Mississippi
Anti-DEI bills clear both the Mississippi House and Senate
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, or DEI is a hot-button issue across the country right now. And the Mississippi legislature is joining in on taking action. However, that comes with its fair share of passionate debate.
The House version of a DEI ban would impact the state’s public schools from K-12 up to universities.
It would do away with certain diversity training programs, prevent teaching what the bill outlines as “divisive concepts” and require they teach that there are only two genders: male and female.
“If it is not followed by public schools or colleges and universities, the Attorney General or an individual would have a right to an action to enforce it,” said HB 1193 author Rep. Joey Hood.
The school could have state funding withheld till they comply.
“We were moving forward and as it relates to race relations, gender discrimination and now we’re going back in time and I just don’t understand why we even consider a bill like this,” said Rep. Jeffery Harness.
Less than 24 hours after the hours-long House debate, the Mississippi State Conference NAACP was hosting its Advocacy Day.
Although they were taking a stand on multiple issues, several noted that communities of color are under attack and said this of the talk about DEI bans.
“How can you have a democracy without diversity?” asked the Mississippi State Conference NAACP Executive Director. “How can you have a democracy without equity and you absolutely cannot have a democracy without inclusion? So, I wish that our legislators and I wish the folks around the country would stop using this term in a perverse way. Say what you mean and mean what you say.”
By the end of the work day Thursday, the Senate had cleared a version of its own. Unlike the House proposal, Senate Bill 2515 would only apply to universities and community colleges.
“Abolishing DEI policies does not mean we are abandoning diversity,” noted Sen. Tyler McCaughn.
“I think that this bill is a turning around point in our history,” said Sen. Hillman Frazier. “This bill is the 1890 constitution in 2025.”
The bill passed. Now, each chamber will consider the other’s proposal.
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Mississippi
Mississippi lawmakers face pressure to counter looming federal cuts to health care after punting this session
Wicker: Mississippi powered Artemis II
Published 4:00 pm Monday, April 20, 2026
For nine days this month, space travel captivated the world. Families gathered around their screens as four astronauts strapped into the Integrity spacecraft docked at the Kennedy Space Center. As the launch countdown ended, four Mississippi-tested RS-45 engines ignited, and the ground shook. Seven seconds later, the Integrity had liftoff. For six intense minutes, the RS-45 engines rocketed the crew into high Earth orbit, sending them on their historic lunar flyby mission.
Mississippi should take a bow. The four RS-45 engines were tested at our very own Stennis Space Center, where Mississippians have been ensuring the quality of rocket engines since the Apollo program. For eight years, engineers, safety managers, and logistics specialists from the state have tested the engines that powered the Integrity and will power future Artemis launches. Their work paid off, and the launch was a marvel of engineering. NASA leadership made special mention of the rocket engine burn, calling it “flawless.”
One Mississippian in particular helped make the mission a success. Hernando native Matthew Ramsey handled a great deal of responsibility as the mission manager for Artemis II. The Mississippi State University graduate helped set the focus for the mission and equip the astronauts and staff for the job. Matthew also served as the deputy of the Mission Management Team, the group of NASA staff that comes together just days before a launch. The team assumes the risks of the mission ahead, and they make tough calls during flight if challenges arise.
As the Artemis II journey progressed, the world could not stop watching. Our social media feeds were full of photos and videos beamed down from the heavens. They captured humorous situations, such as the astronauts adjusting to life without gravity or testing their plumbing skills.
We also witnessed moments of majesty. On the fifth day, the Integrity began using the Moon’s gravity to slingshot our astronauts back home. That trajectory led the crew around the Moon, farther from Earth than any humans have ever gone. As the explorers looked upon outer space, they captured stunning images. Among the most remarkable is Earthset, in which Commander Reid Wiseman photographed Earth as it appeared to fall below the horizon of the moon.
When their spacecraft returned to Earth’s atmosphere, the crew was traveling nearly 35 times faster than the speed of sound. Ten minutes later, a series of parachutes began opening. Eventually, the spacecraft’s speed fell to 20 miles per hour, and the crew splashed down into the Pacific Ocean.
Mississippi was once again there to assist. The astronauts were greeted by the USS John P. Murtha, a U.S. military vessel built in the Huntington Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula. The ship’s amphibious design was suited to welcome the space travelers home—equipped with a helicopter pad, medical facilities, and the communications system needed to locate and recover the astronauts safely. Crucially, the USS Murtha was built with a well deck, a sea-based garage that stored the Integrity on the journey to shore.
Artemis II was a resounding success, paving the way for planned future flights. When the Artemis program returns humans to the moon, Mississippi will be there every step of the way.
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