Black farmers wait for promised money from government

Thousands of African-American farmers are still waiting to receive $1.25 billion in government settlement money stemming from years of discriminatory loan practices by the United States Department of Agriculture. Congress had until March 31 to appropriate the funds but went on a two-week recess without addressing the issue. Takeaway Washington correspondent, Todd Zwillich, joined a group of black farmers during a frustrating day on Capitol Hill as they tried to find out if they would ever get paid.

The money is in the budget, but because Congress has limits on how they can spend money, they can’t just cut a check; getting the farmers their money means taking it from somewhere else. It’s a story of money vs. justice on Capitol Hill. The group spoke with members of Congress, but as the day went on, it became clear that the wait isn’t going to be over anytime soon.