Cite as: 532 U. S. 275 (2001)
Stevens, J., dissenting
In addition, these Title VI cases seemingly ignore the well-established principle of administrative law that is now most often described as the "Chevron doctrine." See Chevron U. S. A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 467 U. S. 837 (1984). In most other contexts, when the agencies charged with administering a broadly worded statute offer regulations interpreting that statute or giving concrete guidance as to its implementation, we treat their interpretation of the statute's breadth as controlling unless it presents an unreasonable construction of the statutory text. See ibid. While there may be some dispute as to the boundaries of Chevron deference, see, e. g., Christensen v. Harris County, 529 U. S. 576 (2000), it is paradigmatically appropriate when Congress has clearly delegated agencies the power to issue regulations with the force of law and established formal procedures for the promulgation of such regulations.18
If we were writing on a blank slate, we might very well conclude that Chevron and similar cases decided both before and after Guardians provide the proper framework for understanding the structure of Title VI. Under such a reading there would be no incongruity between §§ 601 and 602. Instead, we would read § 602 as granting the federal agencies responsible for distributing federal funds the authority
(explaining why the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which was modeled after § 601, might be considered to reach some instances of disparate impact and then assuming that it does for purposes of deciding the case).
18 In relying on the Chevron doctrine, I do not mean to suggest that our decision in Chevron stated a new rule that requires the wholesale reconsideration of our statutory interpretation precedents. Instead, I continue to adhere to my position in Sullivan v. Everhart, 494 U. S. 83, 103-104, n. 6 (1990) (stating that Chevron merely summarized "well-settled principles"). In suggesting that, with regard to Title VI, we might reconsider whether our prior decisions gave sufficient deference to the agencies' interpretation of the statute, I do no more than question whether in this particular instance we paid sufficient consideration to those "well-settled principles."
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