| WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) and a coalition of minority and women-owned businesses and trade organizations achieved a significant legal victory after a federal court dismissed a case threatening the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program.
The lawsuit, Mid-America Milling Co. v. U.S. Department of Transportation, was originally filed by groups seeking to eliminate race and gender-conscious elements of the DBE program. In September 2024, the court issued a preliminary injunction restricting the use of DBE contract goals in states where the plaintiffs operate.
In January 2025, however, President Trump’s executive orders proposed dismantling diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility-related programs across the federal government. In response, the coalition sought formal participation in the litigation to defend the interests of disadvantaged businesses and trade organizations impacted by the case.
The coalition requested that the court dismiss the lawsuit, and recently, the court granted the dismissal. The ruling represents a major victory for small businesses, minority contractors, women-owned firms and organizations advocating for equitable access to contracting opportunities.
“Intervening in this lawsuit was never optional…it was a call to action,” said Wendell R. Stemley, NAMC president. “The government and plaintiffs tried to exclude the participation of countless taxpayers and job creators. That will never improve America’s position in the world economy. We must ensure that all business owners, of all races, from both urban and rural communities, have a fair chance to contribute to building our nation’s wealth and productivity. Anything else is injustice.”
A federal judge also ordered the U.S. Dept. of Transportation to unfreeze the more than $16 billion designated for the Hudson River rail tunnel.
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