S.Amdt. 4470

The amendment submitted by Ms. Hirono aims to strike title II of bill S. 1383 and replace it with the Patsy T. Mink and Louise M. Slaughter Gender Equity in Education Act of 2026. The purpose of this amendment is to advance gender equity in the United States education system and ensure that educational entities have the support necessary to fully implement title IX.

To achieve these goals, the amendment proposes the following changes and additions:

• Establishment of an Office for Gender Equity: The Secretary of Education would create this office to support educational entities, provide training and technical assistance to title IX coordinators and title IX allies, and disseminate best practices for preventing sex discrimination.

• Support and Training: The amendment requires the Director of the Office for Gender Equity to conduct annual training for title IX coordinators and create a handbook for compliance self-evaluations.

• Grant Program: It authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants to eligible entities, such as state and local educational agencies and institutions of higher education. These funds are intended to help reduce sex discrimination and strengthen the national gender equity infrastructure.

• Research and Reporting: The amendment directs the Secretary to investigate and share best practices for mitigating bias and preventing harassment. It also requires a report to Congress every two years regarding the steps taken to promote gender equity.

• Funding: The amendment authorizes $160,000,000 in appropriations for each fiscal year from 2027 through 2031, with at least $140,000,000 specifically dedicated to the grant program.