A House Oversight Committee hearing examining diversity, equity, and inclusion policies turned into a pointed exchange Tuesday when Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, questioned Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., over legislation related to the Equal Rights Amendment, as reported by Red State.
The House Oversight Committee Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses convened the hearing, titled “Combating DEI in American Institutions,” on July 14.
Gill, who chairs the task force, opened the proceedings by arguing that diversity, equity, and inclusion policies conflict with the nation’s founding principles and constitutional protections.
In his opening remarks, Gill said:
“DEI is, by its very nature, an affront to the principles and ideals that define our great nation and a rejection of the progress our predecessors made in ensuring civil rights protections for all Americans.”
He continued by arguing that DEI policies evaluate individuals based on race and other characteristics rather than merit.
“DEI represents a conscious effort to specifically judge people by the color of their skin and other immutable characteristics. Not only is this an utterly disgusting and racist ideology, but it is also a clear violation of the Constitution and federal law.”
During her time to question witnesses and speak at the hearing, Pressley defended policies supported by congressional Democrats and referenced legislation she introduced concerning the Equal Rights Amendment.
Pressley noted that House Democrats had signed onto her proposal “to add the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment, enshrining it as the law of this land.”
She also pointed out that no House Republicans had joined the measure.
Gill responded by saying he would review the proposal but asked Pressley a question about the legislation’s language.
“Thank you, Congresswoman. I’d be happy to look at your Equal Rights Amendment and read through it. I guess my biggest question was, does it define what a woman is?”
Pressley replied, “I look forward to your signing on.”
Gill responded, “We’ll take a look at it.”
Pressley repeated, “I look forward to your signing on.”
Gill concluded the exchange by saying, “I just was hoping for some analytical clarity, but thank you. We’ll take a look at it.”
Following the hearing, Gill posted a video of the exchange on X with the caption:
“Ayanna Presley asked me to sign onto her ‘Equal Rights Amendment.'”
“I asked her if it clearly defines what a woman is.”
Gill also shared additional video clips from the hearing focused on DEI policies and their impact on higher education admissions.
In one post, Gill wrote:
“DEI = racial quotas.”
“Racial quotas are un-American and illegal.”
Another clip featured testimony from witness Feltscher-Stepman regarding college admissions practices.
Gill asked, “Under DEI regimes, what races do colleges and universities typically least prefer in their admissions processes?”
Feltscher-Stepman responded, “Whites and Asians primarily.”
The hearing was part of the House Oversight Committee Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses’ ongoing examination of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in government agencies, universities, and other American institutions.
Republican lawmakers have argued that DEI policies violate equal protection principles by considering race and other characteristics in hiring, admissions, and workplace decisions.
Democrats have generally defended such programs as efforts designed to address disparities and expand opportunities.
Tuesday’s hearing centered on those competing views, with lawmakers questioning witnesses about the legal and constitutional implications of DEI initiatives.
The exchange between Gill and Pressley drew attention online after Gill shared video clips from the hearing on social media, including his question about whether the proposed Equal Rights Amendment defines what a woman is.
