Remarks
                               by
                  Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Rich Rominger
                   Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance
                  "Living the Dream in the New Millennium"
                      Washington, D.C.  January 13, 2000

     "Rosalind, thank you very much. And thanks to Diana Charles and her committee for the
outstanding job they've done organizing this observance. It's an honor to be here, to share my
thoughts on Dr. King, especially at a time like this that's rich in symbolism about crossing
barriers of all kinds ... the kind that separate centuries and the kind that separate people.
     
     "You may have spent New Year's Eve, like many of us, in front of the TV, counting
down either with the Times Square crowd or with the thousands gathered before the Lincoln
Memorial. At 11:53 p.m., exactly seven minutes before the New Year, President Clinton spoke
from the heart to an exuberant crowd waiting for the Midnight Moment and the fireworks over
the Washington Monument.
     
     "The President said that "We must never forget the meaning of the 20th century, or the
gifts of those who worked and marched, who fought and died, for the triumph of freedom. So as
we ring in this new year, in a new century, in a new millennium, we must, now and always, echo
Dr. King, in the words of the old American hymn, 'Let freedom ring.'
     
     "And if the story of the 20th century is the triumph of freedom," the President said, "what
will the story of the 21st century be? Let it be the triumph of freedom wisely used, to bring peace
to a world in which we honor our differences, and even more, our common humanity."

     "If USDA is to live Dr. King's dream in the new millennium, this Department will honor
our differences and our common humanity. The year 2000 marks 37 years since Dr. King
delivered "I Have A Dream" from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
     
     "As we start the New Year, I'm pleased to say that 1999 was a turning point for USDA.
We spent the end of the 20th century working hard to get in place what we need to make fairness
and inclusion a part of everything we do in the 21st.
     
     "Civil rights has been a defining issue for Secretary Glickman and me. Apart from
specific accomplishments, I'm proudest of the fact that we've overhauled USDA's institutional
culture. USDA in the minds of our customers and employees must be a synonym for fair and
equal treatment, dignity and respect, part of everything we do. 
     
     "With the landmark settlement of the Pigford class action suit with black farmers,  
we're closing a chapter and starting fresh. Last year, we worked hard to uphold our part of the
agreement. We're making restitution with cash and loan forgiveness. A sense of closure won't
undo the past. We're not trying to erase. We're trying to acknowledge and resolve these
longstanding issues.
     
     "Secretary Glickman supported everything requested by the Civil Rights Action Team in
1997. That's 92 recommendations. Now, three years later, here's where we are:
     * 77 of those recommendations are implemented or almost implemented. Twelve of the
remaining 15 require Congressional action.
     * We've put about 40 new directives and regulations in place to guide our work in civil
rights well into the future.
     * Outreach councils in every state are making sure USDA programs are available to all. 
     *A new state-of-the-art computer system is helping us reduce the discriminatory
complaint backlog. We're not there yet, but we're on track to resolve all complaints, as they
come in, within 180 days.
     * People are paying a price when they discriminate. We've already taken 60 disciplinary
actions, including removals, downgrades, and letters of reprimand.    
     * We've reorganized the Office of Civil Rights and filled key positions, under the able
leadership of Rosalind Gray. 
     
     "Together, these actions are changing the culture here at USDA. They're the anchor for
progress. They're a promise, not a fulfillment. Living Dr. King's dream in the future means
tough, practical measures now. That's been our work these past three years. With these actions,
we intend to fulfill to the letter the personal commitment Secretary Glickman made to the
President that USDA will emerge in the new century as the federal leader in civil rights
.
 Thank you."