Ranking Member Scott Hosts Event with Civil Rights Leaders on How to Fight the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Americans
WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) hosted a forum with civil rights leaders to discuss how they are fighting the Trump Administration’s systematic attacks on students, workers, and families. This follows weeks of reckless and illegal activity by the Trump Administration to eliminate the Department of Education, fire EEOC commissioners, and strip Americans of their basic civil rights.
Watch the full forum on YouTube.
“Thank you for being here today and thank you for your dedication to the fight against the Trump-Musk ongoing attacks on students, workers, and their families’ civil rights. We have seen this Administration attack diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the federal government and, by extension, in schools, workplaces, and public services and research — attacks on civil rights that we have not seen since the 1960’s.
“DEI, regrettably, has been attacked by the Republicans and this Administration to erase contributions and accomplishments of so many Americans. We have seen the Administration remove references to Jackie Robinson’s military participation. References to women in health care research or women who served at the CIA have been erased. References to the plane which carried the first nuclear bomb in World War II, the Enola Gay, because artificial intelligence flagged it as a reference to the LGBTQ+ community, so they wanted that erased along with everything else. And now, they are attempting to “rewrite history” with the latest executive order targeting the Smithsonian Institute. Specifically, the Executive Order singles out the African American History Museum for its “corrosive ideology.”
“Before these relatively recent attacks, diversity itself had been the goal – in fact, the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954 said that segregation of children in public schools, solely on the basis of race, denies the children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities, even though the physical facilities and tangible factors may be equal. Regrettably President Trump, during his last administration, appointed dozens of judges who, during their confirmation hearings, refused to say whether Brown v. Board was properly decided.
“Last week, the President signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education – a department that was created to ensure that students’ civil rights were protected. The Department actually does very little in education — most of its work is civil rights, guaranteeing rights of low-income students. Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act: money in low-income areas to offset the effect of funding education with the real estate tax, guaranteeing that low-income areas will be at a disadvantage, so we put money in Title I. ED helps low-income students, racial minorities, dealing with achievement gaps, English as a Second Language, and students with disabilities. On higher education, they deal with access, Pell grants, and student loans. Some of the proponents of the elimination of the Department of Education campaign on the slogan of ‘states’ rights.’ We remember that campaign was used in the 1960’s by those who wanted to maintain segregation.
“The Trump Administration’s war on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are not just limited to education. It prompted a purge of federal agencies of employees who supported DEI initiatives, culminating in the unprecedented firing of EEOC Commissioners. Without their presence, the EEOC actually lacks a quorum and is essentially unable to protect the rights of workers whose rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act have been violated.
“Similarly, President Trump rescinded Executive Order 11246, which has been the cornerstone of civil rights protections in federal contracting since the 1960’s. This Executive Order ensures that federal contractors must take affirmative action to ensure that they are not discriminating against workers based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. These actions ensured that taxpayer dollars were not being used to fund discrimination.
“But despite the President’s reckless actions and the acquiescence of congressional Republicans, we need to assure the public that many are still fighting for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
“Now, this is not just a fight in Congress. That is why we have asked these organizations here today to remind us why civil rights need to be protected and to tell us what they are specifically doing to combat those attacks.
“Let’s be clear: We are not here to do what I call “celebrating the problem.” We know what this Administration has done, and we know what this Administration is doing. We want to let the public know what we are specifically doing to fight back, and know how the public can join into that fight.
“So it is my pleasure to turn it over to Mr. Sam Fullwood, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, policy analyst, and author, who will moderate today’s discussion. Sam, thank you.”
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