[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 139 (Thursday, September 29, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 29, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
          DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1994

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                               speech of

                        HON. CYNTHIA A. McKINNEY

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 28, 1994

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3171) to 
     authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to reorganize the 
     Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes:

  Ms. McKINNEY. Mr. Chairman, I come before this body today to thank 
Chairman de la Garza for including language that will address the issue 
of diversity on the U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] farmer 
committees. I'd like to commend the chairman for taking a stand on an 
issue that's so important to the farmers in all of America's farming 
districts.
  For too long, Mr. Chairman, farmer committees have operated without 
proper representation for women, African-Americans, Hispanics, and 
other groups. A more diversified membership on USDA's powerful county 
committees will certainly reduce if not eliminate the possibility of 
discrimination in USDA programs.
  I have no doubt, Mr. Chairman, that when the Comptroller General 
prepares a report to determine whether ``socially disadvantaged 
producers'' are underrepresented on State, county, and local 
committees, it will show decades of severe under-representation of 
female and minority farmers and most notably African-Americans. It will 
show that we have to take steps now to ensure greater diversity of 
racial, ethnic, and gender representation on State, county and local 
committees.

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