U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., is backing the Restoring Civility on Campus Act.

Capito, ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, said the legislation introduced into the Republican-controlled House ensures universities and the U.S. Department of Education immediately address civil rights complaints if a student experiences violence or harassment on campus because of their heritage.

The legislation was led by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, R-La. and U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.

“Every student should be able to live on campus safely and free from intimidation, harassment, or violence,” Capito said Friday in a prepared statement. “Unfortunately, we have seen the Department of Education fail to ensure that students, particularly Jewish students, are kept safe by the institutions they have entrusted with their education. The Restoring Civility on Campus Act forces the Department of Education and university administrators to take a more active role in ensuring every student is protected on campus.”

Capito said under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has a responsibility to ensure university programs or activities that receive federal funds do not discriminate against students based on their shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics.

Last year, Capito said anti-Semitic incidents on campus increased by 700%. Schools failing to address harassment and violent confrontations of Jewish students on American campuses constitute a violation of Title VI, according to Capito’s office.

Capito said OCR has a poor track record of processing civil rights complaints in a timely and effective manner, delaying accountability for college administrators responsible for assuring student safety.

If passed by the full Congress, the Restoring Civility on Campus Act would:

· Requires OCR to initiate an immediate investigation of civil rights complaints involving alleged discrimination on the basis of shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics on or after October 7, 2023.

· Increases transparency for students who report antisemitism by requiring OCR to update the student complainant on the status of their OCR case at least every 30 days and disclose the result of institutional disciplinary proceedings to the student who reported a civil rights violation.

· Ensures accurate reporting of hate-motivated crimes and strengthens OCR’s enforcement of Title VI.