Giving Voice to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Principles

Floor Speech

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Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Congressman Jackson, my next-door neighbor for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, since day one, this President and his administration have waged war on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Let's be clear: DEI means all of us.

Diversity strengthens our communities, our economy, our businesses, and our future. DEI means helping people of every background overcome barriers in their way. Systemic racism has deep roots in this country, poisoning healthcare, housing, and opportunities for generations. It is our job to finally pull those roots up.

Trump is trying to erase Black history, gut programs that benefit us, and target anything that says DEI. He is threatening to undo all the progress we have made toward economic equality. Black women are more likely to be denied a mortgage as a home buyer, more likely to die giving birth, or buy a gun, and we still just earn 69 cents to a man's dollar.

This isn't about ending wokeness. This is about erasing hard-won progress and locking people out of opportunity because of who they are.

I always tell people, do not get weary because that is exactly what he wants you to do. You can't go in your house and close the door. We have to continue to fight this nonsense. We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, and I, for one, will never give up in the fight for a better future.

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