Legislation Legacy Checkpoint Ethics

Legislation Legacy CheckPoint

Learning about the Native American culture this week, I came across the “The Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (HR 2419)” (National Congress of American Indians [NCAI], 2007, Ð'¶ 5). This bill is said to provide “286 billion over the next five years covering a breadth of USDA programs including rural development, forestry, energy development, agricultural credit, research, commodity payments, conservation and nutritional programs”(NCAI).

The goal as I understand it will be to better educate and provide for Native Americans food and information on how to provide for themselves. This is a major concern because there is poverty and malnutrition among the Native American people. This bill includes the promise of food disbursement allocations for the people who qualify.

I also agree with the government providing education programs on agriculture and nutrition. Education is very important to people that cannot take care of themselves. It provides a beginning to stop the cycle of poverty and malnourishment. This also directs the people to look to the future with hope. Many people get so hopeless that they do not try to help themselves. I believe providing them programs that point them to the future restores dreams and accountability while still allowing them to hold on to their pride in their ancestry. I do not know if it is enough help for the people because the Native American people argue it is too little too late.

The other side to this bill is that the American people are against it. They do not enjoy the fact that it may include more taxation to cover the cost of this generosity to those “socially disadvantaged”. Those against the bill argue that it will punish the American public by raising the cost of groceries making it more difficult for us to support ourselves.

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