination compensation and the attorney’s fees necessary to allow civil rights lawyers to take up their cases.
Arguments For
Recent court rulings have undermined the protections of landmark civil rights bills of the 1960s and 1970s. This bill would restore lost protections to deliver stronger civil rights.
Arguments Against
If a court overturns a law, Congress shouldn't waste time passing legislation to the same effect again, as a court will likely overturn it again.