AOC complains that there are too many white men in Congress during hearing on diversity

During a House Oversight Committee hearing on Thursday, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez addressed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and complained that white men are overrepresented in Congress.  

Ocasio-Cortez spoke during the hearing about DEI policies, claiming that, “Today’s hearing is just the latest in a decades-long attack from right-wing extremists on any and all efforts to expand civil rights, equity, and freedom in the United States.”  

“One of the things we need to take a look at is the world that they’re fighting for,” she began, referring to Republicans. “A world without diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, which is to say the default, which is to say workplaces that are honestly kind of like Congress.”  

The congresswoman pointed out that while white people make up 59 percent of the US population, they constitute 75 percent of Congress. Additionally, men, who are 50 percent of the population, hold 70 percent of the seats in Congress. Ocasio-Cortez lamented the overrepresentation of these groups, arguing that Congress does not reflect the demographic makeup of the country.  

By making these assertions, Ocasio-Cortez may implicate the argument that people may need to be elected to Congress based on skin color and gender. Critics of DEI have argued that people of all different job positions should be chosen based on their qualifications and merits.   

Republican congressman Andy Biggs commented on the clip of AOC's comments, stating tersely, "Dismantle DEI." Recently, Senator JD Vance (R-OH) also introduced the "Dismantle DEI" act in pattern with position from Biggs.