Congressional Inquiry Into Science and Technology Agency Offices of Civil Rights

Keith’s note: according to a press release from House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology “House SST Committee Investigates Alleged Misconduct in Agency Civil Rights Offices” letters have been sent to a number of agencies (including NASA) “following disturbing reports of potential obstructionism within agencies’ Office of Civil Rights (OCRs). The letters seek to determine the scope of this obstructionism and to inform appropriate oversight measures to ensure OCRs are fulfilling their statutory responsibilities.” More Below.

Today, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin and Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Rich McCormick sent letters to the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and National Science Foundation following disturbing reports of potential obstructionism within agencies’ Office of Civil Rights (OCRs). The letters seek to determine the scope of this obstructionism and to inform appropriate oversight measures to ensure OCRs are fulfilling their statutory responsibilities.

In the letters, the Chairmen emphasize that “While differing slightly in structure across agencies, OCRs play a critical role in ensuring that agencies and their funding recipients comply with federal civil rights law.” The Committee warns that any breakdown in these functions would undermine the fundamental purpose of these offices.

They also highlighted that “certain OCR leaders have actively discouraged career staff from pursuing investigations into civil rights violations involving federal grant programs,” including concerns about whether some offices have failed to review or investigate decisions made under the Biden Administration. The letters further note that some OCR leaders may be falsely claiming they lack the authority to conduct required oversight.

The Chairmen stressed that, if true, these reports “suggest a potentially troubling pattern that could compromise the integrity of civil rights enforcement across federal agencies.” The letters request detailed information on civil rights enforcement activities, whistleblower concerns, internal accountability mechanisms, and compliance reviews conducted since January 20, 2025.

Agencies are asked to respond no later than December 19, 2025.

To read the letters to each agency, please click the links below:

December 9, 2025

Sean Duffy
Acting Administrator
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
300 Hidden Figures Way S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20546
Dear Acting Administrator Duffy:

The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology has recently received disturbing reports regarding potential obstructionism within agencies’ Offices of Civil Rights (OCRs).¹ As stewards of taxpayer resources and overseers of agency operations, we are alarmed that OCRs’ leadership may be delaying investigations and failing to uphold their statutory responsibilities, thereby undermining the fundamental statutory purpose of these offices. The Committee aims to determine the scope of this obstructionism and develop appropriate oversight measures.

While differing slightly in structure across agencies, OCRs play a critical role in ensuring that agencies and their funding recipients comply with federal civil rights law. Such laws include Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and, more recently, Executive Order 14151 (“Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing”) and Executive Order 14173 (“Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit Based Opportunity”).² Any pattern of internal resistance to civil rights enforcement, suppression of whistleblower complaints, or obstruction of legitimate inquiries, whether internal or external, warrants immediate scrutiny. We are particularly troubled by allegations that certain OCR leaders have actively discouraged career staff from pursuing investigations into civil rights violations involving federal grant programs. The Committee’s preliminary review suggests that this leadership may be falsely claiming that they lack the authority to conduct statutorily mandated oversight.

These reports suggest a potentially troubling pattern that could compromise the integrity of civil rights enforcement across federal agencies. To properly assess the extent of these issues and understand how your agency is addressing or preventing such problems, we ask that you respond to the following questions.

1. What substantive civil rights enforcement activities has NASA’s Office of External Civil Rights Compliance (ECR) completed since January 20, 2025?
   • a. Please provide specific enforcement activities related to grants complying with
     Justice40.
   • b. If few or none, what factors are preventing ECR from initiating or completing
     statutorily mandated investigations?
2. Has ECR conducted reviews of programs enacted under the previous administration for compliance with the Civil Rights Act?
3. Has ECR conducted reviews of programs enacted under the previous administration for compliance with Executive Order 14151 (“Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing”)?
4. Has ECR conducted reviews of programs enacted under the previous administration for compliance with Executive Order 14173 (“Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity”)?
5. Has any ECR staff member faced adverse personnel actions after raising concerns about the need to conduct relevant investigations?
6. Does your ECR require special approval from agency leadership to initiate or conduct statutorily mandated investigations or compliance reviews?
7. What oversight and accountability mechanisms are currently in place to ensure ECR leadership fulfills its statutory obligations?
   • a. How are these mechanisms monitored for effectiveness?
8. Are you aware of any complaints, formal or informal, regarding ECR leadership’s handling of civil rights enforcement responsibilities since January 20, 2025?

Please respond to these questions, in numbered order, no later than December 19, 2025. We appreciate your attention to this important matter and look forward to working collaboratively to ensure the integrity, transparency, and functionality of your agency’s ECR. If you have any questions, please contact the Committee’s majority staff at (202) 225-6371. Sincerely,

Brian Babin
Chairman
House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

Rich McCormick
Chairman
House Committee on Science, Subcommittee on Space, and Technology Investigations and Oversight

cc: Zoe Lofgren, Ranking Member, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology;
Emilia Sykes, Ranking Member, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight; Sarah Nelson, Acting Inspector General, U.S.
Department of Energy

¹ While most agencies’ relevant offices are named such, NASA’s is called the Office of External Civil Rights Compliance (ECR).
² See, e.g., 14 C.F.R. pt. 1250 (granting NASA the authority to enforce civil rights law).