Stepman’s full testimony can be found HERE once the hearing begins [10 a.m. ET 7/14/26]
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Independent Women announced today that Senior Policy and Legal Analyst Inez Stepman will testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses during a hearing tomorrow, Tuesday, July 14th, that will examine the expansion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives throughout American institutions.
During the hearing, titled, “Combating DEI in American Institutions,” Stepman will discuss:
- How DEI policies have undermined equal treatment under the law in higher education, government, and the workplace
- Why disparate impact liability has fueled race-conscious decision-making instead of merit-based opportunity
- The importance of restoring the biological definition of sex in federal law to protect women’s rights, sports, and private spaces
- Why Congress and the Supreme Court must codify these reforms to ensure lasting protections for equal opportunity and constitutional civil rights
In her testimony, Stepman writes, in part: “The Trump administration is, for the first time in decades, enforcing the Civil Rights Act and the Constitution equally, for all Americans. Now, it’s up to Congress and the Supreme Court to make sure that principle continues to flourish.”
During the hearing, lawmakers will analyze DEI bureaucracies throughout American institutions, the legal and constitutional questions surrounding these programs, and their impact on merit, viewpoint diversity, and equal treatment under the law. Members will also highlight how the Trump administration has been working to abolish illegal DEI policies that harm all Americans.
Witnesses at this hearing will include:
- Inez Stepman, Senior Policy Analyst, Independent Women
- Mike Gonzalez, Angeles T. Arredondo E Pluribus Unum Senior Fellow, The Heritage Foundation
- Michael Shires, Ph.D., Vice Chair of Education Opportunity, Higher Education, and Senior Policy Officer, America First Policy Institute
WHAT: House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses hearing, “Combating DEI in American Institutions”
WHEN: Tuesday, July 14 at 10:00 a.m. EDT
WHERE: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2154
Stepman’s testimony before the House Oversight Task Force builds on Independent Women’s longstanding work examining the expansion of DEI policies throughout American institutions and advocating for merit-based opportunity, free expression, and equal treatment under the law.
INEZ STEPMAN BACKGROUND:
Inez Stepman is a senior policy and legal analyst at Independent Women, where she focuses on education, constitutional rights, identity politics, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). She has over a decade of experience in education policy, and also handles issues related to institutional capture and the definition of sex in law and culture.
Stepman is one of the nation’s leading policy experts studying the expansion of DEI initiatives throughout education, government, and corporate America. Through her work at Independent Women, she has argued that many DEI programs substitute identity-based preferences for merit-based decision-making, discourage viewpoint diversity, and raise significant constitutional and civil rights concerns.
Stepman has a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of California, San Diego, and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Stepman’s full testimony can be found HERE once the hearing begins.
Direct all media inquiries to [email protected].
###
Independent Women’s trusted experts, analysis, and data enable us to drive informed conversations to build support for better policy solutions.
Independent Women®’s unique methods and trusted brand shape public preferences, policies, and movements to create a better future for everyone.