Obama Administration Settles Native American Farm Loan Case

[The Straight Story]

Obama Administration Settles Native American Farm Loan Case

Native American farmers rejoiced this week as the Obama administration settled an 11-year legal battle involving allegations of discrimination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In addition to USDA officials conceding the government unfairly denied farm loans and other support to Native Americans, the agreement calls for the payment of $680 million in damages and forgiving $80 million of outstanding farm loan debt.

The federal government also will create a Native American Farmer and Rancher Council to advise USDA, appoint a department ombudsman, provide more technical assistance to Native American farmers and conduct a systematic review of farm loan program rules.

Involving nearly 900 people and covering USDA actions dating back to 1981, the class action lawsuit began in 1999 through the leadership of three families: Marilyn Keepseagle and her husband, George, of Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota; Claryca Mandan and her family of the Fort Berthold Reservation, also in North Dakota; and Porter Holder of Soper, Oklahoma.

http://www.allgov.com/Top_Stories/ViewNews/Obama_Administration_Settles_Native_American_Farm_Loan_Case_101022

[Poll_Blind]

1. Good! That's great news. n/t

PB

[Uncle Joe]

2. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, The Straight Story.

[zipplewrath]

3. The difference a dem makes

I know that the whole "Bush = Obama" bit of hyperbolic metaphor gets thrown around here alot. But what makes it hyperbolic is this kind of action. It does matter which party has the White House because of the thousands of "little things" that really aren't so little.