I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4687
To provide for the identification and discipline of members of county and
area committees established under the Soil Conservation and Domestic
Allotment Act, and employees of such committees, who discriminate
against farmers, ranchers, and other participants in programs of the
Department of Agriculture on the basis of race, sex, national origin,
marital status, religion, age, or handicap.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 15, 2000
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi (for himself, Mrs. CLAYTON, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr.
HILLIARD, Ms. NORTON, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. CONYERS, Ms.
MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Ms. LEE, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. MCKIN-
NEY, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. DIXON, Mr. CLAY, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. FROST,
Mr. BISHOP, Mrs. MEEK of Florida, Ms. WATERS, Ms. CARSON, Ms.
JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. SCOTT, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. DAVIS
of Illinois, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr.
WYNN, and Mr. RUSH) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Government Reform, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To provide for the identification and discipline of members
of county and area committees established under the
Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, and em-
ployees of such committees, who discriminate against
farmers, ranchers, and other participants in programs
of the Department of Agriculture on the basis of race,
sex, national origin, marital status, religion, age, or
handicap.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. IDENTIFICATION AND DISCIPLINE OF MEM-
BERS AND EMPLOYEES OF COUNTY AND
AREA 
COMMITTEES 
WHO 
DISCRIMINATE
AGAINST 
OTHER 
PERSONS 
IN 
ADMIN-
ISTERING AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS.
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
(1) COUNTY
COMMITTEE
EMPLOYEE.—The
term ‘‘county committee employee’’ means a county
executive director or any other employee of a county
or area committee employed pursuant to section
8(b)(5) of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allot-
ment Act (16 U.S.C. 590h(b)(5)).
(2) COMMITTEE
MEMBER.—The term ‘‘com-
mittee member’’ means any member of a county or
area committee established pursuant to section
8(b)(5) of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allot-
ment Act (16 U.S.C. 590h(b)(5)), any member of a
community committee so established, any delegate to
a local administrative area convention or county con-
vention, and any alternate to any such office.
(b) IDENTIFICATION OF SOURCES OF DISCRIMINA-
TION.—Before settling or otherwise resolving any non-
employment-related complaint of discrimination based on
race, sex, national origin, marital status, religion, age, or
handicap in the administration of programs of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture, the Secretary of Agriculture shall
identify any committee member or county committee em-
ployee involved in the discriminatory conduct so that the
alleged discrimination may be investigated and addressed
in the manner provided in part 7 of title 7, Code of Fed-
eral Regulations.
(c) DISCIPLINARY MEASURES.—
(1) CIVIL MONEY PENALTY.—Subject to para-
graph (4), the Secretary of Agriculture may impose
a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $20,000
on a committee member or county committee em-
ployee if the Secretary finds that the committee
member or county committee employee discriminated
on the basis of race, sex, national origin, marital
status, religion, age, or handicap in the administra-
tion of a program of the Department of Agriculture.
(2) LOSS OF ANNUITY OR RETIRED PAY.—Sub-
ject to paragraph (4), the Secretary may terminate
the entitlement of a committee member or county
committee employee to all or a portion of any annu-
ity or retired pay under subchapter III of chapter 83
of title 5, United States Code, that the committee
member or county committee employee would other-
wise receive if the Secretary finds that the com-
mittee member or county committee employee dis-
criminated on the basis of race, sex, national origin,
marital status, religion, age, or handicap in the ad-
ministration of a program of the Department of Ag-
riculture.
(3) REMOVAL.—The penalties described in
paragraphs (1) and (2) are in addition to the exist-
ing authority of the Secretary under section 7.29 of
title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, to remove and
disqualify for future service or employment any com-
mittee member or county committee employee for
cause.
(4) DUE
PROCESS.—A penalty described in
paragraph (1) or (2) may be imposed only on the
record after providing the committee member or
county committee employee with an opportunity for
a hearing in the manner provided in section 7.31 of
title 7, Code of Federal Regulations.
Æ