House and Senate Override Farm Bill Veto Again

June 20, 2008 - The House and Senate voted Wednesday to override President Bush's veto of the $290 billion Farm Bill.

The measure was passed by a large majority in the House (317 to 109) and in the Senate (80 to 14), allowing it to become law despite the veto. Congress can override a presidential veto if the bill is approved by a two-thirds majority in both chambers.

The override came just hours after Bush vetoed the measure, saying it is too expensive and too generous.

Most of the bill was enacted in May, but 34 pages, which included foreign aid programs, were mistakenly missing from the copy Congress sent to the White House so that section did not become law.

To ensure the aid continues and to prevent future legal challenges, Congress passed the bill in its entirety, Bush vetoed it again and then Congress overrode the veto.

"This week leaders with the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) met with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (Mont.) and U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Colin Peterson (Minn.) to personally thank them for their leadership in securing a new Farm Bill and the provisions for sheep producers," stated Peter Orwick, ASI executive director. "Now the Farm Bill efforts move into the implementation phase at USDA, which includes the establishment of the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center."
Staff contact: Peter Orwick, ext. 33

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