Claims Resolution Act of 2010

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise in support of H.R. 4783.

Today, we have the opportunity to right the wrongs perpetrated on both black farmers and Native Americans in this country. The history of shameful and, yes, rampant discrimination against black farmers and the shameful mismanagement of Native Americans' oil, gas and water rights are being addressed here today. We vote today to settle the Pigford II Black Farmers case against the USDA and the Cobell case on mishandled Native American oil and gas claims against Interior and several tribal water rights claims.

The Black Farmers case against the USDA goes back decades. I was a member of the Judiciary Committee and the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus from 1996 to 1998 when we worked with the Clinton administration, and we were able to waive the statute of limitations so we could get Pigford I up before us. Yet thousands of black farmers lost their farms; many are dead, and many of them did not get their paperwork filed.

This bill provides $1.15 billion to settle the Black Farmers case and $3.4 billion to settle the Cobell claims.

Mr. Speaker and Members, institutional racism and discrimination must be aggressively fought and eliminated.

I am so proud of John Boyd and all of the Members of this Congress who have worked so hard, Mr. Rahall and the rest of them, to do what needs to be done. I am pleased and honored to serve as a Member of Congress where we are dealing with justice and fairness and equality today.

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