Scott, Takano Condemn EEOC Abandoning Workers Facing Discrimination

Scott, Takano Condemn EEOC Abandoning Workers Facing Discrimination

"One might reasonably conclude that this settlement appears to be an attempt to collude with a private organization to exempt the employer…from facing charges regarding unlawful discrimination."

WASHINGTON - Today, Committee on Education and Workforce Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) and Equality Caucus Chair Mark Takano (CA-39) condemned the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) settlement with Christian Employers Alliance (CEA).

Under the settlement, the EEOC agreed not to bring charges against the CEA, a membership organization made up of businesses that identify as Christian and vow as a condition of membership to adhere to certain principles, over certain gender-identity discrimination. The CEA's lawsuit claimed that the EEOC's harassment guidance on gender identity and transgender status violated the religious freedom of Christian business owners. Specifically, CEA argued that the guidance forces Christian employers to use an employee's stated pronouns over the employers' religious beliefs; to allow employees to dress in ways that conform to a gender not assigned at birth; and to permit transgender employees to use sex-specific facilities in line with their gender identity.

Under this agreement, the EEOC is also prevented from acting against current and future CEA members who are alleged to have discriminated against transgender applicants or employees as described in the agreement. This raises serious constitutional questions and contradicts long-standing Department of Justice policy preventing the government from entering into agreements that limit the executive authority and discretion of future Administrations. It also hampers the EEOC's ability to carry out its mission of combating discrimination now and in the future.

"The EEOC - charged with employment nondiscrimination laws - took an unprecedented step with this settlement by covering future members of the Christian Employers Alliance and preemptively agreeing to never bring certain charges against the organization and its members in perpetuity," wrote the Members. "We strongly question the legal authority this settlement presumes-that the EEOC can bind the hands of the EEOC in perpetuity, including under future Presidents and Commissioners, to not bring charges against certain organizations for certain unlawful practices.

"One might reasonably conclude that this settlement appears to be an attempt to collude with a private organization to exempt the employer, including future employers who join the Christian Employers Alliance, from facing charges regarding unlawful discrimination," the Members concluded.

To read the full letter, click here.

Background:

On February 15, 2025, CEC Chair Takano called on Acting EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas and Acting General Counsel Andrew Rogers to resign after the EEOC began filing motions to dismiss court cases the agency brought against businesses accused of discriminating against transgender and nonbinary employees.

On June 13, 2025, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Mark Takano (CA-39), and CEC Vice Chair Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), led 70 members in sending a letter urging Andrea Lucas, Acting Chair of the EEOC, to uphold her obligations under federal law and address discrimination against transgender and nonbinary workers.

On November 24, 2025, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) expressed his opposition to the EEOC's proposed Harassment Guidance rescission and urged the EEOC not to abandon its mission to fully protect workers from discrimination.

On January 23, 2026, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) called into question moves by the EEOC that would narrow its mission to only protect white men.

On June 17, 2026, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) and House Workforce Protections Subcommittee Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05) called for an immediate, long-overdue oversight hearing with the EEOC leadership to examine the EEOC's budget request and Republicans' deregulation agenda.

On August 25, 2026, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), CEC Chair Mark Takano (CA-39), Democratic Women's Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-D), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Grace Meng (NY-06), and Representative Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) led 112 Members of Congress & Senators in a letter urging the EEOC to reverse its proposed rule that would end the Equal Employment Opportunity reporting requirements to collect demographic data.

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