The Senate tried twice yesterday to pass the Pigford II settlement, a $1.15 billion authorization for African-American farmers who were discriminated against by the USDA. The Senate failed, twice — and now the authorization will have to wait until September, when senators return from recess.The settlement has already been agreed to by the plaintiffs (that is, the African-American farmers who had faced decades of discrimination) and the U.S. government. It was announced in February by President Obama. But Congress must authorize the funds before they can be distributed to the thousands of farmers who were denied loans and other assistance by the Agriculture Department because of their race.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=122936