National Urban League President Condemns Federal Court Ruling to End Opportunity for Disadvantaged Business Owners

By National Urban League Published March 6, 2024

NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE PRESIDENT MARC MORIAL CONDEMNS FEDERAL COURT RULING TO END A PATHWAY TO OPPORTUNITY FOR HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS OWNERS

NEW YORK (March 6, 2024) – National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial issued the following statement in response to a federal court ruling that the Minority Business Development Agency, created to expand opportunity for historically marginalized communities, must offer its services to non-marginalized communities:

"The decision is wrong and stands for a narrow, retrogressive view of the Constitution. The work of the MBDA to concentrate on the growth of businesses that remain substantially locked out of the mainstream of the American economy is needed and necessary.

"It is ironic that it was a Republican, President Richard Nixon, who started the Agency, and a Democrat, President Joe Biden, who strengthened it by making it a statutory agency.

"We urge an immediate appeal and every effort to overturn this ruling."