Us Department Of Justice Official Release - 02903-616 Txt

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1995

CR (202) 616-2765 TDD (202) 514-1888

DEVAL L. PATRICK TESTIFIES AGAINST BILL THAT WOULD ELIMINATE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Stressing that discrimination is still alive and well, the Clinton Administration's chief civil rights enforcer voiced firm opposition to a bill that would end affirmative action. Testifying yesterday before the House Subcommittee on the Constitution, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval Patrick mocked the name given to bill by it's proponents -- the "Equal Opportunity Bill of 1995." "Beneath its promising title, the bill does nothing to address the enormous problems that face the overwhelming numbers of people who are denied opportunity every day because of their race, ethnicity or gender," said Patrick. The bill, sponsored by Senator Robert Dole and Repre-sentative Charles Canady, would bring an end to affirmative action programs by the federal government. "Affirmative action -- done the right way -- has been shown to be a sensible, restrained tool to help our society achieve its goal of equal opportunity and integration," said Patrick. "This bill would set us all back." He said that the real message of the bill is that its sponsors want to give up on our national objective of integration. Patrick questioned why the subcommittee would want to focus on a worthwhile remedy such as affirmative action, instead of addressing the ongoing discrimination which is still the central focus of the civil rights struggle. Among other things, Patrick noted that: ​ African Americans hold only .06% of senior management positions in Fortune 1000 industrial and Fortune 500 service industries; ​ Over 50% of African American children live in poverty compared to 14% of white children; ​ two-thirds of all African American children still attend segregated schools; and, ​ housing discrimination persists -- as evidenced by a recent investigation into a 300-unit apartment building in Ohio that refused to rent to African Americans -- and never had. Patrick acknowledged that while some affirmative action programs may have been too rigid, and may require modification, they do not need to be abandoned. "This bill would wreak a disastrous change, practically but also symbolically," added Patrick. # # # 95-616