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1 (September 9, 2005)

handle is hein.crs/crsuntaabpx0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Order Code RS22251 September 9, 2005 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Federal Civil Rights Statutes: A Primer Jody Feder Legislative Attorney American Law Division Summary This report provides a brief summary of selected federal civil rights statutes, including the Civil Rights Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Voting Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Fair Housing Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Rehabilitation Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Equal Educational Opportunities Act, the Civil Service Reform Act, the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Congressional Accountability Act. Under federal law, an array of civil rights statutes are available to protect individuals from discrimination. Although these laws share similar features, the type of discrimination that they prohibit and the circumstances under which such bias is forbidden vary from statute to statute. This report provides a brief overview of selected federal civil rights statutes,' as well as information about other CRS products that discuss these laws.2 This report, however, is intended to provide an introductory overview and comparison of the selected statutes and therefore does not address additional civil rights protections that may be available under state statutes or constitutional law. Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Civil Rights Act (CRA) of 1964 is perhaps the most prominent civil rights legislation enacted in modem times. The statute, which served as a model for subsequent anti-discrimination laws, greatly expanded civil rights protections in a wide variety of settings. Among other provisions: Title VII prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex.3 In addition, it is unlawful to discriminate on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees, Other federal civil rights laws exist, but this report focuses on laws that protect individuals from specific types of discrimination. 2 For general information on appropriations related to some of these civil rights laws, see CRS Report RS20418, Funding for Major Civil Rights Enforcement Agencies, by Garrine P. Laney. 342 U.S.C. § 2000e. Congressional Research Service 4- The Library of Congress