Judge Rules Federal Highway Program's Race and Gender Criteria Unconstitutional

The ruling blocks the Department of Transportation from using these criteria in contracts for two companies in Kentucky and Indiana.

U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove declared the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program unconstitutional for using race and gender in awarding contracts.
This decision follows a Supreme Court ruling that curbed affirmative action policies in college admissions.
The ruling currently applies to two plaintiff companies, Mid-America Milling Company and Bagshaw Trucking, operating in Kentucky and Indiana.
The Department of Transportation will comply with the ruling but plans to continue defending the program as the case progresses.
The decision is part of a broader legal trend challenging federal programs designed to benefit minority-owned businesses.