Fact Check: Bill Cassidy Claims, Without Evidence, No ‘Critical Race Theory’ in So-Called Infrastructure Bill

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 11: U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) raises concerns about current COVID
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Sean Moran

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) claimed, despite evidence to the contrary, that the so-called bipartisan infrastructure bill does not contain provisions advancing Critical Race Theory (CRT).

“Critical Race Theory is not in this bill, never has been. Equity is not a catch-phrase for CRT. Language in this bill DOES NOT change current anti-discrimination laws at all,” Cassidy wrote Saturday in a tweet thread, defending his advocacy for the $1.2 trillion, 2,702-page bill.

Critical race theory (CRT), as Britannica defines it, is an intellectual movement that holds race is a “socially constructed” category used to oppress people of color (POC). CRT advocates believe law and legal institutions in the United States are inherently racist to maintain alleged inequalities between white people and minorities. CRT principally blames white people for the alleged oppression of POC.

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), another advocate for the infrastructure bill, also claimed that the legislation does not have “woke” carveouts.

Despite Cramer and Cassidy’s claims, the legislation contains many provisions that would address alleged inequities between white Americans and minorities, and alleged gender inequities, including:

  • Defining “gender identity” as a protected class
  • Doling out “digital equity” grants partly based on racial or ethnic minority status
  • Using the word “equity” 64 times
  • Spending part of the $66 billion that goes towards physical infrastructure to fix “racism physically built into some of our highways,” as described by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg

Christopher Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, responded to Cassidy, noting lines in the bill asserting “race and gender-neutral efforts are insufficient to address” issues surrounding “disadvantaged business enterprises.”

Another provision would “encourage women to enter the field of trucking” to address the alleged gender inequity of the trucking industry.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) called out the infrastructure bill for containing many “woke issues.”

“Now gender identity is infrastructure. Can’t wait to see what else is in this bill,” Hawley wrote.

In 2011, internet users created a meme to highlight the possibility someone would go on the internet and spread falsehoods:

Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.

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