Early and personal life

Farr was born in San Francisco, the son of Janet E. (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. He grew up in Carmel, where he still lives. His father was a California state senator for many years. Farr was educated at Willamette University, Santa Clara University and the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

He is married to Shary and has one daughter, Jessica. He is grandfather to two: Ella and Zach.

Peace Corps service

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.

While he was serving in Colombia, Farr’s mother died from cancer. Following her death, his father visited with Farr’s sisters. While riding horses, one of his sisters (Nancy), was thrown and hit her head. She died on the operating table in a Colombian hospital.

Since his Peace Corps service ended, Farr has visited Colombia several times. He took his wife for their honeymoon and has returned several other times for both personal and official business. During a trip in 2007, Farr spoke in front of the Colombian Congress and was awarded the Orden del Congreso de Colombia.

State and local political career

Farr’s public service career began in the California 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.

In 1980 he was elected to the California State 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.

House of Representatives

Farr was elected to the House of Representatives in 1993 through a special election when former Congressman Leon Panetta resigned to become President Clinton’s budget director. Farr was elected to his first full term in 1994.

Legislation

• Farr introduced the “Oceans Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st century Act” (H.R. 21) 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; creates an ocean advisor in the president’s Cabinet; creates 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.
• Farr's "Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 2008" (H.R. 1084) 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 supports 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.

Caucus work

Farr is 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.

He serves as co-chair of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus with Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Florida). Farr has taken an active role in supporting 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.

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

Other leadership positions

Farr serves on the House Democracy Assistance Commission, a group established by the House of Representatives 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.”

Farr is also the former chairman of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, the largest state delegation in Congress.

Committee assignments

• 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

Positions

• Farr was one of the 31 who voted in the House to not count the electoral votes from Ohio in the 2004 presidential election .
• Rep. Farr, like most Progressive Democrats in Congress, opposes 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.
• He 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.
• Rep. Farr voted against the invasion of Iraq and was actively against the Iraq War.
• He 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 Congress from the Human Rights Campaign.

Domestic Issues

• Oceans. Farr is a proponent of ocean protection and conservation. In addition to H.R. 21, Farr has introduced the Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act (H.R. 3639) and the Clean Cruise Ship Act (H.R. 6434).
• Gas prices. Farr 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.
• Base Realignment and Closure. Farr has worked closely with Central Coast cities and the Army on the reuse 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.
• Immigration. Farr 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.

Foreign Affairs

• Iraq. Farr has 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 is a cosponsor on several bills including H.Res. 1329, which supports a timetable for troop withdrawal, and H.R. 5626 and H.R 4959, which call for congressional approval for any long-term agreements with Iraq.
• Iran. Farr has been vocal in efforts to prevent military action against Iran. He is a cosponsor of H. Con. Res 33, which would require congressional approval before any incursion into Iran, and H.R. 3119, a bill to prohibit the use of funds for military operations in Iran.
• Colombia. Farr has 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 has hosted a wide range of Colombian political leaders in his Washington office including current President Álvaro Uribe and former President Andrés Pastrana.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) comment

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" when conducting raids on illegal immigrants. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Julie Myers 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.". 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".

H.Res. 333

On July 12, 2007, Farr joined 11 cosponsors (18 as of August 15, 2007) of H.Res. 333, introduced in Congress, that lays out three articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney. The bill maintains 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 has openly threatened aggression against the Republic of Iran absent any real threat to the United States. (see http://thomas.loc.gov for more details on H.Res. 333)

"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.

Awards

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 .

Electoral history

California State Assembly District 28 election, 1980
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
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

California State Assembly District 28 election, 1982
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	78,534	71.1
	Republican	Peter Cost	31,973	28.9
Total votes			110,507	100
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

California State Assembly District 28 election, 1984
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	94,612	72.9
	Republican	Lester Rate	35,235	27.1
Total votes			129,847	100
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

California State Assembly District 28 election, 1986
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	75,112	72.1
	Republican	Jeff Bosshard	29,025	27.9
Total votes			104,137	100
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

California State Assembly District 28 election, 1988
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	102,654	70.8
	Republican	James L. Skillicorn	42,283	29.2
Total votes			144,937	100
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

California State Assembly District 28 election, 1990
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	80,558	71.5
	Republican	West W. Walker	32,097	28.5
Total votes			112,655	100
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

California State Assembly District 27 election, 1992
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
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic gain from Republican

17th Congressional District of California Special election (round 1), April 13, 1993
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
Voter turnout			%

17th Congressional District of California Special election (round 2), June 8, 1993
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
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 1994
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
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic gain from Republican

United States House of Representatives elections, 1996
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
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 1998
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
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2000
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
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2002
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	Alan Shugart (write-in)	27	0.0
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2004
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	David Mauricio Munoz (write-in)	75	0.0
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2006
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	120,750	75.9
	Republican	Anthony R. DeMaio	35,932	22.5
	Independent	Jeff Edward Taylor (write-in)	2,611	1.6
Total votes			163,293	100.0
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2008
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	168,907	73.9
	Republican	Jeff Taylor	59,037	25.9
	Independent	Peter Andresen (write-in)	682	0.2
Total votes			228,626	100.0
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2010
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	Ronald Kabat (write-in)	90	0.0
Total votes			178,139	100.00
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

United States House of Representatives elections, 2012
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Farr (incumbent)	172,996	74.1
	Republican	Jeff Taylor	60,556	25.9
Total votes			233,552	100.0
Voter turnout			%
	Democratic hold

[ Source: Wikipedia ]