Restoring Equality Of Opportunity And Meritocracy

The order shifts federal discrimination enforcement away from policies that produce unequal group outcomes without proof of discriminatory intent. It reaches employment, housing, lending, and other civil-rights matters.

What the order does ​

• Directs all federal agencies to deprioritize enforcement of laws and regulations containing disparate-impact liability.
• Revokes presidential approval of specified Department of Justice Title VI regulations addressing discriminatory effects.
• Orders the Attorney General to pursue repeal or amendment of Title VI regulations that contemplate disparate-impact liability.
• Requires agencies to identify relevant regulations, guidance, orders, pending cases, consent judgments, and injunctions for possible revision or other action.
• Directs reviews of pending employment, housing, credit, consumer-protection, and other civil-rights proceedings relying on disparate-impact theories.
• Orders the Attorney General to examine potential federal challenges to state disparate-impact requirements.
• Requires federal guidance for employers on promoting employment access without requiring a college education where appropriate.

Who it affects ​

• Employers, workers, and job applicants covered by federal employment-discrimination laws.
• Housing providers, lenders, businesses, and consumers covered by fair-housing, credit, and consumer-protection laws.
• Federal agencies enforcing civil-rights laws and parties in existing disparate-impact cases or settlements.