The dean of Missouri’s congressional delegation and the powerful chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee says 2026 will be his final year in Congress.
U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) is finishing his 13th term on Capitol Hill. Congressman Graves made Friday morning’s announcement on his Twitter page, saying he believes in making room for the next generation. He says it’s time to pass the torch and allow a new guard of conservative leaders to step forward.
He says being chairman of the Transportation committee has helped in passing what he calls some of the most important legislation in our nation’s history. He also vows to protect Missouri’s interests as Congress works to shape this year’s highway bill.
Congressman Graves has always said agriculture was the common denominator in his rural northern Missouri district. He says he’ll be on a tractor this weekend in northwest Missouri. He was the first Republican to support then-Governor Mel Carnahan’s (D) special session call to address the flood of 1993. Northwest Missouri saw record flooding that year.