November 3, 2004 

 
Dr. John W. Boyd,
Founder and President
National Black Farmers Association
68 Wind Road
Baskerville, Virginia 23915 

Dear Dr. Boyd: 

The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution will hold an oversight hearing on the “‘Notice’ Provision in the Pigford v. Glickman Consent Decree.” This hearing will be held on Wednesday, November 17, 2004, from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. in Room 2141 of the Rayburn House Office Building. 
(** DATE HAS BEEN CHANGED TO Thursday, November 18, 2004, TIME is 10 am - 12 pm**)

I would like to invite you to testify at this hearing regarding your thoughts on the notice provision in the Pigford v. Glickman consent decree. 

In order to allow sufficient time for questions at the hearing, you are requested to highlight the most significant points of your written testimony in a five minute presentation. Your written statement may be as extensive as you wish and will be included in the hearing record. Oral statements and answers to questions will be printed as part of the verbatim record of the hearing; only transcription errors will be edited.  

To facilitate preparations for the hearing, I request that you please deliver to the Committee 100 copies of your testimony with supporting documents by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, November 15, 2004. Please deliver the documents to the Constitution Subcommittee Clerk, House Committee on the Judiciary, Room 2138 Rayburn House Office Building.  

Due to our current mail situation, please deliver the documents either personally or by courier in an unsealed package. In addition, please email a copy of your testimony and biography to our Counsel Mindy Barry at mindy.barry@mail.house.gov and to Staff Assistant Catherine Graham at catherine.graham@mail.house.gov. Your written testimony will be posted to the Committee’s web page the day of the hearing.  

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Should you intend to introduce a published document or report as part of your written testimony, I ask that you provide 75 copies for the hearing as well as ordering information and, where appropriate, Internet or Web site references for public on-line access to the publication. Should you intend to use visual aids during your oral testimony, please provide us with an electronic copy also by 4:00 p.m. on November 15, 2004.  

The Rules of the House require a disclosure of the amount and source (by agency and program) of any Federal grant (or subgrant thereof) or contract (or subcontract thereof) which is relevant to your testimony and was received during the current fiscal year or either of the two preceding fiscal years by you or by an entity that you represent. This disclosure information will be retained by the Committee and made available and accessible to the public. Please complete the enclosed form and return it with your testimony.  

If you have any questions concerning your appearance before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, please contact Mindy Barry at 202-226-7680.

I look forward to your participation in the hearing. 

Sincerely, 

  
F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER, JR.
Chairman 

FJS/mb/cg 

Enclosure