WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-01) released a statement following today’s Supreme Court decision that strikes down the use of affirmative action in the college admissions process.

“Today’s Supreme Court decision asserts that no American should be discriminated against because of the color of their skin. College admissions should never be based on race, rather it should be based on a student’s merits,” said Rep. Finstad. “It is unacceptable to deprive qualified students of educational opportunities because they don’t fit a certain demographic, which is why I was proud to lead my colleagues in addressing this very issue in our own backyard at the University of Minnesota earlier this year.”  

Background: In May, Rep. Finstad was joined by Reps. Tom Emmer (MN-06), Michelle Fischbach (MN-07), Pete Stauber (MN-08), and Burgess Owens (UT-04) in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Education, expressing concern about reports of discrimination within an undergraduate internship program at the University of Minnesota open to only non-white applicants.

Full text of the letter can be found here.