Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) hit back at GOP pundit Scott Jennings on Wednesday after he appeared to link the response of Los Angeles firefighters battling devastating wildfires to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Jennings turned to the topic of DEI — a term that conservatives have used as a racist label — citing efforts by a program in California to diversify firefighting, a profession that is “overwhelmingly white and male,” according to NPR.

“We have DEI, we have budget cuts, and yet now I’m wondering how much do you care what color the firefighters are when your house burns down?” Jennings said in a “CNN NewsNight” panel.

Crockett quickly silenced him.

“The fact is, you should stop acting like only white men are capable, because right now you’re sitting at the table with three very capable black women,” said Crockett, joined by Del. Joining Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) and moderator Abby Phillip on the panel.

Moments earlier, Crockett noted that conservatives shared posts on social media about Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley, who has worked for the department for more than two decades, being a woman.

“That has nothing to do with it. We look at qualifications,” Crockett said of Crowley, the first woman and LGBTQ+ person to lead the department.

“Diversity, equity and inclusion has always been about saying, ‘You know what, open this up.’ Don’t just look at the white men. Open it up and realize that other people can be qualified.’”

She went on to question why conservatives would “decide that a country of immigrants is failing” or that “people are dying” because “the same people built this country.”

“Because last time I checked, you guys weren’t saying there was anything wrong with the White House. And I can promise you that it was my ancestors who built the White House,” she said of the presidential residence, which was built largely by enslaved and free Black people.

She continued: “So, listen, if we were good enough to build this country, we are good enough to serve and die abroad, we are good enough to serve in other ways. And the fact that people actually decide to get involved in public service—whether it’s in Congress or the fire department or the police department—shouldn’t be a problem.”

In response to Crockett, Jennings said he didn’t mean to say that white men were the only ones who could be firefighters.

“I’m just saying that the Fire Department’s primary public policy concern in California lately has been DEI programming and budget cuts…,” he said.

Phillip further questioned Jennings about how the wildfires had “anything to do with DEI.”