By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter

After a marathon of discussion Wednesday and Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB Act), in a 218 to 114 vote Thursday afternoon.

Following the vote, Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening congratulated Congress and the Trump administration on passage of the bill, calling it a “major step forward for agriculture.”

“The OBBB Act includes many critical provisions that strengthen the farm safety net, provide much-needed tax certainty and support the long-term viability of Texas farms and ranches. These measures are essential as producers face rising input costs and a challenging economic landscape,” Boening said.

All but two republican lawmakers voted in favor of the bill Thursday. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) cast the dissenting votes.

“We applaud the administration’s leadership and our congressional allies who recognized the urgent needs of agriculture and delivered meaningful solutions. We are especially grateful to the many members of the Texas delegation who stood with farm and ranch families and worked to ensure this bill puts farmers and ranchers first,” Boening said.

All democrats present voted against the bill.

Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the legislation will bring certainty to America’s farmers and ranchers.

“Modernizing important farm safety net programs and making permanent critical tax provisions could be the difference between staying in business or shutting down the family farm,” Duvall said.

The nearly 1,000-page bill makes the expiring provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent and includes deductions for taxes on tips, overtime pay and car loan interest.

It also includes increases to farm bill safety net programs and new investments in trade promotion, agricultural research and disaster assistance.

“More than half of farmers are losing money, so an increase in reference prices is desperately needed, and tax tools will help farmers and ranchers plan for the next season and the next generation,” Duvall said.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) shared some of the provisions in the legislation that will help U.S. agriculture with the House Rules Committee.

“It makes historic investments in reference prices. It adds base acres for farmers who’ve not been eligible for it. It modernizes the Dairy Margin Coverage program,” Thompson said.

The package includes an increase in funding for the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program and reduces crop insurance premiums.

The bill also makes investments in farm bill conservation and trade programs.

“It has investments in research, investments in animal health, including our large animal veterinarians and the three-legged stool when it comes to animal health,” Thompson said.

According to AFBF, the improvements to farm bill safety net programs are needed to reflect today’s agricultural economy.

“Prices being paid to farmers continue to fall, while expenses remain stubbornly high. The combination is taking a toll.  America lost more than 141,000 farms in a five-year period, leading to more consolidation of family farms,” Duvall said. “Increases to reference prices, as well as investments in conservation, research and trade, are desperately needed, especially since it’s been seven years since passage of a new farm bill. Farmers will stand a better chance of enduring tough times so they can plant for another season.”

The bill now heads to the president’s desk.