Pressley Blasts GOP Anti-Woman Agenda, Attacks on DEIA

July 16, 2026 Pressley Blasts GOP Anti-Woman Agenda, Attacks on DEIA “So, until we are able to codify gender equality in the Constitution, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies have supported women in every aspect of their lives.” Video (YouTube) WASHINGTON – During a House Oversight Committee Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses hearing, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) blasted Trump and Republicans for their anti-DEIA attacks and harmful impact on women. In her remarks, Rep. Pressley emphasized the importance of enshrining the Equal Rights Amendment into law while demanding answers and transparency on the administration’s anti-DEI policy changes. A transcript of Congresswoman Pressley’s remarks is available below and the video is available here . Transcript: Pressley Blasts GOP Anti-Woman Agenda, Attacks on DEIA House Oversight Committee Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses July 14, 2026 REP. PRESSLEY : Today’s hearing is irrational. It is misguided, and it is consistent, consistent with the Republicans’ war on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Now, Republicans control the White House. They rigged the Supreme Court. They have majorities in both chambers of Congress, and they are using the full weight of that power, the full force of that—and your taxpayer dollars, might I add—of this federal government in this moment to enact precise harm on working families. There are no Oversight hearings on high unemployment and the rising costs, and there are no hearings on protecting voting rights or affordable health care coverage. Instead, Republicans have decided to focus on attacking everyday people who are just trying to make ends meet. Their agenda is anti-Black, it is anti-immigrant, it is anti-LGBTQ, it is anti-worker, and again, since we’re talking about DEIA and the dismantling of it, it is also anti-veteran, it is anti-rural, it is anti-disabled, and it most certainly is anti-woman. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives were created to promote fairness because there are real biases in America that disadvantage specific groups of people. That is a fact backed by mountains of data. While there has been progress, the work is unfinished. Actually, the work is piling up due to Republicans emboldening greater discrimination while simultaneously dismantling civil rights protections. For example, women face systemic gender discrimination. I know you can’t tell by looking at the Republican Party, but women make up 50% of this country, and we deserve equal rights. So I’m going to start with a simple question, and Ms. Feltscher Stepman, and I’m going to begin with you because actually, the fact that your women’s forum even exists, some might even consider that to be a DEI initiative. But let me just ask you a question: Do you believe America should have gender equality, meaning that women and men should have equal rights under the Constitution and our laws? Yes or no? FELTSCHER STEPMAN: I believe that women and men— REP. PRESSLEY: Yes or no? FELTSCHER STEPMAN: do have the Constitution— REP. PRESSLEY: Yes or no? One more time to keep it clean here, do you believe America should have gender equality, meaning that women and men should have equal rights under the Constitution and our laws? Yes or no? FELTSCHER STEPMAN: I believe they should have equal rights. Yes. REP. PRESSLEY: Okay. And Dr. Shires, yes or no? DR. SHIRES: Yes. REP. PRESSLEY: Mr. Gonzalez, yes or no? MR. GONZALEZ: [inaudible] REP. PRESSLEY: All right. Well, unfortunately, the Constitution is silent on this topic, and that is why I’ve introduced legislation to add the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment, enshrining it as the law of this land. Now, look, y’all. Every Democrat in the House has signed on to my bill, but I’m still waiting on my Republican colleagues to join. So, until we are able to codify gender equality in the Constitution, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies have supported women in every aspect of their lives. For example, women have served in the military for more than 200 years. Yet Republicans in your anti-diversity campaign have denied multiple women promotions just because they are women. Not to mention those that just been fired. Women get paid less money for doing the same work as men. But since Republicans are anti-equity, the EEOC, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, has weakened enforcement of pay discrimination laws, maintaining and widening our gender wage gap by the day. Y’all have any daughters? Not to mention Black women making 65 cents on the dollar to white men. And finally, women are underrepresented in medical trials to find cures for diseases that affect us, but because Republicans are attacking inclusion, they cut funding for women’s health research projects. So let me sum it up: anti-DEI is anti-woman. And those harms are compounded by attacks on voting rights like the so-called SAVE America Act that Republicans are fixated on passing, which could disenfranchise nearly 70 million women simply because their last names on their ID no longer match their birth certificates after being married, which pro-family people seem to care about. Not to mention the attacks on bodily autonomy. As women, our bodies are treated as a debate, and Republicans are passing laws that restrict what we do and when we do it. Something men have never had to struggle with. So when it comes to Republicans on this committee who are all men enacting more harm on women through anti-DEI hearings like this one, we need to call it out and fight back. Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record this June 2026 article from AfroTech titled “Civil Rights Organizations And Nonprofits Sign Letter Demanding Transparency And Response From The Trump Administration Regarding DEIA Ban.” CHAIR: Without objection. REP. PRESSLEY: So, y’all, since Donald Trump is so loud and proud about these efforts to dismantle and defund DEIA, why do you think the Trump administration is hiding all the data on their firing? ### Back to News Next Article Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email