H.R. 9103: Merit Restoration Act

This bill, known as the **Merit Restoration Act**, aims to regulate the practices of federal research agencies and recipients of federal research grants regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Here is a summary of the key points of the bill:

Prohibitions on DEI Practices

• Federal Research Agencies: The bill prohibits federal research agencies from using any DEI practices deemed "prohibited" when awarding, evaluating, or continuing federal research grants.
• Grant Recipients: Recipients of federal research grants are also not allowed to employ any prohibited DEI practices in the execution of their federally funded research.

Enforcement Mechanisms

If a grant recipient is suspected of violating the prohibition against prohibited DEI practices, the following enforcement actions are mandated:

• The relevant federal research agency must freeze the funding associated with that grant.
• If the agency concludes that a violation occurred, the recipient must repay any federal funds used in the violation.

Applicability

The provisions of the bill apply to agreements for federal research grants that are entered into after the bill is enacted.

Definitions

• Federal Research Agency: Defined as any executive agency that awards or administers research activities through federal funds or grants.
• Federal Research Grant: Refers to grants awarded to support systematic studies aimed at scientific understanding. It includes subgrants but excludes direct cash assistance, subsidies, loans, and insurance.
• Prohibited DEI Practices: Includes practices such as discriminating based on characteristics like race or biological sex, and imposing conditions of employment related to DEI training that suggests superiority or inferiority based on those characteristics.

Relevant Companies

• None found