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GAO-12-976R 1 (2012-08-29)

handle is hein.gao/gaobacgkw0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Accountability * Integrity * Reliability United States Government Accountability Office Washington, DC 20548 August 29, 2012 The Honorable Joe Baca Ranking Member Subcommittee on Nutrition and Horticulture Committee on Agriculture House of Representatives The Honorable Marcia L. Fudge Ranking Member Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, and Credit Committee on Agriculture House of Representatives Subject: U.S. Department of Agriculture: Progress toward Implementing GA0's Civil Rights Recommendations For decades, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been the focus of federal inquiries into allegations of discrimination against minorities and women both in the programs it administers and in its workforce. In addition, USDA has been and continues to be involved in large civil rights lawsuits claiming discriminatory behavior on the part of USDA, including lawsuits brought by African-American, Native American, Hispanic, and women farmers. In 2002, Congress authorized the position of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights to, among other things, provide leadership to ensure USDA's compliance with all civil rights and related laws under all its programs. In October 2008, we reported on management deficiencies in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR), and included six recommendations.1 These recommendations call for plans to resolve discrimination complaints, ensure the quality of OASCR databases, and develop a department-level strategic plan for unifying USDA civil rights activities. The recommendations also call for USDA to obtain an independent legal examination of some prior civil rights decisions, obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget to collect demographic data, and explore the potential for an ombudsman office to contribute to addressing civil rights concerns. GAO-12-976R USDA Civil Rights Progress 1GAO, U.S. Department of Agriculture: Recommendations and Options to Address Management Deficiencies in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, GAO-09-62 (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 22, 2008). Page1I

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