When it comes to going “woke,” U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman is at the forefront of trying to block the federal government from pursuing these controversial social policies.
On Monday, Hageman was named chair of the Anti-Woke Caucus, a group of U.S. House Republicans dedicated to fighting the growing influence of "woke" ideologies in government, business and society. She will be taking over from U.S. Senator-elect Jim Banks, R-Indiana.
“Harriet Hageman has played a critical role in our caucus since Day 1, and I can think of no one better to lead our members as they work alongside the Trump administration,” Banks said in a press release announcing Hageman as chair. “We are winning the war against wokeness, and Republicans in Congress now have a golden opportunity to defeat it once and for all.”
Hageman joined the Anti-Woke Caucus early on in her first term in April 2023. The stated goal of the caucus at that time was to expose and defund far-left programs in the federal government.
The group has championed legislation seeking to restrict the teaching of critical race theory in schools and corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Many of these initiatives are built upon a desire to elevate minority members of society as a way to counterbalance systemic racism.
For instance, in 2023 the Anti-Woke Caucus endorsed legislation that would prohibit the Biden administration or any other recipient of federal money from intentionally discriminating against or granting preference to any person based on race, color or national origin.
Some Republicans accused President Joe Biden’s administration of using $39 billion meant to build computer chip factories to further “woke” ideas such as requiring some recipients to offer child care and encouraging the use of union labor.
Federal agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs, NASA and the U.S. Army have also been accused of embracing “woke” policies.
