Now that black farmers have reached a new settlement in their discrimination lawsuit against the federal government, it's up to Congress to pay the bill - $1.5 billion to fulfill the agreement black farmers reached last week with the Agriculture and Justice department. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., thinks the settlement is long overdue.
But, Representative Artur Davis, D-Ala., who supports the appropriation, says there is certainly cause for worry that the budget request will not be approved. Pay-as-you-go spending rules could complicate matters by forcing Congress to find ways to come up with the money without adding to the federal deficit.
Given this settlement, others may be on the way. Earlier, other minority groups including women, Native Americans and Hispanics sued the USDA about the same time. Each group has begun talks with the government. Lawyers in a case filed by female farmer's hope Congress will intervene the way it did for black farmers. Hispanic farmers have had settlement meetings with USDA but are frustrated. And the lead attorney for the Native American farmers said their court proceedings have been put on hold while they negotiate with USDA.
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