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H.R.3623 / 111th Congress

To amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to provide funding for successful claimants following a determination on the merits of Pigford claims related to racial discrimination by the Department of Agriculture.

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Sep 22, 2009

Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to make it unlawful for a person to knowingly commit specified fraudulent acts relating to a Pigford claim (relating to racial discrimination by the Department of Agriculture). Subjects a violator to criminal fine and/or up to five years in prison.

Provides for: (1) access to the permanent judgment fund for additional claims payments or debt relief after the expenditure of amounts otherwise made available for claims payments; and (2) reasonable attorney fees, administrative costs, and expenses to be paid from such fund.

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Who introduced it

Rep. Davis, Artur [D-AL-7] · D–AL

Committees

  • Judiciary Committee
  • Agriculture Committee
6 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

  2. Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.

  3. Referred to House Agriculture

  4. Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  5. Referred to House Judiciary

  6. Introduced in House

  7. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Jan 2, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Objective

Analyze H.R.3623 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.3623 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.3623 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

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Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.3623 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

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