Date: 2011-06-15
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

As I discuss my amendment. I want to indicate to my friends on the other side of the aisle. for the life of me. I cant understand why you would oppose an amendment that costs no funds and only emphasizes the importance of urban gardening. There lies the ludicrousness of the lack of collaboration and understanding when there are amendments that would help all of us. So I do express my great disappointment that you didnt understand the amendment and. rather than ask what the amendment meant. you voted loudly "no." Thats unfortunate for the American people. We do that all the time. But I rise today to emphasize the importance of making sure that we implement the judgment that has already previously been discussed that helps the unfortunate farmers that experienced proven discrimination at the Department of Agriculture and to credit Members on both sides of the aisle for recognizing it and recognizing the importance of not infringing upon a judicial decision. a settlement that could help a number of farmers in all categories that were acknowledged by many Members of this body. I thank a number of my colleagues who worked on these issues for a number of years. They worked on it with great sincerity and. as well. they recognized that it is important for us to continue to produce food. but. as well. we need to ensure that all farmers. small farmers and certainly minority farmers. have the opportunity to engage in their trade. My amendment would ensure that the agricultural appropriations are effectively and promptly made available as necessary through this process and. as well. to work with cooperatives supporting small socially disadvantaged producers. The amendment would make the allocation of funds to cooperatives supporting the work of minority and socially disadvantaged farmers as provided in section 310(b)(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act a priority. Again. this particular amendment requires no money. It just indicates that we should follow through on the provisions. However. this funding is vital to support the many farmers and their families that work tirelessly to make sure that other hardworking families have food to eat. It would be hard to deny the vital role that American farmers play in our society. It is also important that this significant group of American farmers not be overlooked. not be marginalized. And I would. frankly. say that we support their continued existence. They have a long history. and I believe it is important to do so. As a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee. I remember the long journey we took in order to ensure that African American. Latino and Native American farmers would not be shortchanged of grants. loans. and programs. This amendment simply seeks to reinforce that. Finally. I would make the point that I hope that we would have the opportunity to find the necessary collaboration again to settle claims of discrimination from those farmers who had not yet come under the particular recent settlement. The President had requested some $40 million to provide settlements for discrimination claims filed under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. It is unfortunate that those resources apparently were not able to be included.