Video: Senator Menendez Speaks on Behalf of Hispanic Farmers’ Discrimination Lawsuit + update

I received this update and link to the video above via e-mail:

I wanted to give you the latest update on the Hispanic farmers lawsuit filed against the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”). As you know, the farmers seek to remedy decades of well-documented discrimination perpetrated by USDA in the administration of its farm credit and non-credit farm benefit programs.

1. Today Senator Menendez spoke on the House floor about justice for the Hispanic farmers and urged the USDA to settle the lawsuit. It is an incredibly powerful speech. Senator Menendez’s colleague Senator Udall (D-CO) also spoke on the floor. www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7q055renrI

2. Tim Pigford, named plaintiff in the Black farmers case just wrote a letter to President Obama urging him to direct the Secretary of the USDA and the Attorney General to begin immediately good faith negotiations to resolve the pending discrimination lawsuits brought on behalf of Hispanic, Native American and women farmers pursuant to Section 14011 of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008. I have attached the letter. Tim Pigford knows exactly how much we have suffered from USDA’s decades of discrimination – because the same thing happened to him and his fellow African American plaintiffs. We welcome his support in our attempt to get justice,” said Lupe Garcia, named plaintiff in the Garcia v. Vilsack lawsuit and a spokesman for Justice for Hispanic Farmers.

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