Jim Banks Announces Intention to Form the ‘Anti-Woke’ Caucus

UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 15: Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., arrives for the House Republicans lea
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

Rep. Jim  Banks (R-IN) on Friday announced his intention to form the “first ever Anti-Woke Caucus,” which will reportedly focus on addressing “wokeness,” which he deemed the “greatest domestic threat to America today.”

“This Congress, I will create the first ever Anti-Woke Caucus,” Banks announced. “Read my @theammind op-ed about what Congress must do in the fight against wokeism.”

In the op-ed Banks stated that the issues Congress is addressing are moving into “uncharted territory,” focusing on topics far expanding traditional issues such as the economy or healthcare.

“The most toxic part of this tyranny is its doctrine—’wokeness,” he wrote, explaining that it “means that all the so-called oppressor groups must be punished for their past and present alleged sins.” The punishment, he wrote, can take many forms, including “inducing self-hatred through indoctrination, stripping away their rights by not enforcing the laws on their behalf, public humiliation, hatred, expropriation, and ultimately violence.” The congressman noted that it is unclear how far the punishments will go in instituting the “utterly un-American doctrine” but noted that the Biden administration actively imposes those beliefs, fueling divisions in schools, agencies, and the private sector.

“The new House Republican majority can and will fight institutionalized wokeness. The path forward is clear so long as we act confidently, as our voters demand,” he wrote, listing the objectives of the GOP-led House. These include rescinding Executive Order 13985, which he described as “Biden’s equity Executive Order that directed every single federal agency to produce an ‘Equity Action Plan.'” While he admitted the Democrat-led Senate will likely not budge on that issue, he said it is important for Republicans to show where they stand.

Banks said Congress “must stop funding wokeness,” giving a few examples.

He also said Republicans should utilize their oversight power to “question woke federal officials and woke companies.”

“Finally, anti-woke House Republicans should organize. That is why, this Congress, I will start the first ever ‘anti-woke caucus,'” he wrote, explaining his intention to routinely host meetings to help fellow lawmakers grasp the importance of this issue and how to better address it.

He continued:

I know there are many more anti-woke legislatures [sic] in the Republican Congress, and that we will find strength in numbers. An anti-woke caucus with members on the Appropriations, Energy and Commerce, and Judiciary Committees, will work together to offer amendments that defund and expose wokeness at the NIH, the Justice Department, and every other federal agency. No bill that spends taxpayer dollars on leftist activities should pass out of committee without a recorded vote on an amendment to defund wokeness.

Ultimately, Banks deemed wokeness the “greatest domestic threat to America today” and expressed confidence that his caucus will help the GOP-led House reach their goals.

His announcement comes on the heels of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) touting the early accomplishments of the GOP-led House, which includes voting to strip funding for 87,000 IRS agents and establishing a Select Committee on China:

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