‘Not Acceptable’: McCarthy Condemns GOP House Member’s Use of Term ‘Colored People’

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) reacted Friday to one of his GOP members, Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), using the term “colored people” during a debate on the House floor the night before.

McCarthy was asked about Crane’s comments, which were quickly stricken from the record and sparked condemnation, during a back and forth with reporters.

“That is not acceptable and I will take him at his word that he misspoke. I have never heard him use that before. So you’d have to ask him about that,” replied McCarthy to the reporter’s question.

Crane made the comments in response to a floor speech by Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), in which Beatty railed against amendments to the defense spending bill that was up for debate.

“I’m old enough to remember when Black officers, when women, were not allowed to serve. You are setting us back. On this floor on both sides of the aisle we have people of color, we have people who have served,” Beatty said of the amendments.

“Though that was unbelievably inspiring, my amendment has nothing to do with whether or not colored people or Black people or anybody can serve, ok?” Crane said in response.

“Mr Speaker!” interjected Beatty as Crane continued.

After Crane finished, Beatty said, “I’d like to be recognized to have the words ‘colored people’ stricken from the record. I find it offensive and very inappropriate. I am asking for unanimous consent to take down the words referring to me or any of my colleagues as ‘colored people.’”

Beatty’s motion was granted and Crane later claimed he had misspoke. “In a heated floor debate on my amendment that would prohibit discrimination on the color of one’s skin in the Armed Forces, I misspoke,” Crane told The Hill. “Every one of us is made in the image of God and created equal.”

Watch the clip above.