Dan Bishop, Freedom Caucus Members Introduce Legislation to Ban Federal Funds for Critical Race Theory

Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) introduced two bills Wednesday that would ban the use of federal funds to promote critical race theory (CRT) in the United States military, at federal workplaces, and in public schools.

Bishop said at a press conference on Capitol Hill that critical race theory “is a divisive ideology that threatens to poison the American psyche.”

“Critical race theory espouses that America is an irredeemably racist society in its origin and in its present condition, that America should be balkanized into identity groups according to race, sex, ethnicity, and other distinguishing characteristics, that whites are an oppressor race and other identity groups are repressed,” he said.

“This is neo-Marxist ideology. Cultural Marxism masquerading as history and designed to mislead. Cancel culture is one of its weapons. Mob-like attacks on free expression. Intimidation. For the sake of our children’s future, we must stop this effort to cancel the truth of our founding and our country,” he said.

Former President Donald Trump’s Office of Management and Budget director, Russ Vought, who now leads the Center for Renewing America, also helped to introduce the legislation.

“We are here today because we are opposed to the notion that a fundamental American principle should be discarded… that individuals, human beings, citizens in this country would be judged on the content of their character, and not the color of their skin,” he said. “We stand opposed to a liberal intellectual framework that threatens to upset that.”

Vought said California third graders were made to deconstruct their racial identity and rank themselves according to their power and privilege in school. He added the federal Sandia Lab held a re-education camp for white males and forced them to write apology letters to people of color and women, while the Department of Homeland Security held “microaggression trainings” teaching employees capitalism is racist.

“So this is real; it’s impacting our schools, our institutions, our employers. We’re seeing it across the country. People are rising up and speaking out against this issue,” Vought said.

Bishop introduced the “Combatting Racist Training in the Military Act,” a companion bill to one that Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced in the Senate that will have 39 original cosponsors, and the “Stop CRT Act” would ban any federal funds from being used to promote CRT anywhere. It will have 31 original cosponsors and codify Trump’s executive order banning federal agencies from indoctrinating their employees with CRT — which President Joe Biden revoked upon taking office.

Co-sponsor Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) cited an example in Evanston, Illinois, where children were made to read the book “Not My Idea,” about how whiteness was bad, and discuss it with their parents. “We’re divvying up our entire country by race and teaching our children that America is evil,” he said.

“We are in cultural warfare today,” said co-sponsor Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC). “In simplistic terms, this is Marxism… There are no solutions being offered — just splitting this country.”

“CRT theory asserts that people with white skin are inherently racist, not because of their actions, words or what actually believe in in their heart, but by the virtue of the color of their skin. Folks, it makes no sense. We are all Americans. We are here to protect and defend a country that is on the verge of going socialistic and it starts with the Marxist theory of CRT,” Norman added.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-GA), another co-sponsor, said, “The critical race theory, 1619 — this is a project that’s destroying our country. These are the things we overcame in the civil right era, and I’m so proud that we did.”

“I ask everyone to join together — Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and I don’t cares — to stand together against racism of all kinds,” she added.

Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) echoed Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), saying, “The United States is not a racist country. In America we judge our fellow citizens by their own merit and not the color of their skin… according to the radical far-left ideology known as CRT or critical race theory, our country is flawed, it’s hopeless, and it’s evil.”

“Corporate America, Big Tech, and Hollywood are pushing critical race theory in institutions all around the country. Critical race theory is even infecting the military,” he said. “It’s being taught at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. It’s being taught at the U.S. Naval Academy. They’ve even got suggested readings based on critical race theory.”

“So think about that. Instead of teaching our fighting men and women to unite around a patriotic love of our country, they’re instead being taught that our country is inherently not good and not exceptional,” he added.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) said, “America is the greatest country the world has ever seen. And we are created in God’s holy image, and our founding fathers had it right. That we are endowed by our creator to certain unalienable rights… these rights come from God Almighty, and not politicians.”

She urged Americans to get involved in school board meetings, and run for office. “That is the most important part of government. Especially right now. Our children are so valuable, their future is so valuable, and we cannot lose it to something like this racist critical race theory,” she added. “Democrats want to teach our children to hate each other.”

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) said CRT is meant to “foment dissent, confusion, chaos, and ultimately control into a nationalized central government.”

“This is something we have to fight, because it is in your schools, ladies and gentlemen of America,” he said. “You’ve been paying attention elsewhere while those who would advance this pernicious philosophy have been gaining ground so they might indoctrinate your children.”

Several conservative legal groups, including FreedomWorks, Heritage Action for America, and the Claremont Institute’s Center for the American Way of Life also praised the legislation.

“We applaud Rep. Bishop for pushing back against the spread of CRT beyond the ivory tower where it should remain. Hopefully, more Members of Congress will wake up to the danger of the left’s ‘whole-of-government’ approach to CRT and join Rep. Bishop in rejecting this agenda,” Adam Brandon, FreedomWorks president, said.

Garrett Bess, vice president of government relations and communications for Heritage Action for America, said, “The promotion of Critical Race Theory within our nation’s Armed Forces is unacceptable. These divisive initiatives erode the experience of military service that unites a diverse population of Americans through service and community. … we applaud Congressman Bishop for taking a stand and preserving our nation’s guiding principles.”

Arthur Milikh, executive director of the Claremont Institute’s Center for the American Way of Life, said, “Critical race theory divides the world between oppressors and oppressed, and demands that the oppressed humiliate and harm their so-called oppressors. The alleged oppressors, of course, are the majority of Americans.”

“This theory demands that a race-based caste system replaces the rule of law. That the U.S. Military, entrusted with protecting the nation for its enemies, would teach recruits and soldiers to despise their country and the majority of its citizens is perhaps among most dangerous situations imaginable,” he concluded.
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