Graves Votes Farm Bill into Law

Press Release

Graves Votes Farm Bill into Law

U.S. Congressman Sam Graves, the only Missourian on the Agriculture Committee and one of only a handful of farmers in Congress, voted to override the President's veto of the Farm Bill.

"This has been a long process but I am pleased to see the Farm Bill finally become law," Graves said, "It has taken over a year and a lot of hard work, but this bill works for the 65,000 farmers and ranchers of the Sixth District."

Today's vote was the second time the House voted to override the President's veto of the Farm Bill due to an error by Congressional Leadership in omitting 35 pages from the bill that was originally sent to the President. The error forced the House and Senate to re-pass the complete Farm Bill to ensure it would not be challenged in the courts.

"I am happy that Congress finally got things right and finished the Farm Bill once and for all. Our farmers and ranchers deserve a bill that will not be subject to challenges and lawsuits due to the errors of Congressional Leadership. This has been a long process but we now have a Farm Bill that works for Missouri."

Graves has worked on the Farm Bill from the beginning in order to craft a bill that increases the role of agriculture in energy, fights fraud, provides a safety net and increases opportunities for research and economic development.

"Being a farmer myself, I know how important this bill is to our farmers," Graves said. "It is not a perfect bill, but we've worked in a bi-partisan manner to fashion a workable bill. I've talked with a lot of farmers and producers and this bill works for Missouri."

Graves worked to include common sense provisions that promote agriculture and protect the farm safety net. Graves authored an amendment to the bill that permanently bans anyone convicted of defrauding USDA programs from being eligible again. The bill also created a National Institute of Food and Agriculture that will help bring research from the classroom into the field.

Graves also worked to make sure the Farm Bill adapts to the challenges farmers and rural communities are facing in the global economy. The bill includes new flexibility for farmers who will now have the option of the traditional counter cyclical program or a new revenue based program. The bill also made changes the Rural Utility Service (RUS) program to increase the reach of broadband in rural areas.

The House voted 317-109 to override the President's veto.

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