[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 296 Introduced in House (IH)]

  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 296

    Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the necessity to 
 expedite the settlement process for discrimination claims against the 
     Department of Agriculture brought by African-American farmers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 30, 2000

   Mr. Dickey (for himself and Mr. Watts of Oklahoma) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
 the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the necessity to 
 expedite the settlement process for discrimination claims against the 
     Department of Agriculture brought by African-American farmers.

Whereas the Secretary of Agriculture has conceded that the Department of 
        Agriculture and agents of the Department discriminated against certain 
        African-American farmers during the period from 1981 through 1996 in the 
        delivery of Commodity Credit Corporation and disaster assistance 
        programs;
Whereas, to permit the resolution of complaints that were filed by these farmers 
        before July 1, 1997, but not responded to by the Department of 
        Agriculture in a timely manner, section 741 of the Agriculture, Rural 
        Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies 
        Appropriations Act, 1999 (112 Stat. 2681-30; 7 U.S.C. 2279 note; as 
        contained in section 101(a) of division A of Public Law 105-277), waived 
        relevant statutes of limitation that prevented the adjudication of these 
        complaints;
Whereas, on April 14, 1999, United States District Judge Paul Friedman issued a 
        final opinion and order that finalized class action lawsuits filed by 
        African-American farmers;
Whereas the farmers were ordered to file claims to determine their eligibility 
        for the settlement ordered by the court;
Whereas the court has set and the Secretary of Agriculture has entered into a 
        final settlement consent decree that has become the order of the court;
Whereas, once a claimant is deemed to be a member of the class and has proven 
        discrimination, the claimant is entitled to the settlement set forth by 
        the consent decree; and
Whereas the large volume of claims filed as ordered by the court have severely 
        delayed the settlement process as defined by the consent decree: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Agriculture, the 
Attorney General, and the adjudicator and facilitator named in the 
consent decree should strictly follow the consent decree, commit the 
resources necessary to expedite the settlement process, and ensure that 
settlements are reached in an expeditious manner.
                                 <all>