[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 92 (Wednesday, July 10, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H4477-H4478]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           INSTITUTIONALIZED DISCRIMINATION OF BLACK FARMERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Boozman). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Clayton) is recognized 
for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to join my former 
colleague from North Carolina who acknowledged the contributions of a 
dear friend who died recently, Clarence Lightner.
  Mayor Lightner was a friend to us in North Carolina who worked in the 
early 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He was a pioneer not only because he 
became the first African American to become the mayor of the capital of 
North Carolina, but also because of his ability to raise issues that 
were controversial and get them on the table. He also inspired other 
people to do likewise. I certainly will miss him personally as a 
friend. I got to work with him on various committees that we served 
together on,

[[Page H4478]]

and know of his beloved position in his community and church and 
family, and I personally acknowledge what he has meant to me and meant 
to our State.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk on another subject as well. I rise 
just 6 days after we celebrated Independence Day to call attention to 
the plight of our Nation's black and minority farmers, small business 
people, who continue to struggle for their own independence against the 
forces of institutionalized discrimination at the hand of field offices 
of the United States Department of Agriculture, despite modest gains in 
some recent legislative and legal victories.
  Only days before we celebrated July 4, a group of 150 black farmers 
felt it necessary to stage a sit-in in a regional office of the 
Department of Agriculture to protest the continued discrimination 
practices used by Federal employees to deny them a Federal farm loan.
  This follows on the settlement of a class action lawsuit in 1999 
which all of us thought would bring remedies. That was a consent decree 
in which the government agreed to stop these practices and the court 
provided relief in the way of priorities and loans, and agreed to pay 
$50,000 where there were acts of discrimination proven, and to provide 
other assistance.
  But many who have applied for this relief have been denied, and the 
consent decree expires in 2 years. The government has paid more than 
half a billion dollars to farmers, while denying and refusing to assist 
many of the original plaintiffs. There is not a consistency in the 
application of the relief. So many of the farmers are finding this 
consent decree to be an empty victory or remedy that has no value to 
them whatsoever.
  In a recent ruling by the U.S. Appellate Court in Washington, D.C., 
Pigford v. Ann Veneman, the Court clearly stated that the farmers had 
suffered a double betrayal, first by the Department of Agriculture and 
then by their own lawyers.
  The protest by black farmers in the State of Tennessee demonstrates 
that the Department of Agriculture continues to ignore minority farmers 
who are small and disadvantaged. Secretary Veneman's response, to 
establish a high-level review of the issues within the department and 
to meet personally with these minority farmers, is indeed a positive 
step. However, there have been numerous studies, regulatory reviews, 
adjudication by the courts, and legislative direction by this Congress. 
The patterns of discrimination have been documented. The courts have 
decreed remedies. Congress has enacted specific reform, and it is past 
time for the Department of Agriculture to act and end discrimination.
  The Committee on Agriculture committed here on the floor to hold 
hearings where they will examine the issues of black farmers. The 
committee is considering a full hearing in September.
  The recent legislative victories for civil rights within the farm 
bill must be implemented immediately to ensure that past and present 
practices of discrimination and denials are prevented and corrected.
  Those victories included: An Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at 
USDA; language that requires the Secretary of Agriculture to document 
and to track program participation for minority farmers; and also the 
county committee elections be open and fair, and where there is not 
minority participation, there would be.
  Mr. Speaker, I call on Congress indeed to pass the resources 
necessary for these funds, and I call on the administration to 
implement these policies so we can end discrimination and act in good 
faith for these small farmers who are struggling to make a living for 
themselves.

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