The Republicans leading the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee are now facing criticism for apparently adopting the Democrats' "diversity and inclusion" messaging, Breitbart News reports. 

The chairman of that committee is U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC). McHenry took over after the Republicans won back the House majority in the 2022 midterm elections.

The criticism stems from a move that McHenry and his fellow Financial Services Committee Republicans made earlier this month.

The announcement

Back on Jan. 12, 2023, McHenry announced the Financial Services Subcommittee chairs and jurisdiction for the new Congress, saying, "Committee Republicans are ready to deliver on our promises made to the American people."

Six subcommittees were announced: the subcommittees on Capital Markets; Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy; Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Inclusion; National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions; Oversight and Investigations; and Housing and Insurance.

In the announcement, McHenry does two things, he names the chairs of the subcommittees and he states the subcommittees' objectives.

"Diversity and inclusion"

Each subcommittee has as an objective the pursuit of "diversity and inclusion." The only difference is that the objective is tailored for each subcommittee.

For example, an objective for the Subcommittee on Capital Markets is "identifying best practices and policies that continue to strengthen diversity and inclusion in the capital markets industry."

Similarly, an objective for the Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions is "identifying best practices and policies that continue to strengthen diversity and inclusion within the national security and international finance industry."

The backlash

McHenry and the Republicans on the Financial Services Committee, according to Breitbart, are now facing criticism, and for an obvious reason: it appears that they have adopted the agenda of the political left.

Breitbart, for its report, quotes the conservative group FreedomWorks, which noted that this "diversity and inclusion" language is "a pillar of 'woke' #ESG standards."

"ESG" stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), and it is what powerful figures on the political left are using to push their extreme agenda.

What of it?

The big question is why has McHenry adopted this language. Is he on board with the Democrats' agenda? Members of the Financial Services Committee insist that this is not the case.

Rather, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), argues that "it is beyond time for our country to look at diversity and inclusion as a way to truly mobilize and amplify people rather than practice placation."