Affirmative Action
For more than 30 years, both Republican and Democratic Administrations, and bipartisan majorities in United States Congress, have recognized the compelling need to use affirmative action programs to remedy longstanding problems of discrimination. The Nixon Administration created the "Philadelphia Plan" that required federal contractors to use racial "goals and timetables" to hire qualified minority workers. The Reagan Administration supported minority business set-aside programs. The Clinton Administration sought to "mend, not end" affirmative action programs following adverse Supreme Court decisions. The Congress has created and extended programs to enhance minority contracting opportunities, and has defeated attempts to stop affirmative action programs in other areas. The Bush Administration has a mixed record on affirmative action.
The members of the Citizens' Commission are a diverse and distinguished group of former government officials and leaders in business, education, and religious and civic life. List of well known commissioners are Eleanor Holmes Norton, Roger Wilkins, Bill Bradley, Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, Frankie Muse Freeman, Ray Marshall, and the late Augustus F. Hawkins.
Read more about this topic: Citizens' Commission On Civil Rights
Famous quotes related to affirmative action:
“Affirmative action was never meant to be permanent, and now is truly the time to move on to some other approach.”
—Susan Estrich (b. 1952)
“Some rough political choices lie ahead. Should affirmative action be retained? Should preference be given to people on the basis of income rather than race? Should the system be—and can it be—scrapped altogether?”
—David K. Shipler (b. 1942)