The RECLAIM Act (Recouping Educational Contributions Linked to Antisemitic Institutional Misconduct Act) would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to strengthen how civil rights compliance is enforced for recipients of federal financial assistance. Key changes include broadening the consequence of findings of noncompliance to apply to the entire program or activity (not just the specific component where noncompliance is found), creating a mechanism to recoup federal funds for a year in which noncompliance is found (whether or not the funds were spent), and imposing tighter limits on federal funding after court injunctions—requiring departments to withhold new federal funds until compliance is certified or one year has passed, with interagency coordination and notices to other federal departments. The act frames these measures as a way to deter and remediate antisemitic or discriminatory conduct tied to institutions that receive federal support. In short, if a recipient violates civil rights requirements, the bill would (1) apply findings more broadly across programs, (2) require repayment of federal funds for the year of noncompliance as a government debt, and (3) restrict ongoing funding after injunctions until compliance is reached or a one-year limit expires.
Key Points
- 1Expands effect of noncompliance findings: A violation would apply to the entire program or activity, not just the specific program component where noncompliance is found.
- 2Recoupment of funds for the year of noncompliance: The recipient would be required to repay the amount of federal financial assistance provided for the program or activity during the year of noncompliance, even if those funds were not yet expended; repayment would be treated as a claim of the United States Government under 31 U.S.C. chapter 37 (debt collection).
- 3Enforcement through debt collection: The repayment would be collected as a government debt, adding a formal collection pathway for noncompliant funds.
- 4Funding limits after injunctions: If a court issues an injunction in a civil rights case involving a recipient, the federal authority that extends funding would withhold new federal funds until the earlier of (A) court certification of compliance or (B) one year after the injunction’s issuance.
- 5Interagency coordination and notice: The bill would require the withholding agency to notify other federal departments/agencies of the injunction, coordinating the freezing of funds across agencies.