WASHINGTON, D.C. - OREGON CONGRESSMAN BOB SMITH, CHAIRMAN
OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, AND BI-PARTISAN LEADERS
ON THE COMMITTEE TODAY ANNOUNCED THE OPENING OF HEARINGS ON CHARGES
OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN PROGRAMS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA), AS THE COMMITTEE RELEASED ITS
SCHEDULE THROUGH MARCH 19.
The Committee has a busy schedule of hearings and business meetings,
including a full committee hearing on trade, as well as subcommittee
hearings on Electronic Benefits Transfer systems for distributing
food stamps and discrimination complaints against USDA.
A copy of the Committee's latest schedule follows this release.
"Obviously, the charges of discrimination in USDA-administered
programs are a serious matter, and the Committee will undertake
an equally serious, thorough, and bi-partisan inquiry, starting
at Chairman Goodlatte's subcommittee," said Smith, the Committee's
Chairman.
"The USDA has done its own review and, well-intentioned
as it might be, we nonetheless have an obligation to exercise
our oversight responsibility into these charges. This has implications
not just for the complainants, but for all of USDA as we look
into prospects for the Department's reorganization," said
Rep. Bob Goodlatte, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Department
Operations, Nutrition, and Foreign Agriculture.
"Given Chairman Smith's early interest in investigating
complaints of discriminatory lending practices and racial bias
within USDA, and considering the broad bi-partisan support for
doing so, I am confident the Congress will closely monitor the
manner in which the Department addresses these issues," said
Rep. Charlie Stenholm, the Committee's ranking Democrat.
"I'm pleased that we're moving forward in a positive and
bi-partisan way. This hearing is an important first step toward
eradicating the problems identified in the report. This hearing
will provide Congress an opportunity to hear from USDA officials
who conducted the investigation as well as farmers and employees
who will be impacted by the findings," said Rep. Eva Clayton,
the Subcommittee's ranking Democrat.
Updates to the Committee on Agriculture's schedule can be obtained
by calling the Committee's schedule hotline at (202) 225-6871.