Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services Chairman Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) delivered remarks at a hearing titled “Sacrificing Excellence for Ideology: The Real Cost of DEI.” In his statement, Grothman addressed the effects of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in various sectors such as the workforce, government, and education. He emphasized the significance of upholding the Civil Rights Act to ensure true equality in the United States.
Grothman opened with a historical perspective on affirmative action policies dating back to President Lyndon Johnson’s Executive Order 11246 in 1965. “On September 24, 1965, we got to celebrate that anniversary. Almost 60 years ago, Lyndon Johnson signed Executive Order 11246 which mandated ‘affirmative action’ programs and policies which facilitated discrimination,” he stated.
He noted that minority groups had faced significant discrimination prior to these measures. “In 1965, minority groups such as black Americans had faced a generation of despicable and repugnant discrimination,” Grothman remarked.
However, Grothman criticized DEI policies for perpetuating division rather than addressing inequality effectively. “Discrimination should never be fought with more discrimination,” he asserted.
He also mentioned recent actions by President Biden regarding DEI initiatives. “On President Biden’s first day in office, he signed an executive order to promote DEI in federal employment,” Grothman said.
The hearing discussed how DEI policies could potentially compromise meritocracy by prioritizing diversity quotas over qualifications. “It’s a deliberate and explicit choice to put ideology over excellence,” Grothman argued.
Grothman highlighted judicial decisions supporting his stance against race-based considerations in admissions and employment practices. He referenced a Supreme Court ruling from earlier this year that ended race-based admissions programs deemed discriminatory under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Concluding his remarks, Grothman called for public awareness about DEI policies’ impact over the past decades. “Above all, we have to educate the American public [on] what’s been going on in this country the last 60 years,” he concluded.
