# 117-hr-5398: Defending Students’ Civil Rights Act of 2021

117-hr-5398, Defending Students’ Civil Rights Act of 2021, is a 117th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Good, Bob [R-VA-5] (R-VA); status Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-5398
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 117-hr-5398
- Congress: 117
- Title: Defending Students’ Civil Rights Act of 2021
- Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
- Introduced: 2021-09-28
- Sponsor: Rep. Good, Bob [R-VA-5] (R-VA)
- Cosponsors: 18
- Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Defending Students' Civil Rights Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the use of critical race theory or critical race pedagogy in any federally funded program or activity. Specifically, the bill includes the use of critical race theory or critical race pedagogy as a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in federally funded programs or activities. The bill defines critical race pedagogy as the separation of students or teachers, or the assignment of characteristics or assumptions, based on race, color, or national origin. The bill defines critical race theory as a curriculum that establishes specified principles relating to race or sex, including that (1) one race or sex is inherently superior to another, (2) the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist, and (3) an individual bears responsibility for the past actions of others of the same race or sex.

## Cosponsors (18)

- Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9] (R-AZ), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15] (R-IL), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Duncan, Jeff [R-SC-3] (R-SC), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-4] (R-CO), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5] (R-AZ), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1] (R-CA), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1] (R-MD), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Greene, Marjorie Taylor [R-GA-14] (R-GA), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36] (R-TX), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gohmert, Louie [R-TX-1] (R-TX), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7] (R-WI), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14] (R-TX), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Posey, Bill [R-FL-8] (R-FL), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fallon, Pat [R-TX-4] (R-TX), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Buck, Ken [R-CO-4] (R-CO), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Perry, Scott [R-PA-10] (R-PA), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bishop, Dan [R-NC-9] (R-NC), 2021-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hice, Jody B. [R-GA-10] (R-GA), 2021-10-08T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

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- 117-hjres-11: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require that the Supreme Court of the United States be composed of nine justices.
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## Sources
- [117-hr-5398 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5398)

## Related
- [117-hjres-65: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United Stat…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hjres-65)
- [117-hres-548: Denouncing the horrors of socialism.](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hres-548)
- [117-hr-619: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-619)
- [117-hjres-11: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require that…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hjres-11)
- [117-hr-38: Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-38)
- [117-hr-5142: To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal, in commemoration to the servi…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-5142)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-5398 (as of 2025-11-18).