Rep. Banks opens investigation into Air Force’s 'Race, Sex Quotas for Officer Applicants'

Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), chairman of the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee, is opening a probe into the U.S. Air Force’s "apparent use of race and sex-based quotas for its officer applicant pool."

Banks released a letter on Tuesday that he wrote to Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Alex Wagner. Banks asked Wagner why the Air Force would "advocate for reduced recruiting of certain demographics while it struggled to meet its recruiting goals."

Banks also asked Wagner to explain the difference between race and gender quotas and the "Diversity & Inclusion goals" he has set.

“The Biden-Harris DOD’s use of race and sex based quotas is un-American and it should be illegal. It is difficult to understand how the Air Force could aim to cut recruiting of Americans who don’t check the right demographic boxes during the worst recruiting crisis in the history of the All-Volunteer Force," Banks said in a statement.

"Republicans must work to put merit back at the center of our armed services. It is the right thing to do and it is the only way we will be able to compete with Communist China," he added.