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p3<5889sy>|q9s9gs|q+~q|s9x|q>gxϟ9<ϙ?3>gϞ|3s9>g>gyϟ"~όsy>g3:>g?<ϙ?0>g9 0s8?>g>gyϟ"~@sx>`02f>`? ϙ?0>g9 0y>O?'<>g>gyϟ&~@sx>`0O>p? ϙ?3>gϓ3y>O'?>g>gyϟǁ ~sy>g3O> ß?O >ϙ?3>ǵ?3y>O'?>g>gyϟ~|sy>g3_>ϟ?O&>yϘ9>sx?9>O'9>g>s|qϟς??<|yǞys|>s9|gx?&?Ϝ898>p8"?<>g>pϜxp~s>p8?px?&?ϟ yy>>x?<>"?>g>|'Ϝ|>x?s>|>?sx?~ߐdžߏǂ?σ{??σ>=<??ρ x8ς'ρ>Oρ>Oρ񟞁ς'ρ>Oρ>Oρ?~?ρς-'σO>OO>O!?<x y<ρ27N>o>o<`yLJ?8p >|q89?ρ2?s8x9yy|9?sg993ρ? 33~ρyy?sg983ρ? ə3&0~s  ?8xyǎx|?3?~8q3-τO8!9s<pg? ????@*J:\DRAFTS\NRLOGO.WPGJ:\DRAFTS\NRLOGO.WPGhd\,3BV4d\,,  AZ"Arial Regular(. Z 6Times New Roman Regular(3$ !  'dxd( $ Figure  1   VZY I&mage <=8C HKKKK !  _   ^ 8XXdd8^ j\6&"`x1E% `E--%y%y,,%j (#(#        (#(# @@II,  ReleaseNo.0213.00  XiXXXBXXi Remarks l @   #. BN#,  .#XNd X ,m#0  AsPreparedforDelivery#XX XXNd#. XXB . b6 (#(# #. B|##XX .]#<   @@)(#(#by N" U.S.SecretaryofAgricultureDanGlickmanoǹCivilRights2000:AContinuingJourney  Washington,DCJune29,2000  Thankyou_Pearlie_Ԁforyourleadershipandforyourguidanceonthisveryimportantsubject.  Goodmorning.Thankyouallforcoming.Thiswasagoodopportunitytogettogetherbecausehumanrelationsandcivilrightsfolksfromalloverthecountrywereintownthisweek.Ivecalledyoualltogethertotalkaboutthestateofcivilrightsat our USDAthestateofour  effortstofostergoodhumanrelationsatthepeoplesdepartment.  SincewereleasedourprogressreportoncivilrightsinMay,Ivebeenthinkingaboutoureffort!whatwesetouttodo,whatweveachieved,whatcontinuestohauntusandwhat nB moreneedstobedone.  Sometimespeopledontseecivilrightsassomethingthataffectsthem.Butifyoulookatcivilrightsaspartofalargerissue!humanrelationsthenitbecomesmoretangibleto .   everyone.Itsabouthowpeoplegetalongandhowpeopletreateachother.Itsnotjustaboutblatantactsofdiscrimination.Itsabouthumanunderstanding;itsaboutcommunicating;itsabouttakingamomenttograspsomeoneelsesperspectivewhojustseesthingsalittlebitdifferently.Civilrights!humanrights!beginandendwithourpersonalconvictiontotreat #"$ eachotherwithrespect.Howwetreateachotherdefineswhoweare.  ThefactisthatsevenyearsagocivilrightswasntapriorityofthisDepartment.And,quitefrankly,whenIwasamemberofCongressandontheHouseAgricultureCommittee,USDAscivilrightsissueswerentontheradarscreenthereeither.  Sowebeganthisjourneytogether,andnow,today,Iwanttotakeameasureofwhereweareandwhereweveyettogo.    ӄmore   _  1/2 _ 2   Ouraccomplishmentsarevaried,andIbelievesignificant.Weveincreasedfarmloanstowomenandminorities.Werereachingouttominorityownedbusinessesthroughvariouspartnerships.Andlastyearweawarded$300millionincontractstosociallydisadvantagedandminorityfirms!nearly10%ofthetotal.Andrightnowwereinthemidstofcompletingwhat  maybethelargestcivilrightssettlementinournationshistory!hundredsofmillionsofdollars  ЄtoAfricanAmericanfarmers.  Partofsolvingthecivilrightsdilemmameanshavingbetterrepresentationofminoritiesandwomen.So,evenwhilewevedownsizedUSDAsworkforceby15%weve increased   p  representationofwomen,AfricanAmericans,Hispanics,AsianPacificIslanders,AmericanIndians.Andwevegotmoreminoritiesandwomenservingoncountycommittees.But,whilethatsagoodstart,Iwanttoseeevenmorediversity.  Ourcivilrightsofficehasbeenexpandedtonotonlydealwithcomplaints!whichIwill L  talkmoreaboutlater!buttoreachouttominorities,andtotrainmanagersandemployeesin < civilrightsissues.Andwearediscipliningcivilrightsoffenders!94casesinthelast18 , months.  Wealsoneedtoconsidertheintangibles,theprogresswevemadethatcannotbemeasuredinnumbers.Dopeoplefeelgoodaboutcomingtowork?Aretheymorecomfortablehere?Ibelieveonbalancethingsarefarbetterthantheyveeverbeen,evenfourorfiveyearsago.Butfrankly,itneedstogetawholelotbetter.  Evenso,whatIwillnotstandforisanyone!whatevertheirperspectiveorbeliefs,  whateversidetheyreon!whodisparages,inwordordeed,thegoodworkandgoodheartsof p thevastmajorityofthepeopleofUSDA.Thatisjustplainwrong.  Civilrightsandgoodhumanrelationstakeswork,dayinanddayout.Whenitcomestopeoplegettingalongwitheachother,ourworkisneverfinished.Itsthekindofbattlethatneedstobefoughtoverandoveragain.And,therearenoeasyanswers.Someoneoncesaidthatforeveryproblemthereisasimpleandwrongsolution.Iftherewereasimpleanswer,Ithinkwewouldhavefounditbynow.  Itisclearthatyoucantmakeprogresswithoutastrongcivilrightsstructureinplace.ButattimessomeemployeesandcustomersfeelthattoooftenthisDepartmentisdrowninginprocess!thatwhilediscriminationcontinuestorearitsuglyhead,werecaughtupinrules, "!$ regulationsandprocedureswhenwhattheywantisactionandanswers.  Weallneedtocoexist.Puttingreliablesystemsinplaceisimportant,butwecannotletprocessmutetheneedtounderstandthehumanelement!theneedforpeopletobeheardand &%( listenedto.Andwemustnotviewourcivilrightseffortasaprogramtobecompletedinafinitetimeframe!implementitandthenweredone!likemakinggrants,disasterpaymentsor (`'* puttingoutaforestfire.  Weshouldnotbecaughtuponlyinprocess.Ouremployeesandcustomerswantanddeserveactionsandanswers.Wemustbepositive,constructiveandworktowardabetterfuture.Todosomeansweneedtobebothtoughandcompassionate.  e e more: 0/3 ]   ] d d  @  @`  @  @  @h  @  @ 3] ]   MartinLutherKingsaid, Wemustcombinethetoughnessoftheserpentandthesoftnessofthedove,atoughmindandatenderheart.Forthetenderheart,Iwouldsayweallneedtopauseandreexamineourownattitudesandthoseofourcoworkers.Weneedtounderstandthatcivilrightsisabouthumanrelations.Weneedtounderstandthatevenasmostofuscelebrateourdiversity!themeltingpotthatisAmerica!therearethosewhofeardiversity  andarethreatenedbyotherswhoaredifferent.Itsnotfair,butitsareality.Wealsoneedtounderstandthattherearethosewhowanttohelp,whowanttochangethings,whowanttosolvetheseproblems,whoseheartsareintherightplace,buttheydontknowhow.Wemustshoweachothertheway.  ForthetoughnessoftheserpentIwouldsayweneedtostrengthenoursystems,ourprogramsandcivilrightsenforcement.Weneedtosetabenchmark,abaselinetowhichfuturemanagers,futureSecretariesandfutureAdministrationswillbeheldaccountable.However,establishingpolicymeansnothingwithoutmeaningfulexecution.ButbecauseUSDAisaverydecentralizedorganizationmuchmoresothanmostfederalagenciesanddepartmentsitistheresponsibilityofeveryundersecretary,everyadministrator,everymanagerineverycountytoensurethatthecivilrightspoliciesofthisdepartmentarecarriedout.  Letsbefrank,theresgoingtobeanewSecretaryherenextyear,andanotheronesometimeafterthat.IwantyoutoknowImgoingtositdownwithmysuccessorandImgoingtolayitoutexactlywhatwevedone,exactlywhereUSDAisheadedandtheinstitutionalstructurethatweveputinplacetodealwithcivilrights.Thereisnoturningback.TheemployeesofUSDAwonthaveitanyotherway.Wehavemadeitapolicythateveryemployeeandcustomerbetreatedfairly!weputcivilrightsatUSDAonthemap!wemade p civilrightsenforcementapriority!andnobodycantakethataway.Thatisthestandardweve ` setagainstwhichallfuturemanagerswillbemeasured.ButitisalsoastandardthateveryemployeeofthedepartmentandthenextAdministrationmustcarryon.  Today,Imtakingseveralactionstofurtherenhanceourabilitytoenforcecivilrightsandimprovehumanrelations.  Illbeginwithrequiringgreateraccountability.Theresaperceptionouttherethatsomepeoplecanusethesettlementprocesstoavoiddisciplinaryactionsortoflikeanofaultdivorce.Noharm,nofoulkindofthing.Thatsaproblemandwehavetofixit.Weneedtomakesurethatbadactorscantmanipulatethesystemandmanagetoslipundertheradar.Butatthesametimewedontwanttodeterpeoplefromusingoursettlementprocesstoresolveclaims.SotodayImannouncingthatallcivilrightssettlementswillautomaticallybereferredtoagencyhumanresourcespeoplewhowilldecidewhat,ifany,furtheractiontotake!withbiggercases %$' kickedupstairsforreviewattheDepartmentlevel.  Iwanttotakeamomenttotalkaboutperformanceevaluations.Intheory,issuesconcerningcivilrightsandhumanrelationsareconsideredacriticalelementoftheseevaluations.Butinfact,theseareasaresometimesgivencursoryconsideration.Inmanycasespeoplehavecometoexpectanoutstandingorexceedsratingasanentitlementwhenitshouldbeearned.Iexpectourmanagerstorigorouslyreviewevaluationsofcivilrightsandhumanrelationsperformanceinthesamewaytheyreviewanyotherjobrequirement!fromgettingtoworkon <-,/ timetogettingthepaperworkdone.  ӄmored+ 0/3 @*` ̇` a   a 4a +a Ialsoexpectthemostseniormanagersofourdepartmenttomonitorthis;andtheiroversightwillbeapartoftheirreviewprocessaswell.  Next,astheinspectorgeneralsreportindicated,ourOfficeofCivilRightshasbeenunabletohandlethesheervolumeofcomplaints.Infact,thereareover600claimsthathaventevengottenpastthefirststep.So,todayIamdirectingtheOfficeofCivilRightstohireoutsidecontractorstoreviewtheseclaimsanddeterminewhethertheyshouldbemovedtophasetwoinvestigation.Weneedtogetthisprocessmoving,andifbringinginoutsidehelpiswhatwevegottodo,thenthatswhatwelldo.  Buttakingactiontomorequicklyresolveexistingcomplaintsisonlyaddressingpartoftheproblem.Weneedtofindoutwhyweregettingthesecomplaintsinthefirstplace.Iwouldexpectthateachagencywouldhaveinvestigatedthereasonswhythisishappening,whytheresahighconcentrationofcomplaintsinsomeareas.SotodayImannouncinganexperiment.WearegoingtoselectthreeorfourgeographicalareasfromdifferentagencieswithhighvolumesofcomplaintswhereIwillsendanoutsideinvestigatoryteamwithamandatetogetanswersandreportbackdirectlytome.Thesewillbeoutside,objectiveinvestigatorsbroughtintofindanswersandhopefullyofferupsomesolutions.  OneofthebiggestconcernsImgettingfromtalkingtomanagersandemployeesisthatmanyminorityemployeesfeelthattheyarenotbeingheard,thatnobodycares,thattheyvegotnowheretoairtheirgrievancesandthatmanyemployeesfearthattheymaybesubjecttoretaliationorreprisal.Thattellsmethatourmanagersarenotalwaysdoingtheirjobs,thatourvariousagenciesdonthavethepropersystemsinplacewherepeoplefeeltheycangetsomeaction.Soemployeesgrievancesaresometimeslefttofester.Weneedearlyintervention.Onceagain,thisisnotsomethingthatcanbedealtwithfromhighup.Wealsoneedeveryonetounderstandthatmediationandalternativedisputeresolutioncanbeveryeffectivewaysofresolvingconflictsatearlystages.Also,employeeunionsinmanyagencieshavebeeneffectiveinprovidingastructureforresolvingproblemsbeforetheyfester.WeneedtopayattentiontoouremployeerepresentativesandweshouldrenewourcommitmenttoworkingwithourPartnershipCouncils.But,mostofall,thisisanonthegroundissue.Everyagency,everycounty,everyofficeneedstofindawaytodealwithissuesofhumanrelationsbeforetheygetoutofhand.Thismorningyourundersecretarieswillbeleadingbreakoutsessions,whereIdlikeyoutobegintoexplorewaysthatwecansolveproblemsearly.  IalsowanttomakesurethatwecontinuetoaddressemployeesconcernsattheDepartmentlevel.Soweregoingtoexpandaprocessthatisalreadyworkinginsomeareas.Wealreadyhavetwominorityadvisorycommittees,onerepresentingHispanicsandonerepresentingpeoplewithdisabilities.Theyhaveworkedoutquitewell!givingthesecommunitiesavoice %$' andanotherplacetogowiththeirconcerns.TodayImannouncingtheformationoffivemoreemployeeadvisorycommittees!oneeachforAfricanAmericans,AsianAmericansandPacific 'p&) Islanders,NativeAmericans,women,andgaysandlesbians.Inaddition,thesesevenadvisorycommitteeswilleachsendtworepresentativestoaDiversityCouncilwhichIwillcharterforthepurposesofadvisingmeonissuesimportanttothesegroups.    ӄmorel:   `     h   b  0/3 b c   c 5c ;c   DeputySecretary_Rominger_ԀandIandsomeofmyseniorstaffwillattendthebreakoutsessions.Partoftheagendaofthesesessionsisforyoutogiveusfeedback,totalktousabouttheproblemsandthesuccesses.Iespeciallywantyoutosharewithusandamongyourselveswhatisworkingandwhatyouvetried.Thatshowweregoingtoadvanceourcause,stepbystep.ButIdontlookatthesebreakoutsessionsassomebeallendall.Theyarepartofaprocess,aprocessthatIwanttoseeallofusdeveloptogether.  Inclosing,IwanttoremindyouthatwehereatUSDAarepartofagreaterwhole!that  wholebeingourgreatnation.Nextweek,onIndependenceDay,wewillcelebratesomeofourmostcherisheddemocraticvalues!liberty,freedom,justiceagoodtimeperhapstoreflecton  `  whatIvetalkedabouttoday.AnditsworthnotingthattheproblemswehaveatUSDAarereflectiveofoursocietyasawhole!thingsareimproving,butnotfastenough.TheCivilRights l @  Actwaspassedin1964.Thingsareawholelotbettertodaythantheywerethen,buttherearestilldeeplyentrenched,complex,emotionalproblems.  CivilrightsisnotjustaUSDAissue.Corporations,schools,communitiesarealldealingwithit.ImremindedofapassagefromtheBookofProverbs, Forasaman_thinketh_Ԁinhisheart,soishe.Inthatsense,Ibelievethatasasocietywevecomealongway,thatwedotreateachotherbetterthanweoncedid,thatwearemakingprogressatimprovinghumanrelations.Buttheproverbremindsusthatwhoweareandhowweactisrooteddeepdowninsideeachandeveryoneofus.Soinanothersense,ashumanbeingsandhowwetreateachotherwevegotalongwaytogo.  Theworkwedohereiscritical.Wehelpourfarmersandranchersprovidefoodsecurityforourcitizensunparalleledanywhereelseintheworld.Throughprogramslike_WIC_ԀandFoodStamps,weprovidethelifesbasicessentialstopeoplewhohavenootherplacetoturn.Ourfirefightersthrowthemselvesinharm'swaytoprotectlifeandproperty.Ourfoodsafetyinspectors,twoofwhomweremurderedinthelineofdutylastweek,ensurethatthemeatandpoultryonAmericandinnertablesissafetoeat.?+ 4 <DL!X?  Withallofthesecriticalfunctionsandmore,someoftheminvolvinglifeanddeath,wesimplycannotaffordtoallowcivilrightsproblemstocompromisetheworkwedohere.Sowhilethisisaboutjustice,it'salsoaboutourabilitytomeetourobligationstotheAmericanpeople.  Eachofusmustmakethecommitmenttogooutandmakethisabetterplacetoworkandmakethissocietyabetterplacetolive.TheresnothingnewinwhatImsayinghere.Butcivilrightsandhumanrelationsingeneralissuchamonumentalstruggle,thatthemessageneedstoberepeatedweneedtoconstantlyrenewourcommitment.AttentiontocivilrightsandhumanrelationsatUSDAmustbeapartofourjobeveryday,everyhour,everyminute.AUSDAthatshowsthewayoncivilrightswillnotonlybeabetterplacetowork...itwillbeabetterworkingplace...onethatistruetoitsname:thePeople'sDepartment.Thankyou.\ \   Z ##Z [ [ #FI