Trump Administration Removes Ban on Segregated Facilities for Federal Contractors; FTC Commissioners Fired

The Trump administration has removed an explicit ban on "segregated facilities" for federal contractors, according to a memo issued by the U.S. General Services Administration last month. The memo, prompted by an executive order from Trump, eliminates the provision and clause about the "Prohibition of Segregated Facilities" in new solicitations or contracts. While federal and state laws still outlaw discrimination and segregation, civil rights advocates have criticized the move as potentially signaling a rollback of progress on racial equality. In other news, the White House confirmed the firings of Democratic FTC commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya. The commissioners protested their ouster, claiming it was illegal, while FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, a Republican, defended Trump's constitutional authority to remove them. Liberal lawmakers have condemned the firings and called for the commissioners' reinstatement.