Black Farmers invite organizations contact House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid before March 31, 2010
Dear Friends:
We in the “Network of Black Farm Groups and Advocates” have an urgent request. We are writing to ask for your organization to sign-on to our letter to Congress. The letter, which is below, regards funding for the recent and historic settlement of the Pigford lawsuit. The timing of this is urgent as it must pass Congress by March 31.
If your organization will sign-on to the letter please have them email Heather Gray at heathergray@federation.coop.
We also ask for your assistance on this urgent matter by calling your Congressional representatives in the House and Senate and ask that they do everything in their power to pass this emergency legislation by March 31.
If you would like a PDF of the letter please go to our website at http://federationsoutherncoop.com/press/pr2010/pigfordletter1.pdf
We thank you in advance for your support.
Cooperatively yours,
Ralph Paige
Executive Director
Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund
404 765 0991
NETWORK OF BLACK FARM GROUPS AND ADVOCATES
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Harry Reid, Majority Leader, U.S. Senate
Dear Madam Speaker and Mr. Majority Leader:
On February 12, 2010 President Obama sent to Congress an emergency proposal to amend the fiscal year 2010 budget to appropriate funding to settle claims for prior discrimination brought by Black farmers against the Department of Agriculture. The President’s submission included both the necessary legislative language and the OMB analysis of the proposal recommending that the President submit it to Congress.
This proposal was included with two other FY2010 supplemental appropriation proposals.
The proposal needs immediate action. In fact, Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack has stated that the deadline funding for the historic settlement of these claims, on which the proposal is based, is March 31. As you know, this settlement and the need for the funding are well documented and the legislation is in its final form. All Congress needs to do is schedule it for a floor debate and vote on it.
Please keep in mind that the deadline has a human face to it. Most of the late filers in the lawsuit against the USDA, for whom the settlement is to assist, are now older, many have retired and some are deceased. These Black farmers or their families have been waiting for close to ten years for a settlement of their case. Justice for these farmers simply cannot be delayed any longer.
Therefore, this letter is to urge you to do everything in your power to pass this emergency legislation by March 31.
cc:
President Barack Obama
Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack
Representative James Clyburn (D-SC), House Majority Whip
Representative David Obey (D-WI), Chair, House Appropriations Committee
Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI), Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee
Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS), Ranking Minority Member, Senate Appropriations Committee
Representative Charles J. Lewis (R-CA), Ranking Minority Member, House Appropriations Committee
Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Chair, Senate Agriculture Committee
Senator Saxby Chamblis (R-GA), Ranking Minority Member, Senate Agriculture Committee
Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN), Chair, House Agriculture Committee
Representative Frank D. Lucas (R-OK), Ranking Minority Member, House Agriculture Committee
Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA), Chair, Congressional Black Caucus
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Senate Agriculture Committee
Representative Artur Davis (D-AL)
Representative Sanford Bishop (D-GA)
Representative G. K. Butterfield (D-NC)
Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS)
NETWORK OF BLACK FARM ORGANIZATIONS AND ADVOCATES
Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation - Calvin King (870-734-1140)
Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association - Gary Grant (252-826-3017)
Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund - Ralph Paige (404-765-0991)
Land Loss Prevention Project - Savi Horne (800-672-5839)
Mississippi Family Farmer's Association - Eddie Carthan (662-458-0983)
Rural Advancement Fund - Georgia Good (803 378 9450)
United Farmers USA – Hezakeiah Gibson (803 410 2055)
