[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 17 (Wednesday, February 7, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CLOSING THE PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE OF RACE RELATIONS

  (Ms. McKINNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. McKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, how in the world can a President who lost 
the African American vote, the Latino vote, the Asian American vote and 
the popular vote shut down the Presidential Office of Race Relations?
  I thought George W. Bush wanted to change the tone in Washington. Or 
maybe changing the tone to President Bush means stifling minority 
voices. I hope not.
  Our President confided to us that he is just a ``white guy 
Republican.'' Well, we know that. But all of America is not white or 
Republican, and he has got to serve us too. He said he would be 
President for all Americans. Our President needs to listen to America's 
minorities and give us a chance to be heard.
  The Office of Race Relations was an effort on the part of the 
previous President to allow minority voices to be heard. This is not a 
good move to restore healing in America or to allow this administration 
to bridge the racial divide. It sends a terrible message to whites and 
minorities who care about racial healing in this country.
  I hope the President and his advisers will reconsider this action.

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