Far-Right Rep. Eli Crane Offensively Calls Black Americans ‘Colored People’ During House Floor Debate

The freshman congressman from Arizona later issued a statement about his use of the derogatory term, saying that he "misspoke"

Arizona Republican Rep. Eli Crane drew condemnation on Thursday when he referred to Black Americans as "colored people" during a debate on the annual defense policy bill.

Crane, 43, made the comments while arguing for an amendment to the bill that would prohibit the Defense Department from considering race, gender, religion or political affiliation in its recruitment practices.

“My amendment has nothing to do with whether or not colored people, or Black people, or anybody can serve,” the freshman lawmaker said. “It has nothing to do with any of that stuff.”

Moments later, Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty — a Democrat and the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus — asked that the phrase be stricken from the record.

“I find it offensive and very inappropriate,” Beatty said. “I am asking for unanimous consent to take down the words of referring to me or any of my colleagues as colored people.”

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Crane — a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus — then also asked for his comments to be amended to "people of color," though the remark was ultimately removed altogether by unanimous consent.

Later, Crane issued a statement saying, “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.”

The amendment Crane sponsored, which was ultimately adopted in a 214-210 vote on Thursday, doesn't prohibit discrimination — it prohibits the Department of Defense from promoting any "race-based or ideological concepts," such as the idea that someone is "privileged or oppressed" based on their "race, color, sex or national origin."

Elsewhere in Crane's remarks defending the amendment, he said, "The military was never intended to be, you know, inclusive. Its strength is not its diversity. Its strength is its standards."

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In a statement shared to Twitter Thursday night, Beatty wrote that she was "still in utter shock and disbelief that a Republican uttered the words ‘colored people’ in reference to African-American service members who sacrifice their lives for our freedom."

"I will not tolerate such racist and repugnant words in the House Chamber or anywhere in the Congress," she continued. "That’s why I asked that those words be stricken from the record, which was done so by unanimous consent."

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The Congressional Black Caucus also took to Twitter to share footage of Crane's remarks, which it called "a shameful moment on the House floor."

"Rep. Eli Crane referring to Black service members who risk their lives for our country as ‘colored people’ is unconscionable," the organization wrote. "The GOP fights against diversity, equity and inclusion training and prove everyday why it’s necessary."

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