The on-again, off-again food safety legislation that has wandered though Capitol Hill for nearly a year and a half will finally make its way to the desk of the President, following passage of the Food Safety Bill by the US House of Representatives on Tuesday night, Dec. 21.

Representatives approved the bill by a vote of 215-144, just days after the Senate had voted to pass a revised version of an earlier bill the House had rejected over a technicality.

The final bill grants the Federal government more authority to intervene in instances of food contamination or food borne illness, giving the Food and Drug Administration the power to order recalls and holding food producers to more stringent reporting requirements. An amendment to the legislation exempts smaller businesses, answering a concern many family farmers and local food supporters had raised about the original bill.

President Obama has already promised to sign the legislation. For more on the story, see here.