(Press Release) Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced two bills, the Stop CRT Act and the Combatting Racist Training in the Military Act.
The Stop CRT Act would prevent federal funding from going to schools that teach Critical Race Theory.
The Combatting Racist Training in the Military Act would prevent similar woke ideology from being taught in any Department of Defense institution, including service academies.
Congressman Dan Bishop (North Carolina-08) introduced companion legislation in the House.
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) and Senator James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) are co-sponsors of the Stop CRT Act. Bill text may be found here.
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Senator Steve Daines (R-Montana), and Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) are co-sponsors of the Combatting Racist Training in the Military Act. Bill text may be found here (or below).
“Radical activism should have no place in our military’s training. American soldiers should learn how to kill our enemies, not anti-American ideology. This legislation will prevent Department of Defense bureaucrats from teaching woke ideology,” said Senator Cotton.
“Critical race theory (CRT) is a poisonous ideology that seeks to divide Americans based on their skin color, and it must be ripped out, root and branch, from our institutions. CRT should have no place in American life and certainly shouldn’t be promoted using American tax dollars. The Biden administration and radical Left’s relentless promotion of these racist, anti-American ideologies is toxic to our country and culture. These bills are one crucial part of our fight against the insidious effort from the Left to fundamentally transform society based on their designs,” said Congressman Bishop.
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DAV23207 14S S.L.C.
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION S.
To prohibit the United States Armed Forces from promoting anti-American and racist theories.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
Mr. COTTON (for himself, Mr. DAINES, Mrs. BLACKBURN, and Mr. LEE) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
A BILL
To prohibit the United States Armed Forces from promoting anti-American and racist theories.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Combating Racist Training in the Military Act of 2023’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The founding principles of the United States include the belief, enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, that ‘‘all men are created equal’’ and ‘‘are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights’’.
(2) The United States commitment to the equal dignity and natural rights of all mankind is the strongest possible defense against racism and op6 pression of all kinds.
(3) The mission of the United States Armed Forces is to ‘‘support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic’’ and ‘‘bear true faith and allegiance to the same’’.
(4) To carry out this mission, the Armed Forces must train leaders who love the United States, its citizens, and the aforementioned founding principles.
(5) Anti-American and racist theories, such as ‘‘Critical Race Theory’’, teach that the United States is a fundamentally racist Nation, that the Constitution is a fundamentally racist document, and that certain races are fundamentally oppressive or oppressed.
(6) Such theories encourage people to judge and treat others differently on the basis of their race, rather than treating them as equal citizens and human beings with equal dignity and protection under the law.
(7) Anti-American and racist theories, such as Critical Race Theory, teach students to distrust and even hate their country and fellow citizens.
(8) The United States Armed Forces should not promote or otherwise encourage anti-American and racist theories that demoralize and divide its members while undermining its mission to ‘‘bear true faith and allegiance’’ to the Constitution.
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON PROMOTION OF ANTI-AMERICAN AND RACIST THEORIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The United States Armed Forces and academic institutions operated or controlled by the Department of Defense shall not promote the following anti-American and racist theories:
(1) Any race is inherently superior or inferior to any other race.
(2) The United States of America is a fundamentally racist country.
(3) The Declaration of Independence or the United States Constitution are fundamentally racist documents.
(4) An individual’s moral character or worth is determined by his or her race.
(5) An individual, by virtue of his or her race, is inherently racist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.
(6) An individual, because of his or her race, bears responsibility for the actions committed by other members of his or her race.
(b) PROMOTE DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘promote’’ means the following:
(1) Including theories described under sub10 section (a) or materials that advocate such theories in curricula, reading lists, seminars, workshops, trainings, or other educational or professional set13 tings in a manner that could reasonably give rise to the appearance of official sponsorship, approval, or endorsement.
(2) Contracting with, hiring, or otherwise en17 gaging speakers, consultants, diversity trainers, and other persons for the purpose of advocating theories described under subsection (a).
(3) Compelling members of the Armed Forces to affirm or profess belief in theories described under subsection (a).
(4) Segregating members of the Armed Forces or other individuals by race in any setting, including educational and training sessions.
(c) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.—
(1) PROTECTED SPEECH NOT RESTRICTED.—
Nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict the protected speech of members of the Armed Forces or any individual.
(2) ACCESS TO MATERIALS FOR THE PURPOSEOF RESEARCH OR INDEPENDENT STUDY.—
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent individuals from accessing materials that advocate theories described under subsection (a) for the purpose of research or independent study.
(3) CONTEXTUAL EDUCATION.—
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the United States Armed Forces and academic institutions operated or controlled by the Department of Defense from stating theories described under subsection (a) or assigning materials that advocate such theories for educational purposes in contexts that make clear the United States Armed Forces and Department of Defense does not sponsor, approve, or endorse such theories or works.
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