[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 23, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H7610-H7611]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               USDA ACCOUNTABILITY AND EQUITY ACT OF 1997

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 21, 1997, the gentlewoman from North Carolina [Mrs. 
Clayton] is recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, the National Black Farmers Association 
marched yesterday in front of the White House. They marched for 
equality, they marched for change, they

[[Page H7611]]

marched for fairness, and they marched for justice.
  Why do they march, we may ask? They march because the USDA has a 
documented history of discrimination against blacks and other minority 
farmers. Over the last 32 years there have been numerous reports 
declaring and describing the problems of deliberate discrimination by 
the USDA against black farmers, by agencies such as the U.S. Commission 
on Civil Rights, the inspector general, and our very own Committee on 
Government Operations, as it was known then.
  Farmers and ranchers are invaluable resources to all of us. American 
producers, who represent less than 3 percent of the total population, 
provide more than enough food and fiber to meet the needs of our 
Nation, as well as many nations overseas. By now it should be clear 
that it is not in our national interest to accept the elimination of 
small farmers, family farmers, nor minority farmers and the limited 
resource farmers in the name of progress.
  From 1910 to 1993 the number of American farms have declined from a 
little more than 6.4 million to less than 2.1 million, roughly a 70-
percent decline and decrease. This decline is even greater in the year 
1997. The decline in minority farmers is even sharper.
  In my home State of North Carolina, there has been a 64-percent 
decline in minority farmers just over the last 15 years, from 6,996 
farms in 1978 to 2,498 farms in 1992. There are several reasons why the 
number of minority and limited-resource farmers are declining so 
rapidly, but the one that has been documented time and time again is 
the discriminatory environment present in the Department of 
Agriculture, the very agency established by the U.S. Government to 
accommodate and assist special needs of all farmers and all ranchers.
  The General Accounting Office found instances of discrimination in 
fiscal years 1995 and 1996. GAO also found the disapproval rates of 
loans were 6 percent higher for minority farmers than the 10 percent 
rate for the nonminority farmers. The very next month two related 
reports were released: the Office of Inspector General's Evaluation 
Report for the Secretary on civil rights issues and the Civil Rights 
Action Team Report.
  The authors of these hard-hitting reports came to the identical 
conclusion that those who had looked at this issue some 32 years before 
did. There are significant problems of discrimination within the 
Department of Agriculture. The very same conclusion, 32 years later.
  The farmers and ranchers of America, including minority and limited-
resource producers, through their labor and sustained effort, sustain 
each and every one of us and maintain the lifeblood of our Nation 
through providing food to us. Without these hard-working men and women, 
how could we be fed and clothed, regardless of their race?
  These people do not discriminate with their product. That is why, Mr. 
Speaker, each of us should commit ourselves that we should not have the 
extra burden of discrimination or racism rearing its ugly head. 
Secretary Glickman has said he is personally committed to returning 
USDA to its original status as a people's department, to serve all the 
people, all the people, without regard to their racial identification.
  I am equally committed in that effort to achieve that goal. I 
introduced H.R. 2185, the USDA Accountability and Equity Act of 1997, 
in conjunction with the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Sanford Bishop, the 
gentleman from Alabama, Mr. Earl Hilliard, and the gentleman from 
Mississippi, Mr. Benny Thompson.
  Mr. Speaker, we all should have the goal that discrimination has no 
basis for the farmers and producers for all of America. Please, Mr. 
Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join with me in that goal.

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