National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. BANKS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chair, this amendment would prohibit the use of funds to discriminate on the basis of race and ethnicity in admissions to the military service academies.

Currently, all of the military service academies use race and ethnicity as selection criteria for admissions. Not only is this a violation of the Constitution, as recently affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court, but it is a violation of the military's longstanding meritocratic principles.

The military service academies are elite universities that train and educate the future leaders of our armed services. We need the best and the brightest, the most fit cadets and midshipmen, regardless of their skin color and ethnicity. To consider immutable characteristics like race and ethnicity is blatantly discriminatory.

For our national security, we must uphold the ideals of our country and put hard work, dedication, and service above all.

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Mr. BANKS. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).

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Mr. BANKS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mast), a real American hero.

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Mr. BANKS. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is simple. It ensures our military service academies are in line with the Supreme Court's recent decision on the unconstitutionality of race-based affirmative action, and it strives to uphold the ideals of meritocracy, which is nowhere more important than in the United States military.

Mr. Chair, I urge all Members to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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