President Obama Signs Agriculture Bill That Lacks Funds for Watkinsville Research Station

Both Houses of Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed late last week an agriculture appropriations bill for the current fiscal year that presumes the closing of the outside Watkinsville.

A spokesman for the Department of Agriculture confirmed today that plans are underway for the closing of the Agricultural Research Service facility but refused to provide any details about when or how that will take place.

The House voted 298 to 121 to approve the bill in a roll-call vote. Only 133 of the 234 Republicans voted in favor. On the Democratic side, 165 of the 185 Democrats voted in favor.

In the Senate, 70 voted in favor of the bill, including 17 Republicans. All of the 30 votes against the bill came from Republicans, including both of Georgia’s senators, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson.

Rep. Paul Broun, a Republican, who represents Oconee County in the House, voted against the bill. Rep. Jack Kingston, a Republican from Savannah, voted in favor.

President Obama signed the bill on Friday.

For details, go to Oconee County Observations.