Published: 05-15-08
WASHINGTON DC – Today the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419 the Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008) by a overwhelming bipartisan vote of 318 to 106 more than the two-thirds margin necessary to override a potential Presidential veto. Congressman Mike Conaway (TX-11) made these comments following the vote:
“The Farm Bill that passed the House today is in the best interest of agriculture producers and consumers across the country. By passing this long-overdue and extremely important piece of legislation a sense of certainty will be returned to farmers ranchers and rural America. Since coming to Congress I am proud to have worked alongside many Members on both sides of the aisle on such a critical piece of legislation whose effects reach far and touch many. The Farm Bill has an impact on every single American and I am proud to have had a role in the crafting of this bipartisan resolution.
In the event that President Bush vetoes this legislation as he has threatened to do I will not only cast my vote to override the veto but work to ensure that any such action is defeated. It is my expectation that any Presidential veto will be overridden and the legislation passed today will become law.”
The Senate is expected to begin debating the bill this afternoon with a vote on final passage coming as early as tomorrow morning.
Congressman Conaway is a Member of the House Committee on Agriculture.
