H.R. 3685

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3685 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3685

To enhance civil rights accountability and enforcement in the 
Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 3, 2025

Mr. Jackson of Illinois (for himself and Mr. Thompson of Mississippi) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To enhance civil rights accountability and enforcement in the 
Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Just USDA Standards and Transparency 
Act of 2025'' or the ``JUST Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. CIVIL RIGHTS ACCOUNTABILITY FOR USDA EMPLOYEES.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure that 
appropriate corrective action is taken with respect to any official or 
employee of the Department of Agriculture who has been found to have 
engaged in any of the actions, violations, or misconduct referred to in 
subsection (b) while in the course of such official's or employee's 
employment or in administering a Department of Agriculture program or 
service--
(1) in any administrative finding by the Department of 
Agriculture, including any final agency decision issued by the 
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights and any 
civil rights compliance review or misconduct investigation 
conducted by the Department of Agriculture;
(2) in any Federal administrative or judicial proceeding;
(3) in any settlement with respect to civil rights;
(4) in any audit or investigation conducted by the Office 
of the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture; or
(5) in any investigation conducted by the Office of the 
Special Counsel.
(b) Covered Actions, Violations, or Misconduct.--The actions, 
violations, or misconduct referred to in this subsection are 
discriminatory actions, retaliatory actions, harassment, civil rights 
violations, or related misconduct, including the following:
(1) Failure to provide a receipt for service in accordance 
with section 2501A(e) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, 
and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279-1(e)) to any current or 
prospective applicants of, or participants in, Department of 
Agriculture programs.
(2) Providing an inaccurate receipt for service under such 
section 2501A(e) to any such current or prospective applicants 
or participants.
(3) Failure to provide appropriate information regarding 
relevant programs and services at the Department of 
Agriculture, when requested by any such current or prospective 
applicants or participants.
(4) Failure to timely process applications or otherwise 
delaying program services to any such current or prospective 
applicants or participants.
(c) Corrective Action Defined.--In this section, the term 
``corrective action'' means any action taken to respond to any of the 
actions, violations, or misconduct referred to in subsection (b) that--
(1) would enhance civil rights at the Department of 
Agriculture, including any policy or programmatic changes to 
prevent similar misconduct from occurring in the future; and
(2) may include disciplinary actions, including--
(A) removal from Federal service;
(B) suspension without pay;
(C) any reduction in grade or pay; and
(D) a letter of reprimand.

SEC. 3. IMPROVEMENTS TO THE OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CIVIL 
RIGHTS.

(a) In General.--The Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act 
of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6912 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 
218 (7 U.S.C. 6918) the following:

``SEC. 218A. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS.

``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish in the 
Department the position of Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil 
Rights (referred to in this section as the `Assistant Secretary').
``(b) Appointment.--The Assistant Secretary shall be appointed by 
the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
``(c) Duties.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall delegate to the 
Assistant Secretary responsibility for--
``(A) ensuring compliance with all civil rights and 
related laws by all agencies and under all programs of 
the Department;
``(B) coordinating administration of civil rights 
laws (including regulations) within the Department for 
employees of, and participants in, programs of the 
Department; and
``(C) ensuring that necessary and appropriate civil 
rights components are properly incorporated into all 
strategic planning initiatives of the Department and 
agencies of the Department.
``(2) Office of legal advisor for civil rights.--Not later 
than 120 days after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Secretary shall establish an Office of Legal Advisor for Civil 
Rights that shall--
``(A) be the sole office within the Department 
responsible for providing legal advice to the Assistant 
Secretary to--
``(i) ensure compliance with all civil 
rights and related laws and regulations by all 
agencies and under all programs of the 
Department; and
``(ii) carry out fair and impartial 
investigations of civil rights complaints;
``(B) report directly to the Assistant Secretary; 
and
``(C) not represent or defend the Department or any 
of its agencies with respect to any claims of program 
or employment discrimination.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Assistant secretaries of agriculture.--Section 218 of 
the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 
U.S.C. 6918) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by adding ``and'' at 
the end;
(ii) in paragraph (2), by striking ``; 
and'' at the end and inserting a period; and
(iii) by striking paragraph (3);
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ``any position 
of Assistant Secretary authorized under paragraph (1) 
or (3) of subsection (a)'' and inserting ``the position 
of Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Congressional 
Relations and Intergovernmental Affairs under 
subsection (a)(1)''; and
(C) by striking subsection (c).
(2) Termination of authority.--Section 296(b)(5) of the 
Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 
7014(b)(5)) is amended to read as follows:
``(5) The authority of the Secretary to carry out section 
218A.''.

SEC. 4. EQUITABLE RELIEF.

(a) Equitable Relief From Ineligibility for Loans, Payments, or 
Other Benefits.--Section 1613 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment 
Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 7996) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (f) through (j) as 
subsections (g) through (k), respectively;
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following:
``(f) Equitable Relief by the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture 
for Civil Rights.--
``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary of Agriculture 
for Civil Rights (or a designee of the Secretary in the Office 
of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, if no Assistant 
Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights is appointed and 
confirmed in accordance with section 218A(b) of the Department 
of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994) may grant relief in 
accordance with subsections (b) through (d) to a participant 
who files a civil rights program complaint.
``(2) Decisions.--The decision by the Assistant Secretary 
of Agriculture for Civil Rights (or the designee of the 
Secretary) to grant relief under this subsection--
``(A) shall not require prior approval by any 
officer or employee of the Department of Agriculture; 
and
``(B) is subject to reversal only by the Secretary 
(who may not delegate the reversal authority).
``(3) Other authority.--The authority provided to the 
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights (or the 
designee of the Secretary) under this subsection is in addition 
to any other applicable authority and does not limit other 
authority provided by law or the Secretary.'';
(3) in subsection (g), as so redesignated, by striking ``or 
the State Conservationist'' and inserting ``the State 
Conservationist, or the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for 
Civil Rights (or the designee of the Secretary)''; and
(4) in paragraph (1) of subsection (h), as so redesignated, 
by striking ``and (e)'' and inserting ``, (e), and (f)''.
(b) Equitable Relief for Actions Taken in Good Faith.--Section 366 
of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2008a) is 
amended--
(1) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
``(b) Limitation.--The Secretary may only provide relief to a 
farmer or rancher under subsection (a) if the Secretary determines that 
the farmer or rancher--
``(1) acted in good faith and relied on an action of, or 
the advice of, the Secretary (including any authorized 
representative of the Secretary) to the detriment of the 
farming or ranching operation of the farmer or rancher; or
``(2) failed to comply fully with the requirements to 
receive a loan described in subsection (a)(1), but made a good 
faith effort to comply with the requirements.'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f);
(3) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
``(e) Equitable Relief by the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture 
for Civil Rights.--
``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary of Agriculture 
for Civil Rights (or a designee of the Secretary in the Office 
of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, if no Assistant 
Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights is appointed and 
confirmed in accordance with section 218A(b) of the Department 
of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994) may grant relief in 
accordance with subsections (a) through (d) to an individual 
who files a complaint with respect to civil rights regarding a 
direct farm ownership, operating, or emergency loan under this 
title.
``(2) Decisions.--The decision by the Assistant Secretary 
of Agriculture for Civil Rights (or the designee of the 
Secretary) to grant relief under this subsection--
``(A) shall not require prior approval by any 
officer or employee of the Department of Agriculture; 
and
``(B) is subject to reversal only by the Secretary 
(who may not delegate the reversal authority).
``(3) Other authority.--The authority provided to the 
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights (or the 
designee of the Secretary) under this subsection is in addition 
to any other applicable authority and does not limit other 
authority provided by law or the Secretary.''; and
(4) in subsection (f), as so redesignated, by striking 
``Secretary'' and inserting ``Secretary, or the Assistant 
Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights (or the designee of 
the Secretary),''.

SEC. 5. OFFICE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS OMBUDSPERSON.

Title III of the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of 
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 2231b et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 310. OFFICE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS OMBUDSPERSON.

``(a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish an Office of 
the Civil Rights Ombudsperson (in this section referred to as the 
`Office') within the Department. The Office shall be independent of 
Department agencies and offices.
``(b) Ombudsperson Designation.--The Secretary shall designate a 
Civil Rights Ombudsperson (in this section referred to as the 
`Ombudsperson') for the Office. The Ombudsperson shall be considered a 
senior official of the Department and have a background in civil rights 
enforcement.
``(c) Office Personnel.--The Ombudsperson shall appoint such 
employees as are necessary to perform the functions of the Office and 
for the administration of the Office.
``(d) Functions.--The functions of the Office shall be--
``(1) to assist producers and other customers of Department 
programs in navigating the civil rights review process;
``(2) to ensure that participants (as defined in section 
271) are aware of the appeals process under subtitle H of title 
II, including informal hearings under section 275;
``(3) to promote awareness of the Office and its 
responsibilities among producers and other customers of 
Department programs; and
``(4) to raise issues and concerns with respect to, and 
make recommendations to the Secretary about, equitable access 
or implementation of Department programs.
``(e) Access to Information.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary 
shall establish procedures to provide the Office access to all 
departmental records necessary to execute the functions of the 
Office under subsection (d).
``(2) Timelines.--The procedures described in paragraph (1) 
shall include a requirement that requests from the Office for 
departmental records shall be fulfilled not later than 60 days 
after the request is made.
``(f) Annual Report.--Beginning not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the 
Ombudsperson shall prepare and submit to the House Committee on 
Agriculture and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry a report on--
``(1) the activities carried out by the Office; and
``(2) the findings and recommendations of the Office with 
respect to equitable access or implementation of Department 
programs.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section for 
each of fiscal years 2026 through 2028.''.

SEC. 6. BURDEN OF PROOF FOR NATIONAL APPEALS DIVISION HEARINGS.

Section 277(c)(4) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization 
Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6997(c)(4)) is amended to read as follows:
``(4) Burden of proof.--The agency shall bear the burden of 
proving by substantial evidence that the adverse decision of 
the agency was valid.''.
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