Months from leaving office, GOP congresswoman moves to dissolve Asian caucus
U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) has introduced a resolution that would strip federal recognition from congressional caucuses organized around race or ethnicity, threatening groups that represent Asian American, Black, Hispanic and other minority lawmakers.
Targeting racial minorities
Under the measure, the House Administration Committee would be directed to withdraw official status from member and staff groups that are organized by race, color, ethnicity or national origin that limit membership on those lines, or that promote one group’s interests over others. Mace’s office identified more than 20 organizations that the measure could reach, including the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, three groups known collectively as the Tri-Caucus.
“Race-based caucuses are not about diversity,” Mace said in announcing the measure last week. “They are segregation sanctioned by the legislative branch of the federal government.” The South Carolina Republican cast the groups as a form of government-endorsed discrimination and stressed that any lawmaker who disagrees has no place in Congress. Her list stretches past elected members to staff associations in both parties.
Fallout for representation
The resolution affects Asian American communities as it takes direct aim at CAPAC and staff groups including the Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association, the Congressional Korean American Staff Association and the Congressional South Asian-American Staff Association. In a joint statement, CAPAC Chair Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), along with leaders of the Black and Hispanic caucuses, called the measure “racist and a shameless attempt to silence the voices of minorities.” CAPAC is the first caucus named on Mace’s list.
Commenting on the resolution, CAPAC Chair Emerita Judy Chu (D-Calif.) wrote that it “does nothing to address or solve the real discrimination facing our communities. Its only purpose is to invoke anger and division.” Chu said groups such as CAPAC help members advocate for their communities more effectively. Clearly, stripping their recognition would remove an official channel Asian American members have used to coordinate on shared concerns.
A wider target amid a fading tenure
The resolution reaches well past the Tri-Caucus as it names the Italian American Congressional Delegation, the Greek American Congressional Staff Association and the Congressional Latino-Jewish Caucus, along with Republican-affiliated staff groups. Interestingly, this all comes as Mace’s tenure nears its end. She placed a distant fifth in her state’s Republican gubernatorial primary in June and has said she will leave office when her term ends.
The Tri-Caucus chairs, whose members say the coalition speaks for nearly half the country, said the caucuses predate Mace and will outlast her. They also accused her of a history of comments targeting minorities. During her gubernatorial campaign, Mace said she “didn’t come out of a slum in India,” questioning whether a naturalized rival was qualified to hold office. A frequent critic of transgender rights, she also showed photos of drag performers at a hearing last week and claimed, “Putting this kind of crap in front of kids sexualizes them.”
The caucuses remain officially recognized. It remains to be seen whether the resolution advances before Mace’s term ends.
This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices.
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