Official Title: Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack
Department of Agriculture




Roles:
(1) designate appropriate organizations to inspect or test equipment, or both;
(2) issue certificates according to annex 1, appendix 1, paragraph 4 of the agreement;
(3) create such regulations as may be necessary to apply the agreement and administer this chapter, including, but not limited to, providing for suspending or denying the purpose of any organization to inspect or test equipment and for denying the issuance of certificates of compliance that will be necessary to ensure compliance with the provisions of this chapter and the regulations issued thereunder;
(4) make periodic on-site inspections of facilities and procedures used by those seeking certificates of compliance and by organization made to test or inspect equipment under this chapter;
(5) require submission of reports by those seeking certificates of compliance and by organizations designated to test or inspect equipment under this chapter;
(6) require maintenance of records by those seeking certificates of compliance and by organizations designated to test or inspect equipment under this chapter, such records to be made available to the Secretary upon request;
(7) inform contracting parties, through the Secretary of State of the United States, of all general measures taken in connection with the implementation of the agreement; and
(8) take such other action as may be considered appropriate to implement the agreement and administer this chapter.

Quote:
As you know, civil rights is one of my top priorities. In the Departmental complaint system alone, more than 14,000 complaints have been filed since the year 2000. Approximately 3,000 of these complaints remain to be processed, and questions continue to be raised about USDA's handling of complaints. I have said many times that I intend to take definitive action to improve USDA's record on civil rights and to move USDA into a new era as a model employer and premier service provider.

This quote shows Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack's concern and interest in working to improve USDA's record on civil rights and transform USDA into a better era.

Video link:
http://usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os_gAC9-wMJ8QY0MDpxBDA09nXw9DFxcXQ-cAA_1wkA5kFaGuQBXeASbmnu4uBgbe5hB5AxzA0UDfzyM_N1W_IDs7zdFRUREAZXAypA!!/dl3/d3/L0lDU0lKSWdrbUNTUS9JUFJBQUlpQ2dBek15cXpHWUEhIS80QkVqOG8wRmxHaXQtYlhwQUh0Qi83X1A4TVZWTFQzMUc3TEMwSUNFTDlPT1QyMDQ2L0NKX21TNTMwNDAxMDEvc2EucmV0cmlldmVjb250ZW50/?PC_7_P8MVVLT31G7LC0ICEL9OOT2046005915_navtype=RT&PC_7_P8MVVLT31G7LC0ICEL9OOT2046005915_navid=SECRETARY_PAGE&PC_7_P8MVVLT31G7LC0ICEL9OOT2046005915_parentnav=ABOUT_USDA