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<dc:title>119 HR 9103 IH: Merit Restoration Act</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. House of Representatives</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2026-06-02</dc:date>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
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<distribution-code display="yes">I</distribution-code><congress display="yes">119th CONGRESS</congress><session display="yes">2d Session</session><legis-num display="yes">H. R. 9103</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES</current-chamber><action display="yes"><action-date date="20260602">June 2, 2026</action-date><action-desc><sponsor name-id="N000190">Mr. Norman</sponsor> (for himself and <cosponsor name-id="S001214">Mr. Steube</cosponsor>) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the <committee-name committee-id="HSY00">Committee on Science, Space, and Technology</committee-name></action-desc></action><legis-type>A BILL</legis-type><official-title display="yes">To prohibit Federal research agencies and recipients of Federal research grants from using a prohibited diversity, equity, or inclusion practice with respect to Federal research grants, and for other purposes.</official-title></form><legis-body id="H247921EDEA4442538F211B2D015BFE14" style="OLC"> 
<section id="H3D1FE4583F904F54A3293DABFE2B36B7" section-type="section-one"><enum>1.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Merit Restoration Act</short-title></quote>.</text> </section> <section id="H1E488571625F4D418E331C3FADA11ED3"><enum>2.</enum><header>Prohibitions on prohibited diversity, equity, or inclusion practices by Federal research agencies and recipients in Federal research grants</header> <subsection id="H3F260A60F5EE403C917E1B826BE5DF1F"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Prohibitions</header> <paragraph id="H77E720AEB2994ADE8DD0CAD895571421"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Federal research agencies</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A Federal research agency may not use any prohibited diversity, equity, or inclusion practice in awarding, evaluating, or continuing a Federal research grant.</text></paragraph> 
<paragraph id="H58C663DEA4C6444F90D9645DB005F66C"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Recipients</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A recipient of a Federal research grant may not use any prohibited diversity, equity, or inclusion practice in carrying out the Federal research grant.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H48F008A635784D32963424C6D1354DFC" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Enforcement</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If a recipient of a Federal research grant engages in a prohibited diversity, equity, or inclusion practice in a manner alleged to be in violation of the prohibition described in subsection (a)(2) with respect to such Federal research grant, the Federal research agency that awarded the Federal research grant—</text> 
<paragraph id="HC692AC61D8F64BC3BFF614308AC4EE21" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>shall freeze the receipt of Federal funds with respect to the Federal research grant; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H5406B8CF67D944D7A369297EB122299C" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>if the Federal research agency determines that the recipient committed such a violation, shall require the recipient to repay any Federal funds used pursuant to the violation with respect to the Federal research grant.</text> </paragraph></subsection> 
<subsection id="H9FA69E0DC80D48BCB89958536116C799" commented="no"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Applicability</header><text>Subsection (a) shall apply with respect to an agreement for a Federal research grant entered into on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text> </subsection> <subsection id="H1134D49A50644150A91706DAA0A8A7D0"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text> 
<paragraph id="HA88554CE6347450895392285BECCE580"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Federal research agency</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>Federal research agency</term> means any Executive agency (as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code) that awards, administers, conducts, or supports scientific, medical, technological, engineering, or other research activities through Federal funds, Federal research grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or direct operations.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF87F516A287A4B45903AFBC40E9DB7D1"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Federal research grant</header><text>The term <term>Federal research grant</term>—</text> 
<subparagraph id="HE79A8526DAEC4D829CB81A2C089B7DCD"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">means a grant awarded by a Federal research agency to support a systematic study directed toward fuller scientific knowledge or understanding of the subject studied;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H5141403C8BF04E21AA6F31CAB76D3A1D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>includes—</text> 
<clause id="HCFFBD9E3ABBB4DFA897DE5E3B0711784"><enum>(i)</enum><text>an activity involving the training of an individual in a research technique, if such activity—</text> <subclause id="H15E4079C97924E65BB33C537576FB1EE"><enum>(I)</enum><text>uses the same facilities as other research and development activities; and</text></subclause> 
<subclause id="H3564D6CEAEAF4B6EBFA8C559E1BD1662"><enum>(II)</enum><text>is not included in the instruction function; and</text></subclause></clause> <clause id="H241466427B4E4F0D903A11C7265BD0F6"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a subgrant awarded by an entity that is not part of the Federal Government to carry out a grant program; and</text></clause></subparagraph> 
<subparagraph id="H26182961CBD242979554B45480EE953A"><enum>(C)</enum><text>does not include—</text> <clause id="H2060F4540C3D40DAAFCED24D1403492C"><enum>(i)</enum><text>direct cash assistance provided by the Federal Government to an individual;</text></clause> 
<clause id="H97A2EDA242D74F648A0E0C345A0B46A6"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a subsidy;</text></clause> <clause id="H8D68E35A13F14A739F41C35B74836350"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>a loan;</text></clause> 
<clause id="H9DE7432F599B4D3DBA1B0D9B9F049F20"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>a loan guarantee; or</text></clause> <clause id="HD083BC7339C14F08A1DEF927DE27337E"><enum>(v)</enum><text>insurance.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph> 
<paragraph id="H2AADD2423B5641DBA9F87320677821C8"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Prohibited diversity, equity, or inclusion practice</header><text>The term <term>prohibited diversity, equity, or inclusion practice</term> means—</text> <subparagraph id="H0A270A1F6B6F47358BB49968E753913B"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">discriminating for or against any person on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, biological sex, or national origin;</text></subparagraph> 
<subparagraph id="HF2473591D1244095AC4CB912480483FF"><enum>(B)</enum><text>requiring as a condition of employment, as a condition for promotion or advancement, or as a condition for speaking, making a presentation, or submitting written materials that an employee undergo training, education, coursework, or other pedagogy that asserts that a particular race, color, ethnicity, religion, biological sex, or national origin is inherently or systemically superior or inferior, oppressive or oppressed, or privileged or unprivileged; or</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H47C97606CCBE4C329192D70EBE3C2F09"><enum>(C)</enum><text>requiring as a condition of employment, as a condition for promotion or advancement, or as a condition for speaking, making a presentation, or submitting written materials the signing of or assent to a statement, code of conduct, work program, plan, or other similar device that requires assent by an employee that a particular race, color, ethnicity, religion, biological sex, or national origin is inherently or systemically superior or inferior, oppressive or oppressed, or privileged or unprivileged.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section> 
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