Sam Farr

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Sam Farr
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California
In office June 8, 1993 – January 3, 2017
Preceded by	Leon Panetta
Succeeded by	Jimmy Panetta
Constituency	17th district (1993–2013) 20th district (2013–2017)
Member of the California State Assembly from the 27th district
In office December 7, 1992 – June 14, 1993
Preceded by	Sal Cannella
Succeeded by	Bruce McPherson
Personal details
Born	Samuel Sharon Farr (1941-07-04) July 4, 1941 (age 83) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Shary Baldwin Farr
Children	Jessica Farr
Parent	Fred Farr (father)
Residence	Carmel, California
Alma mater	Willamette University, Santa Clara University, Monterey Institute of International Studies
Sam Farr's voice Sam Farr honors retiring members of California's House delegation Recorded December 12, 2012

Samuel Sharon Farr^[1] (born July 4, 1941) is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for California's 17th (1993–2013) and 20th congressional districts (2013–17). He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was elected to Congress in a 1993 special election when longtime Democratic Rep. Leon Panetta resigned to become Director of the Office of Management and Budget. On November 12, 2015, he announced his retirement from Congress after the 2016 elections.^[2]

Farr was born in San Francisco, the son of Janet Emerson (née Haskins) and Frederick Sharon "Fred" Farr. One of his maternal great-grandfathers was acting mayor of Los Angeles William Hartshorn Bonsall, and one of his paternal great-great-grandfathers was the brother of Nevada Senator William Sharon.^[3] He grew up in Carmel, where he still lives. His father was a California state senator from 1955 to 1967.^[4]

He was educated at Willamette University, Santa Clara University and the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Farr is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity at Willamette University.

Farr joined the Peace Corps in 1964 and served for two years as a volunteer in Colombia. He spent his time in a poor barrio near Medellin, teaching community development skills.^[5]

While Farr was serving in Colombia, his mother died from cancer. Following her death, his father visited with Farr's sisters. While riding horses, his sister Nancy was thrown and hit her head. She died on the operating table in a Colombian hospital.^[6]

Since his Peace Corps service ended, Farr has visited Colombia often. He went there for his honeymoon and has returned several other times for both personal and official business. During a trip in 2007, Farr spoke before the Colombian Congress and was awarded the Orden del Congreso de Colombia.^[7]

Farr's public service career began in the California State Assembly, where he worked as a staffer on budget issues for a decade. In 1975, he ran for and won a seat on the Monterey County Board of Supervisors.^[6]

In 1980 he was elected to a seat in the Assembly, where he became a champion for the organics industry and wrote one of the country's strictest oil-spill liability laws. He served in the Assembly until his election to Congress in 1993. ^{[citation needed]}

Farr was elected to the House of Representatives in a 1993 special election. He succeeded Leon Panetta, who resigned to become President Bill Clinton's budget director. Farr defeated Republican Bill McCampbell with 52 percent of the vote, and then was elected to his first full term in 1994, defeating McCampbell again with 52 percent of the vote. Both contests were the closest in the district since Panetta claimed the seat for the Democrats in 1977, and to date are the only times since then that a Republican has crossed the 40 percent mark. The district quickly reverted to form, and Farr was re-elected ten more times with no substantive opposition, never dropping below 64 percent of the vote.

• Farr introduced the "Oceans Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act" (H.R. 21 Archived October 9, 2008, at the Wayback Machine) in January 2007. The bill would consolidate national management of oceans, creating a system of regional governance; make the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration the chief oceans agency; create an ocean advisor in the president's Cabinet; create regional and national ocean advisory committees; and create an Oceans and Great Lakes Conservation Trust Fund. It received a subcommittee markup in April 2008 and passed by a vote of 11–3.^[8]
• Farr's "Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 2008" (H.R. 1084 Archived December 20, 2014, at the Wayback Machine) was approved by the House but stalled in the Senate. The bill would create capacity within the State Department to quickly deploy civilian expertise and coordinate the government response to crises abroad. President [George W. Bush] supported the program and approved initial creation of the group. Farr participated in a rollout of the group with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in July 2008.^[9]

Farr was active in several congressional caucuses, including the House Oceans Caucus, the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus, the Congressional Bike Caucus, the Congressional Organic Caucus, the International Conservation Caucus, and the Unexploded Ordnance Caucus.^[10]

He served as co-chair of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus with Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Florida). Farr actively supported the travel industry, boosting membership in the caucus to more than 100 and hosting caucus events, including a June 2008 gathering of travel executives and congressional leaders--The Economic Roundtable: Travel's Significance to the U.S. Economy.^[11][12]

Farr also was active as co-chair of the House Oceans Caucus, which he co-chaired with four other members. Each year the caucus helps sponsor Capitol Hill Oceans Week, known as CHOW, which draws hundreds of ocean experts from across the country. Farr also co-chaired the Congressional Organic Caucus and the Unexploded Ordnance Caucus.

Farr served on the House Democracy Assistance Commission, a group established by the House and mandated to work with emerging democracies throughout the world. The group engages in "peer-to-peer cooperation to build technical expertise in partner legislatures that will enhance accountability, transparency, legislative independence, access to information, and government oversight."^[13]

He also is the former chairman of the California Democratic congressional delegation, the largest state delegation in Congress.^{[citation needed]}

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (Ranking Member)
  • Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies

• Farr was one of 31 House members who voted to not count the electoral votes from Ohio in the 2004 presidential election.^[14]
• He opposed the USA PATRIOT Act and is pro-choice. He received a 91% progressive rating by Progressive Punch, ranking him the 42nd most progressive member of congress.^[15]
• Farr took a leadership role for the House Democrats in opposing the Central American Free Trade Agreement because he did not think it had good environmental and worker protections.
• He voted against the invasion of Iraq and was actively against the Iraq War.
• Farr voted for the $700 billion Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.
• He received a perfect 100% rating for the 110th, 111th, and 112th United States Congresses from the Human Rights Campaign.^[16]

• Farr is a proponent of ocean protection and conservation. In addition to H.R. 21, Farr introduced the Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act (H.R. 3639) and the Clean Cruise Ship Act (H.R. 6434 Archived October 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine).
• He opposes opening new areas to offshore drilling, instead supporting the drilling of 68,000,000 acres (280,000 km²) of federally owned land already under lease, including 33,000,000 acres (130,000 km²) on the Outer Continental Shelf. Farr also supports ending subsidies to oil companies.^[17]
• Farr has worked closely with Central Coast cities and the Army on the re-use of the former Fort Ord. He was integral in securing $29 million for the creation of California State University, Monterey Bay. He also played a role in making sure land on the former installation included significant amounts of affordable housing.
• He supports comprehensive immigration reform that includes a guest worker program for farm workers, allowing undocumented students to remain in the country (known as the DREAM Act), and deporting undocumented felons in U.S. jails.^[18]

• Farr consistently opposed the war in Iraq. He voted against the "Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002" that started the war. Farr cosponsored several bills including H.Res. 1329 Archived October 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, which supported a timetable for troop withdrawal, and H.R. 5626 Archived October 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine and H.R 4959 Archived October 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, which called for congressional approval for any long-term agreements with Iraq.^[19]
• He was vocal in efforts to prevent military action against Iran, cosponsoring H. Con. Res 33, which would require congressional approval before any incursion into Iran, and H.R. 3119 Archived October 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, a bill to prohibit the use of funds for military operations in Iran.
• Farr parlayed his experience in Colombia to become a congressional leader on Colombian affairs. He was an active supporter of rebalancing funds dedicated to Plan Colombia, the U.S. anti-drug effort, to include more support for economic redevelopment efforts. He hosted a wide range of Colombian political leaders in his Washington office including then-President Álvaro Uribe and former President Andrés Pastrana.

On February 26, 2008, at the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, Farr said "the public image of (the ICE agents)" has become "not (a) compassionate law enforcement agency but essentially a Gestapo-type agency that is knocking down doors"^[20] when conducting raids on illegal immigrants. Julie Myers, assistant secretary of Homeland Security for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, responded to Farr's comments by saying, "We are not the Gestapo. The men and women of this agency have a very difficult job...and I think they do that with distinction and great honor.".^[21] Farr replied that he knew and appreciated this, but reiterated that there is "there is a very ill will public opinion in the counties (he) represent(s), about ICE".

On July 12, 2007, Farr joined 11 cosponsors of H.Res. 333, which laid out three articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney. The bill maintained that the vice president purposely manipulated the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and Congress of the United States (1) by fabricating a threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and (2) about an alleged relationship between Iraq and Al-Qaeda in order to justify the use of the United States Armed Forces against the nation of Iraq in a manner damaging to our national security interests, and (3) that Cheney had openly threatened aggression against the Republic of Iran absent any real threat to the United States.

"Many residents in the Central Coast support the removal of Cheney from office, and I am proud to represent their values in Congress," Farr said in a brief statement.^[22]

On July 30, 2007, Farr received the Senator David Pryor Special Achievement Award for his ongoing advocacy for communities with military bases presented by the Association of Defense Communities. The award is given to an individual who advocates for communities with active or closed military bases. "Communities with active or closed military bases face many special concerns, from land use to economic development to ordnance disposal," said Farr. "I have been lucky enough to assist in the transition efforts at Fort Ord, and that experience has helped me push those issues locally and nationwide." As vice-chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Farr successfully increased clean-up funds from $221 million to $271 million for military bases closed prior to 2005.

Farr is married to the former Shary Baldwin and has one daughter, Jessica. He is an Episcopalian.^[23]

California State Assembly District 28 election, 1980^[24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr	67,770	53.3
	Republican	Ann Welchner	48,001	37.7
	Peace and Freedom	Michael G. Zaharakis	6,294	5.0
	Libertarian	Donald E. Atkinson	5,073	4.0
Total votes			127,138	100
Turnout
	Democratic hold

California State Assembly District 28 election, 1982^[25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	78,534	71.1
	Republican	Peter Cost	31,973	28.9
Total votes			110,507	100
Turnout
	Democratic hold

California State Assembly District 28 election, 1984^[26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	94,612	72.9
	Republican	Lester Rate	35,235	27.1
Total votes			129,847	100
Turnout
	Democratic hold

California State Assembly District 28 election, 1986^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	75,112	72.1
	Republican	Jeff Bosshard	29,025	27.9
Total votes			104,137	100
Turnout
	Democratic hold

California State Assembly District 28 election, 1988^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	102,654	70.8
	Republican	James L. Skillicorn	42,283	29.2
Total votes			144,937	100
Turnout
	Democratic hold

California State Assembly District 28 election, 1990^[29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	80,558	71.5
	Republican	West W. Walker	32,097	28.5
Total votes			112,655	100
Turnout
	Democratic hold

California State Assembly District 27 election, 1992^[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr	101,695	60.7
	Republican	Susan Whitman	58,873	35.1
	Peace and Freedom	David Lucier	7,050	4.2
Total votes			167,618	100
Turnout
	Democratic gain from Republican

17th Congressional District of California Special election (round 1), April 13, 1993^[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr	23,600	25.8
	Democratic	William W. Monning	17,050	18.6
	Democratic	Barbara Shipnuck	12,982	14.2
	Republican	Bill McCampbell	10,911	11.9
	Republican	Jess Brown	9,360	10.2
	Republican	Bob Ernst	5,126	5.6
	Democratic	Martin Vonnegut	2,985	3.3
	Republican	Barbara Honegger	1,855	2.0
	Democratic	Lancelot C. McClair	1,413	1.5
	Republican	John J. Shaw	927	1.0
	Republican	Carl Cieslinkowski	696	0.8
	Republican	Stephen Henderson	668	0.7
	Republican	Tom Shannon	656	0.7
	Libertarian	Richard J. Quigley	411	0.5
	Democratic	Shelley Reinisch	411	0.5
	Democratic	Kyle Samuels	394	0.4
	Republican	Darrin Smolinski	361	0.4
	Green	Kevin Gary Clark	323	0.4
	Republican	Louis Darrigo	318	0.3
	American Independent	Jerome N. "Jerry" McCready	293	0.3
	Democratic	Ed Frey	257	0.3
	Independent	Peter James	164	0.2
	Independent	James Ogle	120	0.1
	Democratic	Richard H. Kraus	101	0.1
	Democratic	Art Dunn	100	0.1
	Democratic	Jack Mitchener	85	0.1
	Independent	W. Gene Humphrey (write-in)	3	0.0
Total votes			91,570	100.00
Turnout

17th Congressional District of California Special election (round 2), June 8, 1993^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr	53,675	52.3
	Republican	Bill McCampbell	43,774	42.6
	American Independent	Jerome N. "Jerry" McCready	1,689	1.7
	Green	Kevin Gary Clark	1,226	1.2
	Libertarian	Richard J. Quigley	948	0.9
	Independent	Peter James	943	0.9
	Independent	James Ogle	444	0.4
	Independent	Tom Shannon (write-in)	33	0.0
Total votes			102,732	100.00
Turnout
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 1994^[33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	87,222	52.2
	Republican	Bill McCampbell	74,380	44.5
	Green	E. Craig Coffin	5,591	3.3
Total votes			167,193	100
Turnout
	Democratic gain from Republican

United States House of Representatives elections, 1996^[34]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	115,116	58.9
	Republican	Jess Brown	73,856	37.8
	Natural Law	John Black	6,573	3.3
Total votes			195,545	100.0
Turnout
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 1998^[35]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	103,719	64.5
	Republican	Bill McCampbell	52,470	32.7
	Libertarian	Rick Garrett	2,791	1.7
	Natural Law	Scott R. Hartley	1,710	1.1
Total votes			160,690	100.0
Turnout
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2000^[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	143,219	68.7
	Republican	Clint Engler	51,557	24.7
	Green	E. Craig Coffin	8,215	4.0
	Libertarian	Rick S. Garrett	2,510	1.2
	Reform	Larry Fenton	2,263	1.0
	Natural Law	Scott R. Hartley	996	0.4
Total votes			208,760	100.0
Turnout
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2002^[37]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	101,632	68.1
	Republican	Clint Engler	40,334	27.1
	Green	Ray Glock-Grueneich	4,885	3.2
	Libertarian	Jascha Lee	2,418	1.6
	independent (politician)	Alan Shugart (write-in)	27	0.0
Turnout			149,296
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2004^[38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	148,958	66.8
	Republican	Mark Risley	65,117	29.2
	Green	Ray Glock-Grueneich	3,645	1.7
	Peace and Freedom	Joe Williams	2,823	1.2
	Libertarian	Joel Smolen	2,607	1.1
	independent (politician)	David Mauricio Munoz (write-in)	75	0.0
Turnout			282,941
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2006^[39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	120,750	75.9
	Republican	Anthony R. DeMaio	35,932	22.5
	independent (politician)	Jeff Edward Taylor (write-in)	2,611	1.6
Total votes			163,293	100.0
Turnout
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2008^[40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	168,907	73.9
	Republican	Jeff Taylor	59,037	25.9
	independent (politician)	Peter Andresen (write-in)	682	0.2
Total votes			228,626	100.0
Turnout
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2010^[41]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr	118,734	66.7
	Republican	Jeff Taylor	53,176	29.9
	Green	Eric Peterson	3,397	1.9
	Libertarian	Mary Larkin	2,742	1.5
	independent (politician)	Ronald Kabat (write-in)	90	0.0
Total votes			178,139	100.00
Turnout
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2012^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	172,996	74.1
	Republican	Jeff Taylor	60,556	25.9
Total votes			233,552	100.0
Turnout
	Democratic hold

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Profile at SourceWatch
• Biography from the Peace Corps
• Sam Farr’s Plan for Ties with Cuba from the Havana Times^[when?]
• Appearances on C-SPAN

California Assembly
Preceded by Henry J. Mello	California State Assemblyman, 28th District December 1, 1980 – November 30, 1992	Succeeded by Rusty Areias
Preceded by Sal Cannella	California State Assemblyman, 27th District December 7, 1992– June 14, 1993	Succeeded by Bruce McPherson
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Leon Panetta	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 17th congressional district June 8, 1993–January 3, 2013	Succeeded by Mike Honda
Preceded by Jim Costa	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 20th congressional district January 3, 2013–January 3, 2017	Succeeded by Jimmy Panetta
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by Corrine Brown as Former US Representative	Order of precedence of the United States as Former US Representative	Succeeded by Doug Bereuter as Former US Representative