"This past March, a federal court in Texas decided that even though minority business enterprises “have far less access to capital and credit…due to racial discrimination in lending markets,” Congress violated the Constitution by requiring MBDA to presume that members of specified minority groups experienced discrimination or had impaired ability to compete due to fewer capital and credit opportunities.
After serious consideration, the Department of Justice will not appeal this decision. The court’s decision does not prevent MBDA from continuing to be a resource for minority business enterprises. That’s important, because MBDA’s mission remains vital. As the son of an immigrant and Black American from Mobile, Alabama, I know first-hand the damage of systemic discrimination. That’s why I am honored to serve as the head of an organization like MBDA – an agency committed to creating an economy of equal opportunity. `
While the court’s decision is immensely disappointing to us, we are not discouraged. It is my duty – our duty – as Americans to leave our country a better place than we found it. In our fifty years of work, MBDA has been no stranger to obstacles, but we are resilient, and our doors remain open.
MBDA continues to be committed to creating equal opportunity for all businesses."
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- Acting Under Secretary Eric Morrissette