[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 84 (Tuesday, June 17, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H3808-H3809]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    THE CASE FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

  (Mr. SCOTT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1

[[Page H3809]]

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the issue of affirmative 
action. It is my understanding that a bill is being introduced today 
which will prevent the Federal Government from taking affirmative steps 
to remedy the still widespread discrimination that we have in 
employment, contracting, and education.
  Today, discrimination is still rampant. A recent study conducted by 
the Fair Housing Council found that minorities are discriminated 
against 40 percent of the times that they seek to rent an apartment. 
Repealing affirmative action will, therefore, have the practical effect 
of resegregating America. The repeal of affirmative action programs in 
both Texas and California gives us a peek at what happens when we 
eliminate affirmative action.
  So we must ask the opponents of affirmative action if they achieve 
their goals when minority admissions to law schools in Texas and 
California dropped precipitously in spite of evidence that shows that 
minorities, when given the opportunity, will perform as well as their 
majority counterparts.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I ask, how far do we have to turn the clocks back to 
appease those that are disgruntled, because discrimination is being 
remedied?

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