During a reporter conference call on Thursday, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., discussed the Dismantle DEI Act.

Cassidy introduced the legislation last Wednesday alongside U.S. Sens. J.S. Vance, R-Ohio; Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.; Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.; Rick Scott, R-Fla; and several U.S. congressmen.

This legislation aims to pull all federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and eliminate funding for federal and educational accreditation agencies that receive funding to institute DEI programs.

DEI initiatives are implemented to create equitable workplace and educational spaces for marginalized communities, including non-White workers, women and members of the LGBTQ community.

Cassidy said DEI programs “as being practiced is institutionalizing discrimination in hiring.”

“As a taxpayer, I expect the most qualified candidate to be hired, not the most favored,” he said.

President Joe Biden’s administration has instituted DEI programs in most federal agencies, Cassidy said.

The Dismantle DEI Act would also lead to the termination of chief diversity officers, close DEI offices, end DEI and critical race theory training and outlaw mandatory employee DEI pledges.

“It’s time to get back to hiring the best, not the person who checks the most boxes.”

Title IX

During the same conference call, Cassidy condemned the Biden administration’s efforts to institute new Title IX rules that expand the meaning of prohibited sex discrimination to add protections for transgender, non-binary and gender nonconforming students.

Title IX is a federal statue that prohibits sex discrimination in educational facilities that receive federal funding.

“For over 50 years, Title IX has promoted participation and equality for women and girls in American education and sports,” Cassidy said. “It ensures that women have a fair shake relative to treatment men historically received.”

The new policies would “coerce schools to allow biological males to compete in women’s sports or risk losing federal funds,” he said, and would require “institutions to allow biological males into female spaces” — including bathrooms and locker rooms.

Cassidy believes the expansion of the definition of sexual harassment to include misgendering and “replace sex with gender identity” is “injecting progressive gender ideology that removes long-standing protections for women and girls” into Title IX.

“This will be the death of Title IX as we know it.”

In April, several states, including Louisiana, filed a lawsuit against the new Title IX rules. Last week, U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty ordered to temporarily block the rule Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana and Idaho, calling the Title IX rule an “abuse of power” and “threat to democracy.”

Cassidy expects the ruling to be litigated.

“The Biden administration won’t give it up, but republicans are leading the charge to oppose President Biden’s Title IX effort.”