The Wisconsin Republican, along with Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah), attempted to fight and end so-called Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by introducing legislation in the last two sessions of Congress.
With a DEI-friendly president in the White House, and a Democrat-led Senate, his FAIR Act – Fairness, Anti-discrimination, Individual Rights – went nowhere during Joe Biden's one term.
Then, what Tiffany hoped the FAIR Act would accomplish came into being with the stroke of Donald Trump’s pen in an executive order last week, the first of Trump’s second term as president.
That was good news but there’s no time to rest, Tiffany said on American Family Radio Wednesday.
“The DEI ban that (Trump) is putting into place mirrors the bill that we’ve introduced,” Tiffany told show host Jenna Ellis. “If we’re going to end discrimination in America, wouldn’t it be best if the federal government starts by not enabling discrimination?”
President Biden, or whoever was in charge, ordered review and enhancement of DEI policies within all federal agencies. He also required them to present strategic plans to promote these values of non-merit-based hiring and other practices across all levels of government.
Typically, people of color and women benefit from DEI programs, but under Biden there was great emphasis on the LGBTQ community.
More than 200 known LGBTQ individuals were appointed in Biden’s administration.
Most notable was Richard Levine, a man who became publicly known as Rachel Levine after beginning to present himself as a woman in 2011. Levine was appointed assistant secretary for health, becoming the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate - and became a celebrated example of "diversity."
Trump outlawed DEI and preferential hiring practices on his first day back.
“The Biden administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' (DEI), into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government. This was a concerted effort stemming from President Biden’s first day in office,” the order states.
The public release of agency strategic plans ordered by Biden “showed immense public waste and shameful discrimination. That ends today,” the order states.
If approved and sent to President Trump, Tiffany’s FAIR ACT would:
*Bar preferential treatment by any federal employees.
*Bar the requiring or encouraging of preferential treatment for federal contractors or subcontractors.
*Bar any state or private entity that receives federal funding from intentional discrimination or the granting of preferential treatment.
“Rep. Owens and myself, we have introduced this bill in the two previous sessions of Congress and got very little attention. But now it's getting a lot more attention after what President Trump has done,” Tiffany said.
Building support for FAIR Act
Several House committees will have jurisdiction over the bill, Tiffany said, including the Judiciary Committee of which he is a member.
Tiffany feels good about support for the bill at the committee level and its chances to gain a hearing before the entire House of Representatives.
“It’s going to be really interesting to see how our friends on the Left react to this,” he said. “If you look at even states like California, at their ballot referendums that are done statewide, they’ve rejected the notion of preferences even in a state like that.”
There has been a notable backlash against DEI in some California school districts.
Though counting the votes took weeks, Republicans won 12 out of 52 U.S. House races in California, helping the GOP retain control of the House.
A dubious claim of 'compliance'
The Trump administration finds itself in a real battle to eradicate DEI, including possible misapplication of the executive order for the purpose of throwing removal efforts back into the Republican president’s face.
Enter the U.S. Air Force. Amid reports the Air Force removed a course on the Tuskegee (Alabama) Airmen, the famous World War II all-black pilots unit, Sen. Katie Britt (R-Alabama) accused Air Force leaders of “malicious compliance.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth agreed and the course has since been reinstated.
In the same statement blasting the Air Force, the Alabama senator pointed out President Trump honored the Tuskegee Airmen during his first term in office.
According to a Fox News story, an Air Force general over training said a video on the airmen was temporarily pulled because a section of it includes DEI-related material.
In a separate statement, the Air Force Chief of Staff said President Trump's DEI directive is being followed as ordered. "Disguising and renaming are not compliance, and I’ve made this clear," Gen. David Allvin said.
Among the military branches, the Air Force and Navy have been mocked the most for embracing DEI-related ideology.
Back in the 2022, a Fox News story said the Air Force Academy was handing out a purple rope for cadets who complete the "Cadet Wing Diversity and Inclusion Program." The rope tells other cadets they are a “diversity representative” who is qualified to tell fellow cadets about diversity among the cadet corps.
DEI costing taxpayers billions
A public interest law firm in his home district, Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, estimates DEI initiatives to cost Americans more than $100 billion, much of that in “nonsensical paperwork” and filling out forms to maintain compliance, Tiffany said.
“Americans find this repulsive. They believe that merit should decide whether people get a job, whether they get a contract, whatever the case may be, that it should be merit-based, and we should be a colorblind society. It's something that really gives me hope for America, how strongly people react to this,” Tiffany said.
DEI has become so embedded in America’s institutions, particularly in education and government contracting, that Tiffany has had to battle perceptions to gain support for his bill.
DEI proponents paint a picture that without it, only white males can advance in society.
In that regard, having Owens, an African-American male, as a co-sponsor helps counter that argument, Tiffany said.
Spotting the real racists
When he presented that argument when discussing the merits of the bill, Tiffany turns the tables.
"So, in other words, your assumption is that a minority or a woman or whomever cannot compete on a level playing field. In other words, you are the racist, you are the one that is assuming that someone cannot participate in a merit-based society,” Tiffany said.
The racists in the room are those who argue for DEI, he said.
“We can have strong, vibrant communities competing on merits. So, if there's anything that is racist here, it's those that assume that a minority can't compete. I categorically reject that argument. I think all Americans and all humans have innate qualities and abilities. It's just a matter of finding them.”
