Notice2026-04218
Notice of Rescission of Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons
Primary source
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Published
March 4, 2026
Issuing agencies
Treasury Department
Abstract
This notice announces the Department of the Treasury's ("Department") rescission of its guidance to Federal financial assistance recipients regarding the Title VI prohibition against national origin discrimination affecting limited English proficient (LEP) persons, consistent with Executive Order 14224, entitled Designating English as the Official Language of the United States.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 42 (Wednesday, March 4, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 4, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 10693]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04218]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Notice of Rescission of Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance
Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin
Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons
AGENCY: Department of the Treasury.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the Department of the Treasury's
(``Department'') rescission of its guidance to Federal financial
assistance recipients regarding the Title VI prohibition against
national origin discrimination affecting limited English proficient
(LEP) persons, consistent with Executive Order 14224, entitled
Designating English as the Official Language of the United States.
DATES: Applicable March 4, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Snider Page, Director, Office of Civil
Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity, Department of the Treasury, by
emailing <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#92ddd1c0d7f1fdfffff7fce6e1d2e6e0f7f3e1e7e0ebbcf5fde4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9ed1ddccdbfdf1f3f3fbf0eaeddeeaecfbffedebece7b0f9f1e8">[email protected]</span></a> or by calling (202) 622-0341 (this
is not a toll-free number). For persons who are deaf, hard of hearing,
have a speech disability or difficulty speaking may dial 7-1-1 to
access telecommunications relay services.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On March 1, 2025, the President signed Executive Order (``E.O.'')
14224, Designating English as the Official Language of the United
States. See 90 FR 11363 (Mar. 1, 2025). Among other things, E.O. 14224
revoked E.O. 13166, Improving Access to Services for Persons With
Limited English Proficiency. See 65 FR 50121 (Aug. 16, 2000); E.O.
14224 (Sec. 3(b)). E.O. 14224 also directed the Attorney General to
``provide updated guidance, consistent with applicable law.'' Id.
(Sec. 3(c)). On July 14, 2025, the Attorney General issued a
memorandum providing guidance to the federal agencies on appropriate
actions to implement E.O. 14224 (Attorney General memo).
E.O. 13166 directed ``[e]ach agency providing Federal financial
assistance shall draft title VI guidance specifically tailored to its
recipients that is consistent with the LEP Guidance issued by the
Department of Justice,'' which were then to be published in the Federal
Register for public comment. E.O. 13166 (Sec. 3). Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d (Title VI), prohibits
discrimination against or otherwise excluding individuals from programs
or activities on the basis of race, color, or national origin, if those
programs or activities receive federal financial assistance. The
Department issued its own agency-specific Title VI language access
guidance, which was finalized in 2005 after a notice and comment
period. Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding
Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting
Limited English Proficient Persons, 70 FR 6067 (February 4, 2005),
(``2005 Treasury LEP Guidance'').
The Attorney General Memo encouraged all federal agencies to review
prior guidance issued based on E.O. 13166 and rescind such guidance if
it conflicts with E.O. 14224 and is not mandated by law or the
Constitution.
II. Rescission of Treasury LEP Guidance
Consistent with E.O. 14224, and the July 14, 2025 Attorney General
Memo, the Department rescinded its 2005 Treasury LEP Guidance on August
29, 2025.
III. Continuing Obligation
All recipients of the Department's financial assistance have a
continuing obligation to comply with Title VI, all applicable Title VI
implementing regulations, all applicable federal civil rights laws and
nondiscrimination provisions. Recipients of federal financial
assistance also have a continuing obligation under the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973 to ensure that their communications with individuals with
disabilities are as effective as communications with others and may
need to provide qualified sign language interpreters for individuals
who are deaf. Recipients of federal financial assistance, including
subrecipients, are reminded that the denial of language assistance
services can be evidence of discrimination on the basis of national
origin or disability under certain circumstances.
The Department anticipates issuing updated language access
guidance, consistent with law, as required by E.O. 14224, the July 14,
2025 Attorney General Memo, and future Department of Justice guidance.
Rachel Miller,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-04218 Filed 3-3-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-AK-P
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