3.0.0 3685 2026-03-16T18:07:52Z 2026-03-16T18:07:52Z House H HR 2025-06-03 119 https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3685 [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 3, 2025)][House][Pages H2419-H2420]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mr. JACKSON of Illinois:H.R. 3685.[[Page H2420]]Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article I, Section 8, clause 3]]> hsag00 Agriculture Committee House Standing Referred To 2025-06-03T16:04:10Z 2025-06-03 Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. IntroReferral H11100 2 House floor actions hsag00 Agriculture Committee 2025-06-03 Introduced in House IntroReferral Intro-H 9 Library of Congress 2025-06-03 Introduced in House IntroReferral 1000 9 Library of Congress J000309 Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1] Jonathan Jackson D IL L. 1 N T000193 Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2] Bennie Thompson D MS G. 2 2025-06-03 True T000488 Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] Shri Thanedar D MI 13 2025-06-05 False Agriculture and Food Agriculture and Food 2025-07-11T17:24:59Z 00 2025-06-03 Introduced in House 2026-03-16T18:05:27Z Just USDA Standards and Transparency Act of 2025 or the JUST Act of 2025

This bill increases Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversight and enforcement of civil rights-related violations and actions.

USDA must take appropriate corrective action regarding any USDA official or employee who engages in certain discriminatory actions, retaliatory actions, harassment, or civil rights violations (e.g., failure to provide appropriate information regarding relevant USDA programs and services). A corrective action (1) is any action that would enhance civil rights at USDA, including policy or programmatic changes; and (2) may include disciplinary actions (e.g., removal from federal service or a letter of reprimand).

The bill shifts the burden of proof from a farmer or rancher to USDA in an appeal to the USDA National Appeals Division. Specifically, USDA must prove by substantial evidence the validity of a USDA adverse decision.

Further, a farmer or rancher who fails to comply fully with the requirements to receive a loan may be eligible for equitable relief if the USDA determines the individual made a good faith effort to comply with the loan requirements.

The bill also

  • directs USDA to establish an Office of the Legal Advisor for Civil Rights and Office of the Civil Rights Ombudsperson;
  • creates the required position of Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights (currently an optional USDA position); and
  • allows the Assistant Secretary to grant relief, without prior approval, to farmers or ranchers who file certain civil rights complaints, including complaints regarding direct farm ownership, operating, or emergency loans.
]]> JUST Act of 2025 Display Title 45 JUST Act of 2025 2025-06-09T13:23:19Z Short Title(s) as Introduced 101 JUST Act of 2025 2025-06-09T13:23:19Z Introduced in House IH Short Title(s) as Introduced 101 Just USDA Standards and Transparency Act of 2025 2025-06-09T13:23:19Z Introduced in House IH Official Title as Introduced 6 To enhance civil rights accountability and enforcement in the Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes. 2025-06-09T13:18:22Z Introduced in House IH Introduced in House 2025-06-03T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr3685ih/xml/BILLS-119hr3685ih.xml 2025-06-03 Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.