CLYBURN STATEMENT ON PIGFORD-COBELL CLAIMS RESOLUTION SIGNED INTO LAW

WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-SC) today released the following statement after President Barack Obama signed into law H.R. 4783, the Claims Resolution Act of 2010. The legislation, which is fully paid for, provides funding to resolve class action lawsuits brought by African American farmers and Native Americans who were discriminated against by the United States.

“Finally, our nation’s black farmers and Native Americans who were discriminated against by their own government have received some modicum of justice. Despite years of political gamesmanship that prevented us from finding a fair resolution, thousands of families who have waited for the settlements will now receive them. After more than a decade this bill finally, in some significant measure, resolves the Pigford v. Glickman class action lawsuit settlement reached in 1999 that was filed by African American farmers against the Department of Agriculture for discriminating against black farmers who applied for access to loans and other assistance.

“However, I have concerns with language added in the Senate that could have a chilling effect on farmers settling claims. The Senate-added language calls for a ‘Neutral Adjudicator’ who has the authority to demand additional information from claimants, beyond what was required to qualify for the class action suit. It also requires the Inspector General to conduct an audit of settled claims. I hope the unprecedented processes laid out in this bill do not become tools for witch-hunts and intimidation, and I will maintain the appropriate level of oversight of the program to ensure that does not happen.

“In addition to the Pigford resolution, this bill also rectifies the century long injustice to hundreds of thousands of Native Americans who were denied royalties owed to them by the Interior Department. These families were cheated out of funds owed to them and I am happy that today we are finally doing what is right and funded the Cobell v. Salazar settlement.

“We removed the stain on our country’s history and rectified these injustices and I want to thank President Obama, my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus, Senators Reid, Grassley, Dorgan and Conrad for making this day a reality. What happened to our nation’s African American farmers and Native Americans was wrong, and we have made it right.”