, ▁but ▁that ▁the ▁private ▁and ▁public ▁sector ▁should ▁be ▁encourag ed ▁to ▁reach ▁out ▁to ▁accomplished ▁minor ities ▁to ▁increase ▁employ ment ▁divers ity . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁a ▁report ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Commission ▁on ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁states ▁that ▁" the ▁government ▁fails ▁to ▁seriously ▁consider ▁race - neut ral ▁alternatives ▁as ▁the ▁Constitution ▁requires ." ▁Chair man ▁Ger ald ▁A . ▁Reyn olds ▁explained , ▁" F eder al ▁ag encies ▁do ▁not ▁independently ▁evaluate , ▁conduct ▁research , ▁collect ▁data , ▁or ▁period ically ▁review ▁programs ▁to ▁determine ▁whether ▁race - neut ral ▁strateg ies ▁will ▁provide ▁an ▁ade qu ate ▁alternative ▁to ▁race - cons cious ▁programs ." ▁Civil ▁rights ▁groups ▁expressed ▁concern ▁that ▁the ▁report ▁was ▁an ▁attack ▁on ▁aff irm ative ▁action ▁incons istent ▁with ▁Gr utter ▁v . ▁Bol ling er . ▁ ▁In ▁his ▁first ▁term , ▁Bush ▁appointed ▁Col in ▁Pow ell ▁as ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State . ▁Pow ell ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁man ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁that ▁position , ▁and ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁Cond ole ez za ▁R ice : ▁R ice ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁woman ▁to ▁hold ▁the ▁post . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁he ▁appointed ▁Alberto ▁Gonz ales ▁as ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Att orney ▁General , ▁the ▁first ▁His pan ic ▁to ▁hold ▁that ▁position . ▁ ▁Bush ▁met ▁with ▁the ▁National ▁Urban ▁League , ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁oldest ▁civil ▁rights ▁organization ▁during ▁his ▁term