Bennie Thompson grills Homeland on diversity
Congressional lawmakers, led by Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, questioned federal Homeland Security officials today about the lack of diversity at the agency, particularly in high-level posts.
“I am not interested in a numbers game,” said Thompson, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. “Creating a diverse workforce is not about simply creating appropriate numerical ratios. The many and varied homeland security challenges faced by this department could be better addressed in an environment that values diversity.”
Of the agency’s 170,000 employees, 60 percent are white, 20 percent are Hispanic, 14 percent are black and 4 percent are Asian, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. White employees make up 87 percent of senior-level positions, Hispanics 6 percent, black employees 5 percent and Asians 1.5 percent.
Apart from some steps toward greater diversity, the agency has not clarified how it will implement changes at the senior level, said Christine Griffin, vice chair of the EEOC.
Clarion-Ledger
10/15/9
Magnolia Tribune
