By The Editors

African-American and Native American farmers, who’ve endured decades of discrimination from the federal government, rallied in Washington this week in an effort to get the Senate to finally approve payout of the billions of dollars they were awarded through the settlement of lawsuits nearly a decade ago.

Black farmers are due more than $1 billion dollars for decades of discrimination they suffered in seeking help from the federal Department of Agriculture. Native American farmers are due more than $3 billion for longstanding acts of discrimination by the Department of the Interior.

Although the settlements to the lawsuits both groups, respectively, filed were settled years ago, and the House of Representatives has approved legislation appropriating monies for the payouts, the Senate has continually refused to act.

Its inaction has left many farmers in both groups in worsening financial straits, and the leaders of both groups increasingly frustrated with the Senatorial inaction.

Wednesday, however, may be the breakthrough moment. According to The Hill newspaper, which covers the federal government, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV, intends to bring an amendment allocating funds for the farmers to the Senate floor for a vote.