Supreme Court Decision on Affirmative Action Will Have Devastating Effects

Floor Speech

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Ms. SEWELL. Mr. Speaker, for centuries, African Americans were systematically denied the opportunity to pursue a higher education, build wealth, and achieve financial independence, leaving behind a painful legacy of discrimination that persists to this day.

Let us not forget. It was in 1963--only six decades ago--when Black students were finally allowed to enroll alongside their peers at the University of Alabama.

Almost half of the members serving in this be today were alive at that time.

Make no mistake--we have made tremendous progress since then. For the past four decade colleges and universities across this nation have had the freedom to build student bodies that reflect the diversity of our great nation.

With the blessing of the Supreme Court, these schools have used affirmative action policies as a tool to break down educational barriers for students who would otherwise be left behind.

Tragically, two weeks ago, in an extreme reversal, this Republican- controlled Court has once again chosen to ignore our history and roll back our progress.

By banning affirmative action in college admissions, the Supreme Court has deprived us of a critical tool in our continued fight for equality and justice for all.

Not only is this decision a blatant attack on educational opportunity, it also upends nearly 40 years of precedent, undermining the sacred trust that the American people have placed in the Court.

From voting rights, to reproductive freedom, to educational opportunities, this Court has demonstrated time and time again that it is willing to ignore history, ignore precedent, and ignore common sense in order to strip away our freedoms and roll back our progress.

Mr. Speaker, we know that ignoring our past will not make it go away. In the words of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, ``deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.''

If we are going to address the injustices of the past, we must be intentional about leveling the playing field and providing opportunities to those who have been left behind.

After all, our entire nation benefits when talented students of diverse backgrounds get a fair shot at success.

Despite this shameful decision, we must not be deterred. Let this decision serve as a reminder that progress is elusive, and every generation must fight to preserve the progress of the past and advance it.

Now is the time to redouble our efforts and to hold this nation accountable to its highest ideals of equality and justice for all.

Until every American can enjoy the full promise of our democracy, our work continues.

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