{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-demands-answers-from-air-force-academy-regarding-reports-of-mandatory-diversity-training-exercises", "Cotton Demands Answers from Air Force Academy Regarding Reports of Mandatory Diversity Training Exercises", "2022-09-23", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AR", "Tom Cotton", "C001095", "www.cotton.senate.gov", "cotton", "https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\n\nContact: Caroline Tabler orJames Arnold (202) 224-2353\n\nSeptember 23, 2022\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) sent a letter yesterday to Lieutenant General Richard M. Clark, Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy. Senator Cotton wrote to express his deep concern with reports that the Lieutenant General has commanded cadets to attend \u201cdiversity and inclusion\u201d training sessions. The training reportedly instructed cadets to not use gender-specific terms like \u201cmom\u201d or \u201cdad.\u201d The letter asked the Lieutenant General to confirm the details of the training and the official positions of the USAFA towards gendered and race-related language.\n\nIn part, the senator wrote:\n\n\u201cThese divisive and un-American training exercises have no place in our military and demonstrate an alarming lack of focus at the Air Force Academy. The Air Force Academy ought to teach future airmen to revere our nation\u2019s traditions and values, not to have contempt for them. The USAFA\u2019s increasing politicization is damaging the institution\u2019s reputation, along with the reputation of the U.S. Air Force as a whole.\u201d\n\nFull text of the letter may be found below.\n\nSeptember 22, 2022\n\nLieutenant General Richard M. Clark\n\nSuperintendent, United States Air Force Academy\n\n2304 Cadet Drive, Suite 3100\n\nUSAF Academy, CO 80840-5002\n\nDear Lieutenant General Clark,\n\nI write to express my deep concern with reports that the Air Force Academy recently forced cadets under your command to attend \u201cdiversity and inclusion\u201d training sessions. Cadets were reportedly instructed to refrain from using terms such as, \u201cboyfriend\u201d and \u201cgirlfriend\u201d or \u201cmom\u201d and \u201cdad,\u201d and instead use terms that \u201cinclude all gender.\u201d The training also condemns the use of the term \u201ccolorblind\u201d or the claim that a someone does not \u201csee color.\u201d Even the term \u201cterrorist\u201d was deemed inappropriate.\n\n\u201cThese divisive and un-American training exercises have no place in our military and demonstrate an alarming lack of focus at the Air Force Academy. The Air Force Academy ought to teach future airmen to revere our nation\u2019s traditions and values, not to have contempt for them. The USAFA\u2019s increasing politicization is damaging the institution\u2019s reputation, along with the reputation of the U.S. Air Force as a whole.\u201d\n\nGiven these concerns, please respond to the following questions by October 3, 2022.\n\n1.Can you confirm that the aforementioned training took place?\n\n2.How many cadets were subjected to this training?\n\n3.How much money does USAFA spend on similar \u201cdiversity\u201d training?\n\n4.Is it the official position of the USAFA that gendered language, such as \u201cmom\u201d and \u201cdad,\u201d is offensive or should be avoided by cadets?\n\n5.Is it the official position of the USAFA that terms advocating for equal treatment on the basis of race, such as \u201ccolorblind,\u201d are offensive and should be avoided by cadets?\n\n6.Is it the official position of the USAFA that the term \u201cterrorist\u201d is offensive and should be avoided by cadets?\n\nSincerely,\n\nSenator Tom Cotton", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-demands-answers-from-air-force-academy-regarding-reports-of-mandatory-diversity-training-exercises"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.758900074288249, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}