About 

The External Civil Rights Program oversees and monitors Department of Commerce federal funding recipient’s compliance with statutes that prohibit discrimination including, but not limited to, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975.  In carrying out this function, the Office of Civil Rights, External Civil Rights Program receives and processes complaints from individuals who believe they have been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, or reprisal in federally assisted programs and activities.  

File a Complaint: 

Complaints can be filed electronically by emailing it to [email protected] or by sending to:   

               External Civil Rights Complaints

               U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 6058

               1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W.

               Washington, D.C.  20230  

Recent External Civil Rights Documents:

Fact Sheet below describes the ways in which Title VI protects individuals who are or are perceived to be Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist, or of another religious group:

DOC External Civil Rights Fact Sheet.pdf

Statutes Enforced:

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibit exclusion from participation in, denial of benefits of, and discrimination on the grounds of race, color, or national origin by programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance from DOC.  DOC has promulgated regulations to effectuate the applicable provisions of Title VI.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits exclusion from participation in, denial of the benefits of, or discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.  DOC has promulgated regulations to effectuate the applicable provisions of Title IX.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits exclusion from participation in, denial of benefits of, and discrimination under Federally assisted programs on the grounds of disability.  DOC has promulgated regulations to implement section 504 with respect to programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance.

The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance.  DOC has promulgated regulations to effectuate the applicable provisions of the Age Discrimination Act.  

The Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 3123, prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any project funded under that statute.

The Public Works Employment Act of 1976, 42 U.S.C. § 6709, also prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any project funded under that statute.

Helpful External Compliance Websites

Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division

Congress created the Civil Rights Division in 1957 to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status, military status and national origin.

U.S. Access Board

The U.S. Access Board is an independent federal agency that promotes equality for people with disabilities through leadership in accessible design and the development of accessibility guidelines and standards.  It ensures access to federally-funded facilities and develops/maintains design criteria for the built environment, transit vehicles, telecommunications equipment, medical diagnostic equipment, and information technology.  The Board also enforces the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968.