Black Farmers Seek Senate Bill Passage to Fund USDA Settlement

Black Farmers Seek Senate Bill Passage to Fund USDA Settlement
Black farmers feel Senate's slight by its blockade of bills that would fund the USDA's settlement of a discrimination case against the government agency.
On seven occasions the U.S. Senate has blocked passage of bills that would fund the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) $1.25 billion settlement of a class action discrimination lawsuit by black farmers. The settlement agreement was announced February 18, 2010. After entry of the judgment on the settlement agreement, the U.S. House of Representative passed its funding bill in May 2010. Passage of a funding bill has failed seven times in the Senate. The settlement agreement, called Pigford II, aims to redress past allegations against the USDA involving black farmers denial of equal access to farm loans and assistance based on their race.
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