Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) conducts a news conference after the House Democrats caucus meeting in the Capitol on Wednesday. (Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Rep. Nancy Mace called the CBC and other race-based caucuses “federally sanctioned segregation.”
Rep. Nancy Mace has introduced a House resolution to eliminate congressional caucuses organized by race or ethnicity, placing the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) squarely in the middle of the latest political battle over diversity and representation in Washington.
Republican Lawmakers Turn Their Attention To Congressional Caucuses
The South Carolina Republican’s proposal would prohibit House caucuses formed around race, ethnicity, or national origin, effectively dismantling organizations including the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. The measure could also affect several Republican-affiliated staff organizations organized around similar identities. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Mace argued that “Race-based caucuses are not diversity. They are federally-sanctioned segregation.” She added, “You do not get to lecture America about inclusion while running an organization which checks your skin color at the door.”
Democratic Leaders Call Out Racism
The proposal was met with swift resistance from Democratic leadership and members of the CBC, who argue that the organizations serve as policy-driven coalitions advocating for historically underrepresented communities. In a joint statement, Democratic leaders said the caucuses “existed long before Nancy Mace arrived in Congress, and will remain long after she fades into irrelevancy,” reports Yahoo News.
“Nancy Mace rose to infamy for her cheap political stunts, and this is just the latest distraction from her failed primary and complete inability to deliver for her constituents,” wrote the coalition of Democrats, referring to Mace’s unsuccessful run for South Carolina governor.
“Members of Congress have every right to organize around shared policy priorities and the constituencies they serve. There are dozens of bipartisan congressional caucuses dedicated to ethnic communities, geographic regions, industries, veterans, faith traditions, and countless other interests,” the caucuses continued. “Singling out the Congressional Tri-Caucus—which represents nearly half of all Americans—is racist and a shameless attempt to silence the voices of minorities.”
The Congressional Black Caucus Has Put In Work For 55 Years
Founded in 1971, the CBC has historically championed legislation addressing voting rights, economic opportunity, criminal justice reform, healthcare disparities, education, and minority business development. The CBC has been one of Congress’s most influential voices on issues affecting Black entrepreneurs, from access to capital for minority-owned businesses to investments in underserved communities. Critics say any effort to weaken or eliminate the caucus raises broader questions about who advocates for policies designed to close racial wealth gaps and expand economic opportunity.
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Source: Black Enterprise
