My name is Sieve Mollis. I have worked as a Computer Specialist in the Farmers Home Administralion-St. Loub Finance OfTice and Service Ccnlcr since 1982. 1 have now been assigned to work with the USDA Info Share project to develop a common approach to information systems among the FoiT lA, RDA, ASCS, SCS, FCIC, and Extension Service. For ten years, I also served as President of AFGE Local 3354. 1 now serve as Legislative and Political Action Director for our local AFGE Local 3354 is the largest Local Union within the Fanners Home Administration, USDA, representing over 700 of the 850 employees of the FmHA-St. I-ouis Office. This statement v iU focus on USDA reorganization. I will also briefly comment on other important issues regarding FY 1994 appropriations. The apprcximatcly 110,000 employees of the USDA not only serve farmers, but also rural housing needs, food safety and assbtance piograrus, environmental concerns, and many others. We, the workers who are on the front Unes of service delivery arc ESSENTIAL to the success of these many, varied programs. Wc arc also COMMITTED TO IMPROVING the quality and efficiency of our service delivery. The waste, abuse, and corruption which does exist in USDA comes primarily from the very purposeful mismanagement which has been installed during the Rc.igan Bush years to dismantle and privatize our programs and services. As a worker from our FmllA office in St. Louis states: 'One of (he reasons Hike working for FmKAis because it gives me satisfaction to help people. I know that some of our programs are abused and others are administered badly, but t iat can be fixed if someone has the will to do it. " Usda Reorganization, with a focus on FmHA The FmHA Strategic Business Plan The FmHA Strategic Business Plan, dcN-clopcd during F ' 1990, 1991, and 1992, under the direction of Roland R, Vautour, the former Under Secretary for Small Community and Rural Development, and La Vcrnc Ausman, the former Administrator of FmHA, provides a clear summary of the previous administration's policies. Many of the objectives contained in this plan have already been Lmplemcntcd in the form of office closings, centralization and specialization of underwriting, appraisals, and review functions under the State Offices, and performance standards imposed on State, District, and County officials and employees. ThL Strategic Business Plan is also currently being used as the basis for a multi-million dollar project to develop and implement an Information Systems Plan for FmHA computer systems. The policies underlying this plan arc disastrous for rural Americans and USDA workers, and unless they arc slopped now, and a new strategic direction is developed by the new administration, USDA reorgani/.ation will lil'.ely fail and many tax dollars will be wasted. Through the Administrator's "Strategic Plan", FmllA workers arc being forced to perform our work in such a way as to eliminate low and moderate income rural people &om FmHA programs and to discourage their requests for assistance. When combined with dramatically reduced appropriations levels for direct loan programs, this has led to a reduced "ease load" which has, in turn, been used as the aitcria for closing offices. Office closings have made it impossible for low income people served to transfer their applications to the remaining offices. They are being lost ttom the system. As an example, for several years, the Administration has m.indatcd that 73 to 80% of all FP loan dollars obligated annually will be guaranteed.
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