Sen. Jim Banks Blocks Promotions of Air Force Colonels

Senator Jim Banks from Indiana has taken a stand against promoting Air Force colonels who support military promotions based on race and gender rather than on merit.

Colonel George H. Severen, in a 2017 research paper, expressed concern over a growing “cohort of general officers who are highly essential to diversity.” He argued that these promotions are rooted in a system that he believes is inherently racist and sexist.

A spokesperson for Banks remarked that “Senator Banks has serious concerns about military officers who defended diversity initiatives in the military” and has used his senatorial power to halt these promotions.

In the Senate, retaining a nomination often involves communication with party leaders who may oppose unanimous consent appointments. Given the complexities of Senate schedules, many military promotions are confirmed through unanimous consent to expedite the process.

However, any single objection can block this process, and typically the senators defer to their leaders when it comes to unanimous consent requests for promoting military candidates.

Banks has been a prominent voice in Congress against what he terms “Wokeness,” having established a caucus focused on this issue in 2023 while serving in the House.

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that found racial-based admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina unconstitutional, Banks suggested that Congress should eliminate racial preferences in federal contracts and military hiring practices.

He stated, “Every American should be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. Favoring one group over another is just as problematic in the federal sector as it is in universities.” Banks advocates for a complete ban on race-based preferences across federal government practices.