The Civil Rights Restoration Act
The civil rights restoration act is a federal law that was passed in 1987. It was a response to a Supreme Court ruling that limited the scope of some civil rights laws. The law specifies that entities that receive government funds must obey civil rights laws in all their operations.
Definition of CRRA
The Civil Rights Restoration Act is a United States law that was passed in 1987. It was a response to a 1984 Supreme Court decision in the Grove City College case, which narrowed the scope of federal anti-discrimination laws. It stipulates that entities that receive federal funds must comply with civil rights legislation in all of their operations.
The law makes sure that government money is not given to organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, sex, age, or disability. This law applies to businesses, nonprofits, schools, and universities. It also covers government contractors.
This bill also makes it clear that all of the activities of a college or university that receives federal funding are covered by the civil rights laws. This is important because the law prevents discrimination in any of its operations, including student financial assistance offices and campus shuttle bus services. These changes are also consistent with the approach outlined in the Title IX common rule.
Origins
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation that addressed discrimination in various areas, including voting, public education, employment, and public accommodations. Its 11 titles banned prejudice based on race, color, religion, national origin, and sex in many different ways.
After the Supreme Court’s decision in Grove City, Congress pushed to pass new legislation to clarify and expand discrimination laws. Ultimately, Congress passed the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, also known as the Grove City Bill. This legislation codified that any entity that receives federal funds must comply with anti-discrimination laws for all aspects of its operations.
However, the law was not without its critics. President Reagan vetoed the Grove City Bill, calling it “a power grab by Washington to take control of states, localities, communities, parents, and the private sector away from those who live in them.” Ultimately, Congress overrode the president’s veto, and the law became law. It was later changed to include protections against discrimination based on gender, disability, and age.
Significance
The Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, also known as the Grove City Bill, clarified the intent of Congress regarding the application of federal nondiscrimination laws to all operations of entities that receive federal funding. It was a response to a 1984 Supreme Court decision that narrowly interpreted the scope of Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions.
The CRRA is an important tool in the fight against inequality, because it ensures that federal funds are not used to pay for discrimination. The Act also prevents religious groups from using their freedom of speech to undermine civil rights protections.
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Final Words
In 1987 Congress passed the Civil Rights Restoration Act and President Reagan vetoed it. Congress overrode the veto, making it law in 1988. The CRRA ensures that any organization that receives federal funds must obey all civil rights laws. This includes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, or disability. It also prohibits the government from funding any entity that doesn’t comply with these laws in its entire operation, and not just in one department, program, or activity.
The CRRA also prevents discrimination in the hiring of employees. Opponents of the bill argued that it was a power grab by Washington. They said that it would force businesses to promote ideas they didn’t like. Some, such as Reverend Jerry Falwell, went so far as to claim that the CRRA would require churches to hire “homosexual drug addicts with AIDS” as youth pastors. This is obviously a false and warped view of the CRRA’s purpose.