{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/chairman-roberts-bipartisan-farm-bill-passes-senate-one-step-closer-to-certainty-and-predictability-for-kansas-farmers-and-ranchers", "Chairman Roberts Bipartisan Farm Bill Passes Senate; One Step Closer to Certainty and Predictability for  Kansas Farmers and Ranchers", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "KS", "Pat Roberts", "R000307", "www.roberts.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today announced the Senate approved the Conference Report for the Farm Bill, bringing certainty and predictability one step closer for the nation's farmers and ranchers. The Senate passed the conference report, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 with a vote of 87-13.\r\nFor audio and video of the Chairman's remarks go here.\r\nThe House of Representatives is set to debate and vote on the Conference Report as early as Wednesday.\r\nEarlier today President Donald Trump signaled his support for the bill when he told reporters, \"We think the Farm Bill is in very good shape. Our farmers are well taken care of. Again, that'll be quite bipartisan.\"\r\nThe following are Senator Roberts' remarks, as prepared, upon Senate passage of the report:\r\nThe goal, the responsibility, the absolute requirement is to provide farmers, ranchers, growers and everyone within America's agriculture and food value chaincertaintyandpredictabilityduring these very difficult times.\r\nThis Farm Bill meets the needs of producers acrossall regions and all crops. \r\nAnd, it ensures that ourvoluntary conservation programsare keeping farm land in operation while protecting our agriculture lands,forests,and other natural resources. \r\nThe bill focuses onprogram integrityand commonsense investments to strengthen ournutrition programsto ensure the long-term success of those in need of assistance. \r\nAnd, with trade and market uncertainty, to say the least,itprovidescertaintyfor ourtrade promotionandresearchprograms.\r\nFeeding an increasing global population is not simply an agriculture challenge, it is anational securitychallenge. \r\nThis means we need to grow more and raise more with fewer resources. That will takeinvestments in research, newtechnology,lines of credit, and properrisk management. It takes the government providing tools, and then getting out of the producer's way.\r\nOrganizationsrepresenting thousands of agriculture, food, nutrition, hunger, forestry, conservation, rural, business, faith-based, research, and academic interests have issued statements supporting the conference report.\r\nThis is what happens when the Congress works in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion. This is a good bill that accomplishes what we set out to do  providecertainty and predictabilityfor farmers, families, and rural communities.?\r\nWehavemadetough choices,beingjudicious with thescarce resourceswe haveon behalf of the taxpayer. \r\nThis may not be the best possible bill. But, it is the best bill possible under these circumstances. And, importantly, itprovidesour farmers, ranchers and other rural stakeholdersmuch neededcertainty and predictability.\r\nFor more information on the provisions in the bill go here. \r\nThis is Chairman Roberts' eighth Farm Bill, and will be his second to be signed into law as a Chairman. Senator Roberts is the first member of Congress to chair both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/chairman-roberts-bipartisan-farm-bill-passes-senate-one-step-closer-to-certainty-and-predictability-for-kansas-farmers-and-ranchers"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8541918359696865, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}