A number of influential groups in Congress could be disbanded if one Republican has her way. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., has proposed legislation that would ban groups like the Congressional Black Caucus, claiming they are discriminatory.
Mace wants to ban congressional organizations based on ‘race, color, ethnicity, or national origin’
On Thursday, Mace introduced a resolution directing the House Committee on Administration to revoke and prevent the registration of certain Congressional Member Organizations and Congressional Staff Organizations.
The proposal would ban any organization of House members or staff that “is formed primarily or substantially on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, or national origin.” It would also prohibit House groups that determine membership based on race or ethnicity, as well as groups that advocate “for the perceived interests of a particular race, color, ethnicity, or national origin over others.”
As Fox News reported, the resolution would effectively ban the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. While those caucuses are overwhelmingly made up of Democrats, Mace’s proposal could also affect Republican-led staff organizations, including the Black Republican Congressional Staff Association, the GOP Latino Staff Association and the Republican Asian American Staff Association.
Nancy Mace defends proposal to ban race-based congressional caucuses
Mace defended the resolution, telling Fox News, “Race-based caucuses are not diversity. They are federally sanctioned segregation.”
The congresswoman added, “You do not get to lecture America about inclusion while running an organization which checks your skin color at the door. The hypocrisy ends now.”
The move is the latest from Mace, who began her congressional career as a moderate Republican before aligning more closely with the MAGA movement. She has publicly clashed with several Democratic colleagues, including CBC members Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.
Despite generally supporting Trump, Mace broke with the president by backing Democrats’ efforts to force the release of the Epstein files. Trump later declined to endorse Mace after she chose not to seek reelection and instead launched an unsuccessful campaign for South Carolina governor.
Congressional caucuses respond to Mace’s proposal
The Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus — collectively known as the Tri-Caucus — joined House Democratic leadership, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., in issuing a joint statement.
“Nancy Mace rose to infamy for her cheap political stunts,” the statement said, adding that “Members of Congress have every right to organize around shared policy priorities and the constituencies they serve.”
The statement also argued that there are “dozens of bipartisan congressional caucuses dedicated to ethnic communities, geographic regions, industries, veterans, faith traditions, and countless other interests,” and said targeting only ethnically based caucuses “is racist and a shameless attempt to silence the voices of minorities.”
Mace’s proposal comes as the CBC faces other legal and political challenges. Earlier this year, a conservative group sued the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, alleging that its scholarship program for Black students is discriminatory.
The CBC, founded in 1971, currently has 62 members serving in the House and Senate.
Experts have also warned that Republican-led gerrymandering could reduce the number of Black-majority congressional districts, potentially shrinking the CBC’s membership.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is also expected to undergo changes after Chair Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., lost his primary to Democratic Socialists of America candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier.
Mace’s resolution is likely to face unanimous Democratic opposition and could also draw resistance from some Republicans. As a retiring member of Congress, Mace may have limited influence in advancing the proposal.
The Tri-Caucus concluded its statement by saying, “These caucuses existed long before Nancy Mace arrived in Congress, and will remain long after she fades into irrelevancy.”
Even if that prediction proves accurate, Mace’s resolution reflects the growing political challenges facing the CBC and other identity-based congressional organizations.