Administration defends affirmative action in federal contracting

Disappointing conservatives who wanted the government to switch sides, the Bush administration filed a Supreme Court brief Friday defending a federal affirmative action program. Justice Department officials told Reuters that the administration supports the Transportation Department's highway construction program that favors minority and disadvantaged businesses, maintaining the position the previous Democratic administration adopted a day before former President Clinton left office. The closely watched case marked the first test of affirmative action during President Bush's term, and drew sharp criticism from opponents of racial preferences.

Linda Chavez, president of the Center for Equal Opportunity, said, "I think this is not only horrendous policy, I think it is bad politics." Chavez, who was named by Bush to be Labor Secretary but withdrew after a furor erupted over a domestic worker living in her home, said federal contracting would have been an easy case for the administration to draw the line against racial preferences.