$1.15 Billion Going to Whom? Investigate 'Fraud-Plagued' Settlement With Black Farmers, Congressman Says

[Geee]

CNSnews:

(CNSNews.com) - An effort to stop more than a billion dollars of taxpayer money from being redistributed to "anonymous claimants" failed in the House this week, but it may have set the stage for a congressional investigation.

Rep. Steve King's amendment to block $1.15 billion allocated for the "fraud-plagued" Pigford II discrimination settlement with black farmers failed on a vote of 155-262 on Friday.

All 155 votes in favor of blocking the money came from Republicans. And 78 Republicans – including Reps. Darrell Issa (Calif.) and Alan West (Fla.) -- joined Democrats in killing the amendment. (See roll call)

Rep. King (R-Iowa) offered the amendment to an Agriculture Appropriations bill because of concerns about widespread fraud in the Agriculture Department's second settlement with black farmers who claim they were discriminated against in getting USDA farm loans and benefits in the 16-year period from Jan. 1, 1981 to Dec. 31, 1996.

Although his amendment failed, King noted that 155 Members of Congress "are prepared to join me in pulling the plug on funding" for the settlement, dubbed "Pigford II" after the name of the lead plaintiff.

"In light of the strong showing of support for my effort to block funding for Pigford II, the House should now be prepared to initiate a Congressional investigation. The 155 votes my amendment received indicate that the stage has been set for this Congress to investigate Pigford II fraud fully," King said.

As CNSNews.com previously reported, the federal government in 1999 paid out about $1 billion to 15,640 black farmers who claimed the USDA had discriminated against them by refusing to provide them with federally subsidized farm loans and benefits in the years 1981-1996.