Heartbeat Movement Inc. Responds to Federal OFCCP Civil Rights Rollbacks
Photo by Gage Skidmore
In response to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) publishing final rules that dismantle federal affirmative action and disability tracking mandates for government contractors, Heartbeat Movement Inc. issued an urgent public statement calling for immediate state-level constitutional safeguards. The new federal regulations formally rescind Executive Order 11246 requirements and modify Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, barring federal contractors from maintaining race- and sex-based affirmative action plans, conducting workforce utilization audits, or tracking applicant disability metrics.
These rollbacks directly mirror the administrative blueprint set forth in Chapter 18 of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 agenda—policy goals that Donald Trump repeatedly disavowed on the campaign trail yet are now being systematically implemented across federal agencies.
At the same time, national political discourse has shifted toward transactional promises, including President Trump’s pledge to issue a $5,000 payment to adult citizens on the condition that Republicans retain control of the House and Senate.
Heartbeat Movement Inc. emphasizes that while national leaders offer unverified campaign pledges with multitrillion-dollar price tags and severe congressional hurdles, working families face the immediate dismantling of fundamental workplace protections. These administrative and political shifts disproportionately affect historically marginalized communities across Ohio:
Black Workers: Face reduced federal oversight and the removal of proactive safeguards against systemic workplace discrimination in federal contracting.
Immigrant Workers: Encounter heightened vulnerability as federal workplace standards and administrative recourse mechanisms are pared down.
Transgender & LGBTQ+ Individuals: Lose crucial non-discrimination protections as federal equity mandates are systematically eliminated.
Individuals with Disabilities: Are stripped of quantitative tracking tools under Section 503 that previously measured fair workforce representation.
"When federal protections recede and political figures make grand promises to influence voters, Ohioans cannot rely on distant administrative agencies or campaign pledges to safeguard our basic rights," said Miss Cynthia Denise Brown, Founder & CEO of Heartbeat Movement Inc. and Committee Chair for Protecting Ohioans' Constitutional Rights. "Public officials at every level are our employees—they work for us. When government rules fail us, direct democracy is our ultimate tool."
Heartbeat Movement Inc. emphasizes that federal agency regulations and political promises ebb and flow with changing administrations, leaving civil rights vulnerable to shifting political agendas. In contrast, rights embedded directly within the Ohio Constitution belong permanently to the people.
To establish a permanent safeguard against government overreach and regulatory rollbacks, Heartbeat Movement Inc. is leading the effort behind the Protecting Ohioans' Constitutional Rights citizen-led ballot amendment initiative. The initiative targets the core issue of official accountability by eliminating qualified immunity, ensuring that when state or local actors infringe upon constitutional rights, victims have direct legal recourse in state court.
Call to Action & Public Involvement: The Protecting Ohioans' Constitutional Rights ballot initiative represents our primary call to action for systemic accountability in Ohio. All residents, grassroots organizers, and community members are urged to get involved today, sign the petition, and support active campaign drives by visiting OCEQI.ORG.
About Heartbeat Movement Inc. - Heartbeat Movement Inc. is a grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to civil rights advocacy, direct democracy, public media commentary, and institutional accountability. Under the leadership of Founder & CEO Miss Cynthia Denise Brown, the organization sponsors community initiatives including The Ohio Coalition to End Qualified Immunity and The Ohio Coalition for Police Accountability and Transparency.