Barney Frank: “Some of us do differ on the role of affirmative action with regard to race and gender. But I know of no advocate of…”

“Some of us do differ on the role of affirmative action with regard to race and gender. But I know of no advocate of affirmative action with regard to sexual orientation nor, by the way, with religion and age... The notion that because a category is in this executive order it will lead to affirmative action is belied by the fact that over many, many years no one has ever seen an affirmative action, an affirmative outreach, an affirmative anything program with regard to many of the categories covered. The President has specifically disavowed any intention of affirmative action with regard to sexual orientation... We are not arguing for affirmative action in that context. I think the gentleman from California, and I would be glad to yield him again, has made a very important point. Those of us who have a disagreement about affirmative action have it with regard to race and with gender, but no one is an advocate of it being used here.”