Nadler’s Hearing to Address Racial Discrimination By the Government

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties today held a hearing to examine H.R.558, the African American Farmers Benefit Relief Act of 2007 and H.R.899, the Pigford Claims Remedy Act of 2007. Both of these bills would provide relief for African-American farmers who have been unable to obtain redress in the cases of Pigford v. Veneman and Brewington v. Veneman.

Both cases are class-action suits brought by African American farmers that charged the Department of Agriculture with discriminatory practices. Part of the settlement was meant to provide a remedy for these terrible injustices. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, including mismanagement and apparent continuing resistance by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Justice, that remedy remains elusive for many.

"That our government engaged in racial discrimination is unacceptable, and we must take steps to fix the problem," said Rep. Nadler. "The injustices perpetrated against African American farmers by our government have resulted in the dispossession of countless family farmers, and the near ruin of thousands of others. This injustice has gone on for too many years, and the longer this drags on, the more farmers will be pushed into bankruptcy and off the land their families have farmed for generations. That is unacceptable. I want to thank Congressmen Scott and Davis for working so hard to bring justice to these deserving Americans."

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