ENDING OF DEI PROGRAMS THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDER

On 2025-04-29, Representative Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL-1) delivered a floor speech titled "ENDING OF DEI PROGRAMS THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDER" in the House.

ENDING OF DEI PROGRAMS THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDER

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 71 (Tuesday, April 29, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 71 (Tuesday, April 29, 2025)] [House] [Pages H1721-H1724] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] ENDING OF DEI PROGRAMS THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDER (Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Mr. Fields of Louisiana was recognized for 30 minutes.) Mr. FIELDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to talk about something that happened on January 20. On January 20, the President of the United States took the oath of office at this Capitol. Shortly thereafter, he signed several executive orders. One executive order was Executive Order No. 14151. That executive order ended all DEI programs. The argument that DEI initiatives constitute reverse discrimination fundamentally misunderstands both the history and the purpose of these programs. DEI initiatives emerged as thoughtful, evidence-based responses to documented inequities suffered by rural communities, minorities, women, the poor, and the disabled. These programs represent America at its best, acknowledging our Nation's shortcomings and tireless work to overcome them. The ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868 codified equal protection as a constitutional principle. Yet, Americans soon discovered that simply declaring equal protection didn't automatically create it. The real challenge was in translating these legal guarantees into everyday justice through their implementations. When the landmark Supreme Court decisions in 2023 and 2024 further restricted race- conscious university admissions and workplace policies, they accelerated a retreat from this understanding. {time} 1930 The history of DEI efforts in America is not some partisan agenda. It is part of our Nation's ongoing work to ensure that America's promise extends to every American. In 2025, as we face renewed attacks on these principles, we must renew our commitment to this work. Let me be clear: Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not about guarantees and preferences; they are about removing barriers. They are not about lowering standards; they are about ensuring that the standards we apply don't inadvertently favor some groups while disadvantaging others who are equally qualified. When our military, for example, embraced diversity and inclusion, it didn't become weaker. It became the most formidable fighting force in human history. When our businesses embraced diverse talents and perspectives, they didn't become less competitive. They gained access to broader markets and built the strongest economy in the world. When our universities created more inclusive learning environments, they didn't sacrifice excellence. Instead, they became global leaders in research and education. The world is always watching us to see what we will accomplish, but now more than ever before, they are watching us to see who we will become. I still believe in an America where a child's potential isn't limited to his ZIP Code, the color of his skin, their gender, or other factors beyond their control. I believe in an America where we can acknowledge our imperfect past while working together toward a more perfect future. Most of all, I believe in the fundamental goodness and fairness of the American people. When we move beyond slogans, when we truly see each other as fellow citizens on one shared journey, we find that what unites us is far greater than what divides us. While the temptation is great, we cannot let this moment divide us. We were never meant to be the divided States. We were created as and have thrived for over 250 years as the United States. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson), the chairman of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Honorable Congressman [[Page H1722]] Cleo Fields from the Sixth District of the great State of Louisiana for yielding. I would like to read for you, Mr. Speaker, a speech that the Honorable George W. Bush gave at the inauguration of the African American history museum. I was proud to be in attendance there, and I must say I was not a big fan of the Presidency of Mr. George Bush, but now, looking back over the times from which we have entered, I have to give him credit where credit is due. He gave a speech that day that I wish my Republican colleagues would take the time to listen to, and I will summarize it. Mr. Bush was the person who granted the land rights on behalf of African Americans. He said: ``This museum is an important addition to our country for many reasons. Here are three. ``First, it shows our commitment to truth. A great nation does not hide its history; it faces its flaws and corrects them. This museum tells the truth, that a country founded on the promise of liberty held millions in chains . . . that the price of our Union was America's original sin. From the beginning, some spoke the truth--John Adams called slavery `an evil of colossal magnitude.' Their voices were not heeded, and often not heard, but they were always known to a power greater than any on Earth, one who loves His children and meant them to be free. ``Second, this museum shows America's capacity to change. For centuries, slavery and segregation seemed permanent parts of our national life--but not to Nat Turner or Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, or Martin Luther King, Jr. All answered cruelty with courage and hope. In a society governed by the people, no wrong lasts forever. After struggle and sacrifice, the American people, acting through the most democratic of means, amended the Constitution that originally treated slaves''--Americans that had been enslaved-- ``as three-fifths of a person to guarantee equal protection of the laws. After decades of struggle, Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts were finally enacted. Even today, the journey toward justice is still not complete, but this museum will inspire us to go farther and get there faster.'' These are the words of George W. Bush. ``And finally, the museum showcases the talent of some of our finest Americans. The galleries celebrate not only African-American equality but African-American greatness. I can't help but note that a huge influence in my teenage years is honored here, the great Chuck Berry; or my baseball idol growing up in far West Texas, the great Willie Mays; and of course, something I never really mastered, the ability to give a good speech, but Thurgood Marshall sure could.'' He concludes by saying: ``Our country is better and more vibrant because of their contributions and the contributions of millions of African Americans. No telling of American history is neither complete nor accurate without acknowledging them. The lesson of this museum is that all Americans share a past and a future. By staying true to our principles, righting injustice, and encouraging the empowerment of all, we will be an even greater nation for generations to come. I congratulate all those who played a role in creating this wonderful museum.'' These are the words of George W. Bush. I thank Mr. Bush for having helped erect that magnificent museum now that the current administration is trying to take out its materials. Earlier today, I wished Mr. Hegseth, our Secretary of Defense, could have shown the honor and the decency to come into the Capitol Visitor Center to acknowledge the women of Six Triple Eight. There, Speaker Johnson was present, and the leader of the Senate, Mr. Thune, but notably absent was our Secretary of Defense. Someone made the remarks, Mr. Speaker, today that people were hidden, there were hidden figures in American history. I know the message that they are sending, referring to the movie ``Hidden Figures,'' the African-American women who did the math to put man on the moon but somehow were unceremoniously removed from all the accolades and all the parades, these women who were called human calculators. It came to my mind that they are really not hidden. Hidden is to be made inconvenient to the dominant narrative, shuffled to the footnotes or left on the cutting room floor of America's memory. It is dishonest, yes, but it leaves room for some discovery. Erasure is more sinister. Erasure says that we were never here. Erasure digs into the archives with red ink and crosses out our lives, achievements, and sufferings. The women in Six Triple Eight have suffered erasure. It removes their names from the rolls and gravestones from the earth. It doesn't just forget. It forbids remembering. These 885 women who put together 17 million pieces of mail that kept the morale of our troops high were given no recognition until today, after 80 years. I thank Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune for their contribution. When we talk about erasure, ask the descendants of Tulsa's Greenwood District, who for decades lived with silence where there should have been national mourning, and ask the generations denied their roots by a system that said their past wasn't worth recording. We see it now in the battles over school curriculum, in sanitized histories where the enslaved become mere workers and civil rights are a footnote to a fabled color-blind dream. When we allow erasure to masquerade as reform, we not only assault those who live the truth but endanger the consciousness of a nation already prone to moral amnesia. To hide history is cowardice, I would say. To erase it is cruelty. America must choose neither because when we forget what we were, we forfeit the right to know who we are. Mr. Speaker, we are addressing the issue today of diversity, equity, and inclusion. I would like to speak on this matter because it is an urgent matter, one that touches the very soul of our Nation's promise and its founding ideals of equality, justice, and the pursuit of liberty. We are at a crossroads, a critical juncture where the direction we choose will define the future of this Nation. I speak today about the persistent and