FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 410-576-7009
BALTIMORE, MD - Attorney General Anthony G. Brown is standing with
attorneys general across the country to oppose a plan by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
that would weaken civil rights protections against discrimination based on race, sex, and
disability.
The Department of Energy recently proposed changes that would eliminate key rules that protect
people’s rights in federally funded programs and buildings. These rules are based on longstanding civil rights laws—like the Civil Rights Act, the Education Amendments, and the
Rehabilitation Act—that help ensure equal access to education, healthcare, housing, and more. In
making these changes, the DOE is improperly seeking to end-run the ordinary rule making
process and limiting the opportunity of the public to comment.
Attorney General Brown and other state leaders are urging DOE to reverse course. They
submitted a total of four official comments explaining how the proposed changes would:
- Make it harder to investigate and stop discrimination in federally funded programs.
- Remove accessibility rules that ensure people with disabilities can use DOE-funded
buildings like schools, labs, and energy facilities.
- Violate federal law by skipping the usual rulemaking process that requires careful review
and public input.
DOE’s plan is part of a fast-track process that limits public input and allows the new rule to take
effect automatically unless enough people speak out.
Attorney General Brown says Marylanders—and all Americans—deserve a fair chance to access
public programs and services, without facing discrimination or barriers.
Copies of the letters can be found below:
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