[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 422]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HILLIARD DELIVERS ``STATE OF RURAL AMERICA'' SPEECH BEFORE PROGRESSIVE 
                                 CAUCUS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. EARL F. HILLIARD

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 29, 2002

  Mr. HILLIARD. Mr. Speaker, The State of Rural America is akin to most 
third world countries. I see poverty everywhere. The Alabama Black 
Belt, the Mississippi Delta and many reservations, are suffering in far 
greater degrees than the rest of America in this economical recession.
  Agricultural America is suffering in a far greater degree than the 
rest of the nation. During the Great Depression of 1929, the Deep South 
suffered earlier than other parts of the nation and more severely.
  The reasons for this suffering in rural America are many, but the 
lack of jobs and economic infrastructure are the primary reasons. Most 
Americans who live on small farms do not get their income primarily 
from them--they get it from jobs in the cities and towns, and there are 
too few jobs in rural areas, and when they exist, they tend to pay 
poorly.
  To deal with this long-time suffering, Congress needs to concentrate 
on rural development like never before. We need to create increased 
incentives to bring industry and jobs to rural America. We must realize 
that small farmers and independent producers recycle wealth into their 
communities, while large, absentee farmers may not. Investments made in 
small and independent farmers and businesses stay in the rural areas 
and grow.
  We need to increase educational opportunities there, so that the 
children do not hit dead ends in their development. We need to see that 
the children get fully nutritional meals--it is one of the cruelest 
ironies and greatest injustices in America that the children of farmers 
are often undernourished.
  We need to increase programs that support cooperative arrangements 
between farmers, making them more sustainable as they work together, 
purchase and sell together.
  Rural areas need micro-loans--they have small economies and the 
businesses are small. However, we need to make the micro-loans more 
usable, and the Small Business Administration's micro-loan program 
needs to be expanded to make the loans available up to $50,000, rather 
than the $35,000 cap, which is presently active.
  The 8A program of the Small Business Administration has been 
essential in supporting business development in rural areas. It is in 
danger of being destroyed by the present administration, which has 
already published proposed rules which will make it unusable. We 
absolutely must defend the 8A program!''


                               Nutrition

  ``The Food Stamp Program is one that provides a market to many 
farmers and nutrition to many poor people. The current minimum of $10 
is too low, and shows a lack of concern for the hungry Americans who 
live in the richest nation in the world. People on Food Stamps should 
get at the very least $120.00 per month.
  Further, the Food Stamp Program must be extended to legal immigrants. 
These workers are legally here, they contribute not only labor but also 
pay taxes to the American economy, and they should be able to access 
sufficient food for themselves and their children.
  The Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC) should be funded 
sufficiently to meet the needs of the pregnant women and infants in 
this nation--this means that it must not be flat-funded in this 
recession, but expanded. However, the diet it provides, while 
necessary, is not sufficient in all ways, and is supplemented 
efficiently by the farmers market nutrition program, which makes 
available fresh fruits and vegetables necessary for the healthy 
development of our next generation. It must not be cut to make it seem 
that food stamps are being maintained.
  Finally, we must deal with the crisis affecting black farmers. In 
1910, at the worst of times for black Americans since slavery, 100,000 
black farmers were landowners. Today there are only about 10,000 farms 
owned by black farmers--a drop of 90%! We are finding that states have 
collaborated with rich farmers and with banks to scam black farmers out 
of their land, and Congress must deal with this. Not only must it 
cease, but farmers who have been cheated must be made whole. This is no 
worse than armed robbery!
  Despite the settlement of the Black farmers class action lawsuit, 
Pigford vs. Glickman, which has cost the USDA millions to date. The 
Department is still making payments and civil rights violations still 
persist at the Department of Agriculture.
  Little or nothing has been done to see to it that the discriminatory 
practices which led to this lawsuit have ended.
  The administration has failed to hold the USDA accountable to 
producers, to the American people and to Congress. This must be fully 
resolved, and Congress should make sure that it is resolved.
  I think our farmers are heroic, especially our small farmers. But 
they need more reliable allies, and Congress must join the battle 
fully. Our food, our children, and our Nation demand it.''

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