Members of Congress call on companies to retain DEI programs as court cases grind on

AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — A group of Democrats in Congress is appealing to the largest U.S. companies to hold onto their diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The 49 House members shared their views in a letter emailed on Tuesday to the leaders of the Fortune 1000. The move follows several major corporations, including Ford, John Deere and Harley-Davidson, saying in recent months that they would end or curtail their DEI initiatives. Such programs typically are intended as a counterweight to discriminatory practices. But critics argue that policies which single out participants based on factors such as race, gender and sexual orientation are unfair and the same opportunities should be afforded to everyone.