Republican West Virginia Rep. Alex Mooney has introduced legislation that would abolish the House’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) office.
Mooney’s bill, which currently has no Democratic co-sponsors, would eliminate the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in the House of Representatives. The office was created by the 116th Congress, after Democrats recaptured control of the House.
House Republican seeks to abolish congressional DEI office in new resolution https://t.co/h1M7aetzFo
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 1, 2023
“The House should abide by the same standards we set for federal agencies across the government, which is why I have introduced this resolution to eliminate the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion,” he said in a statement.
The congressman added that DEI efforts are “the latest woke liberal method of injecting cultural Marxism into the workplace.”
“These offices start with the premise that white people are inheritably racist and oppressive,” Mooney continued. “The House of Representatives does not need bureaucrats promoting this divisive ideology.”
Republicans have been pushing to remove DEI offices around the country, with some colleges restricting their ability to promote programs through such activities or in their recruiting policies.
However, the GOP have been struggling in their messaging on race in recent weeks, most notably when Arizona Rep. Eli Crane referred to Black service troops and veterans as “colored people” in his support of dismantling DEI offices as part of the NDAA.
The Congressional Black Caucus blasted these gaffes in a statement last week, saying that Crane’s comments prove why DEI is needed.
“They’re proving every single day why diversity, equity and inclusion is needed,” said Democratic Nevada Rep. Steven Horsford, chair of the caucus. “I would encourage them to contact the Office of Diversity here at the U.S. Capitol and benefit from the training and the resources that they have.”
In response to the legislation, the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion reiterated that its office is nonpartisan and nonlegislative.
“Currently, ODI, which maintains relationships on both sides of the aisle, remains committed to its mission to advance a representative and qualified workforce by “putting the people in the people’s house,” said ODI Director Sesha Joi Moon. “As for the future of ODI, our office, which currently consists of 12 employees, will of course comply with any forthcoming legislation and directives from leadership.”
