Texas Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat, publicly declared herself a beneficiary of affirmative action during a House floor speech on Tuesday. She criticized the Supreme Court's recent decision to overturn race-based admissions policies in higher education, calling the ruling "wrongheaded." Working with the Congressional Black Caucus, Lee plans to further examine what she considers a deeply flawed decision.

Representative Lee emphasized her personal experience, stating she believes she was admitted to college due to affirmative action policies considering both her gender and race. However, she made it clear that she believes her academic achievements and graduation were earned on her own merit, independent of those policies. This statement comes two weeks after the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision deemed race-based admissions unconstitutional, citing a violation of the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, argued that benefits awarded to students based on overcoming racial discrimination should be linked to individual courage and determination, not race. He further emphasized that a student's unique contributions to a university should be the basis for consideration, not their skin color. Roberts stated that universities have erroneously focused on race as a primary factor in admissions for too long. He underscored the Court's view that the Constitution does not permit this practice.

The dissenting opinion, penned by Justice Sonia Sotomayor and joined by Justices Elena Kagan and partially by Ketanji Brown Jackson, argued against the majority's interpretation. Justice Jackson recused herself from the Harvard case due to her prior involvement with the university's Board of Overseers. The majority opinion was supported by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.