This Republican congressman from Arizona referred to Black Americans as 'colored people' on House floor

Allie Feinberg, Arizona Republic
Updated ·2 min read
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Rep. Eli Crane was blasted by colleagues in the House of Representatives on Thursday after he used the term "colored people" to describe Black Americans in a debate on the House floor.

"My amendment has nothing to do with whether or not colored people, or Black people or anybody can serve," Crane, R-Ariz., said.

He was referring to his amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2024 that would prohibit the Pentagon from making participation in training or support for race-based concepts a requirement for hiring, promotion or retention of individuals.

Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., casts his vote for Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., during the seventh round of voting on the third day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2023.
Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., casts his vote for Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., during the seventh round of voting on the third day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2023.

Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, immediately motioned to have the words "colored people" removed from the record.

"I find it offensive and very inappropriate," she said on the floor.

Crane then rose to amend his comments on the record, to which Beatty responded by saying that she did not ask for an amendment, but to have the words unanimously stricken.

There were no objections.

In a statement to The Arizona Republic, Crane said he misspoke.

"In a heated floor debate on my amendment that would prohibit discrimination on the color of one's skin in the Armed Forces, I misspoke. Every one of us is made in the image of God and created equal," he said.

Crane was criticized for his actions on social media, with Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., weighing in among others.

"Eli represents the home of the Navajo Code Talkers. There are statues that prove the strength of diversity in our military. Hint to Eli: If you go visit the Navajo Nation, don’t call them 'colored people,'" Gallego tweeted.

"You can't make this up. This is who these people are, and who they've always been," Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, wrote on Twitter.

Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., also reacted on Twitter.

"Wow. Republicans are just openly calling my colleagues 'colored people' on the House Floor now," McGovern tweeted. "They’re bringing amendments to the floor to stop bases named after confederate traitors from getting new names. The GOP is not even hiding the racism anymore."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rep. Eli Crane refers to Black Americans as 'colored people' on House floor