Policy, No Politeness
06/05/2025
Let’s talk about H.R. 3518, a bill that should have medical students, patients, and anyone who gives a damn about equity on full alert.
Introduced on May 20, 2025, by Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) — who, yes, is a former physician — the bill aims to strip federal funding from medical schools that require or even encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. That includes DEI statements in job applications or admissions, DEI offices on campus, and coursework that addresses anything about race, gender, or systemic health disparities.
Let me break it down: if a med school acknowledges that Black patients are more likely to be misdiagnosed, or that LGBTQ+ youth face disproportionate mental health risks, or that language barriers affect treatment outcomes — that school could lose funding.
Sound like a culture war? It is. But this time, it’s dressed up in a white coat.
What the Bill Says
H.R. 3518:
• Blocks federal funding for med schools with DEI offices, DEI hiring/admissions standards, or DEI-related training.
• Targets accreditation agencies, making them prove they aren’t enforcing DEI values as part of their standards.
• Uses “merit-based” and “neutrality” language to disguise what’s really an effort to silence conversations about inequality in medicine.
The Lies They’re Telling
Lie #1: “It’s about keeping politics out of medicine.”
Truth: Ignoring racial and gender health disparities is political. Data isn’t partisan — it’s reality.
Lie #2: “We need a merit-based system.”
Truth: DEI doesn’t replace merit — it removes blind spots. Equity ensures talented people aren’t filtered out due to systemic barriers.
Lie #3: “Doctors should treat everyone the same.”
Truth: Fair treatment isn’t always identical treatment. Cultural competence saves lives. Colorblind medicine misses signs, symptoms, and experiences that matter.
Why This Matters (To Everyone)
To Students: You’ll lose access to education that reflects the real world — and support systems that help underrepresented students succeed.
To Patients: This bill puts future doctors into the field without the tools to treat a diverse population. You get treated by someone trained to ignore the factors that affect your health most.
To Educators: You’re being told what not to teach. Science gets edited to serve a political agenda.
Timeline of Events:
• May 20, 2025: H.R. 3518 introduced in the House
• May 21: Referred to Committee on Education and the Workforce
• May 28: Medical associations and DEI advocates respond publicly
• June 3: Grassroots toolkits and campaigns begin circulating
• Now: Bill is awaiting further committee action — and gaining quiet support from anti-DEI circles
Speak Up!
H.R. 3518 doesn’t pass unless we let it. And the fastest way to stop it is to flood every representative’s inbox, voicemail, and timeline with facts — and fire. Here’s what you can do:
Find & Contact Your Representative:
Step 1: Go to house.gov/representatives
Step 2: Use the “Find Your Representative” tool
• Enter your ZIP code in the box at the top of the page.
• It will take you directly to your representative’s page.
Step 3: Click on their name
• You’ll be taken to their official House page.
• Look for a “Contact” or “Email Me” tab — most have both a contact form and office phone numbers listed.
If you need an idea of what to say copy/paste this script or download this PDF:
I’m writing to oppose H.R. 3518 — a dangerous bill that would punish medical schools for acknowledging real health disparities. Medicine should be based on data, not denial. Removing DEI programs and training doesn’t make healthcare less political — it makes it less competent. I urge you to vote NO on this bill.
The Bigger Picture:
This isn’t just about one bill. It’s part of a national anti-DEI movement — a coordinated effort to roll back rights, erase identities, and silence the truth in education, healthcare, and beyond.
H.R. 3518 is censorship disguised as objectivity.
It’s a test to see how quiet we’ll be when the truth is on the chopping block.
So don’t be quiet.
Get loud.