[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 33 (Monday, February 22, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S758-S759]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                    Nomination of Thomas J. Vilsack

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, tomorrow we are going to be taking up 
the nomination of former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and former Secretary 
of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and now the nominee to be Secretary of 
Agriculture again.
  I fully support this nomination. He has received support from farm 
and commodity groups across the country, but, more important to this 
Senator, he received praise from family farmers in Iowa. However, a few 
critics of the former Iowa Governor have raised questions about his 
record on addressing racial inequities during his time as Secretary of 
Agriculture from 2009 until 2017. I would like to take this opportunity 
to set the record straight.
  I have long worked toward ensuring Black farmers receive justice for 
the decades of discrimination that occurred through many different 
administrations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, both Republican 
and Democratic.
  People have often asked me why in the world a Senator from Iowa would 
get involved in this issue. While there aren't many Black farmers in 
Iowa, my State has a long history of fighting against oppression of 
African Americans dating to the Underground Railroad. There is no 
reason to stop that trend.
  In my first discussion with then-to-be Secretary of Agriculture 
Vilsack in 2009, I brought up my work in what is called the Pigford 
consent decree. A provision I led in the 2008 farm bill enabled more 
Black farmers to bring their claims forward and authorized the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture $100 million for additional settlements.
  Mr. Vilsack at that time, talking to me privately, vowed then to work 
closely with me and other Senators on issues and then immediately got 
to work doing just that, helping Black farmers. Under the leadership of 
Secretary Vilsack, the U.S. Department of Agriculture discovered that 
the $100 million at that time appropriated wasn't enough to cover the 
settlements that Black farmers were entitled to under that consent 
decree, so in 2010, part of Secretary Vilsack's budget request included 
over $1 billion to ensure a robust settlement for all Black farmers who 
were discriminated against for the previous two or three decades. The 
Claims Resolution Act was signed by President Obama in December 2010 
and implemented successfully by Secretary Vilsack.
  Besides the Pigford settlements, a top priority during Secretary 
Vilsack's previous tenure was ensuring a comprehensive plan to improve 
the USDA's record on civil rights, and that record on civil rights 
wasn't very good based upon what I have already said about the Pigford 
case but in a lot of other areas as well. Secretary Vilsack made it 
clear to all employees that discrimination of any form would not be 
tolerated at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
  My support for justice for those who have faced discrimination 
remains constant, and I am looking forward to working with Secretary 
Vilsack and leaders in the Congress to ensure equal rights for every 
farmer and family in this country.
  I am glad to have the opportunity to set the record straight on 
Secretary Tom Vilsack's solid record in pursuing justice for victims of 
discrimination.
  Mr. Vilsack is the right person for this job. I know that Secretary 
Vilsack

[[Page S759]]

will continue to work for family farmers and spotlight those farmers' 
contributions to agriculture and what agriculture does for society as a 
whole. As an Iowan, that is part of Mr. Vilsack's very nature.
  I urge my colleagues to confirm Secretary Vilsack once again so that 
the Department of Agriculture has the necessary leadership in place to 
continue the important work, and that is, supporting those who feed and 
fuel the country and, indirectly, a lot of people around the world.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. COTTON. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.