{"id":122645,"date":"2025-09-03T06:01:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-03T10:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/?p=122645"},"modified":"2025-12-15T09:02:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T14:02:57","slug":"iag-rokita-leads-22-state-effort-to-support-elimination-of-dei-from-federal-contracting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/2025\/09\/03\/iag-rokita-leads-22-state-effort-to-support-elimination-of-dei-from-federal-contracting\/","title":{"rendered":"IAG Rokita leads 22-state effort to support elimination of \u00a0DEI from federal contracting"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is leading a 22-state effort in support of the U.S. Department of Labor\u2019s proposed rule to rescind long-standing regulations that require discriminatory affirmative action plans for federal contractors.<\/p>\n

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News release from Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office:<\/p>\n

Attorney General Todd Rokita leads 22-state effort to support Trump administration’s elimination of DEI from federal contracting<\/strong><\/p>\n

Indianapolis, Indiana (September 3, 2025) – Attorney General Todd Rokita is leading a 22-state effort in support of the U.S. Department of Labor\u2019s proposed rule to rescind long-standing regulations that require discriminatory affirmative action plans for federal contractors.<\/p>\n

In a letter sent this week, Attorney General Rokita argues that DOL\u2019s current affirmative action requirements are clearly unconstitutional under the Fifth Amendment\u2019s equal protection guarantee and in light of the United States Supreme Court\u2019s decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.
\n\u201cThe federal government has no right to mandate affirmative action plans that prioritize ideology over merit,\u201d said Attorney General Rokita. \u201cThese regulations promote unlawful discrimination, undermine true equal opportunity, and needlessly burden employers. Federal contractors should hire based on skill and experience, not political agendas.\u201d<\/p>\n

DOL\u2019s proposed rule advances the objectives of President Trump\u2019s executive order \u2014 titled \u201cEnding Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity\u201d \u2014 in which he ordered the federal government to end discriminatory DEI practices, like affirmative action programs and arbitrary workforce balancing based on race and sex for federal contractors.<\/p>\n

In addition to noting that these DEI practices being harmful to society and bad policy, the comment letter argues that the executive branch did not have the statutory authority under federal law to mandate affirmative action requirements on federal contractors in the first place.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Department of Labor\u2019s move to eliminate these burdensome affirmative action mandates is a step toward fairness,\u201d Attorney General Rokita added. \u201cThanks to President Trump\u2019s leadership, we\u2019re once again restoring common sense and ensuring federal contractors can focus on merit-based hiring, free from discriminatory practices based on race or sex.\u201d<\/p>\n

This effort builds on Indiana\u2019s leadership. Last month, Attorney General Rokita, in coordination with Governor Mike Braun, announced that all state contracts now must include revised language that makes clear that contractors must not pursue DEI initiatives that treat people differently on the basis of race or sex.<\/p>\n

Read the letter here<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The signatories include:<\/p>\n