April 5, 2019

WEEK IN REVIEW

To start off this week's From the Front... I would like to thank all of the Arkansans who stopped by my Washington office during their visits to our nation’s capital, including Elizabeth Greer of Fort Smith, Vicky Logue, Patricia Hays, and Becky Ivey of Springdale, Daniel and Loranna Wink of Uniontown, Emarie Taldo of Springdale, Michelle Owens of Decatur, George and Margo Graen of Lowell, Terry and Cindy Cartwright of Bella Vista, Robyn and Mike Wolters of Bella Vista, Gary and Ronnie Nelson of Bella Vista, Ron and Wanda Barloon of Bella Vista, Rick and Tracy Girardi of Bella Vista, and State Representative Austin McCollum and Ragen Turner of Rogers. Safe travels back to the Natural State!

It was another busy week in Washington filled with votes, hearings, and meetings. The House convened and voted on a series of bills, including the DHS MORALE Act (H.R. 1433), CLASS Act of 2019 (H.R. 1593), Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2019 (H.R. 1590), CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2019 (H.R. 1589), a bill to change the address of the postal facility designated in honor of Captain Humayun Khan (S. 725), and a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1450 Montauk Highway in Mastic, New York, as the “Army Specialist Thomas J. Wilwerth Post Office Building.” A full list of legislation that was considered on the floor can be found here.

Innocent life must be protected. Against all odds, some babies survive abortions - I think we can agree that any living, breathing infant should be taken care of. It’s unconscionable that anyone would be against providing medical care to vulnerable newborns, but Democrats have refused to act on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act - which would require just that. The legislation, which I am a cosponsor of, gives all babies a fighting chance at life by requiring that health care practitioners provide medical care to any infant that survives an attempted abortion. Protecting the lives of children shouldn’t be a divisive issue, yet Democrats have struck down attempts to consider the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act 29 times. That’s why I proudly signed a discharge petition this week, which would force a vote on the bill. Every person should stand against infanticide.

In between legislative business, the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Jens Stoltenberg, addressed a joint session of Congress. The speech focused on the vital role this historic alliance has played in maintaining peace and fostering democracy around the globe. This partnership is important to the safety and security of the U.S. and our allies. It’s critical that we strengthen its effectiveness, as well as ensure that all member states are contributing fairly. Peace through strength should always be our goal.

HEARINGS

You might have heard some news that the Democrats on the House Budget Committee released. They confirmed that they would not produce a budget resolution. This is extremely disappointing and an irresponsible move. Drafting a budget is the Budget Committee’s chief responsibility. It outlines funding priorities, tells us what we need to know about how much we’re spending, what we’re raising in revenue, and the impact of our deficits and debt on our economy and the American people. By skipping this step, my colleagues are failing to provide a full picture of our financial situation. They are also ignoring the biggest threat to our economy and national security: the debt.

Instead, the Democrats took a short cut, narrowly passing a proposal to raise discretionary caps. This legislation falls short. Not only does it neglect the needs of our service men and women - the very people who make the ultimate sacrifice to protect us all - it also is not a budget. Additionally, it fails to address the biggest driver of our nation’s rising deficits and ballooning debt - mandatory spending - presenting this Committee, Congress, and the American people with a very incomplete picture of our financial situation.

As former House Budget Chairman, I know that producing a budget is not easy – but it must be done. So, I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to change course and think about our fiscal future. We need a plan. It will take tough decisions and political courage, but we must get back to producing a budget. A failure to budget is a failure to govern.

I then attended two House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearings. The first hearing was classified and focused on information related to the Defense Intelligence Agency and National Geospatial Agency. I  then attended a hearing with Dr. Heather Wilson, Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, and General David L. Goldfein, the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, to discuss the U.S. Air Force budget request. I talked about the importance of on-time, stable funding for our nation’s military and its impact on morale and readiness. Our courageous men and women in uniform deserve to know that they will have the tools and resources needed to do their job.

I also had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Ben Carson, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), during this week’s House Appropriations Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee hearing. I asked him about Opportunity Zones in Arkansas and how these initiatives have helped advance economic opportunity. I also inquired about HUD’s coordination with other agencies, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs or Treasury, and what can be done to further communication and collaboration between them.

MEETINGS

This week, I joined U.S. Senators Tom Cotton and John Boozman in introducing the Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Act. This legislation would prohibit the sale of unwashed poppy seeds to consumers. While unwashed poppy seeds don’t immediately sound dangerous, they can be laced with lethal substances like morphine. On April 3, 2016, Stephen Hacala Jr. of Fayetteville died from morphine intoxication caused by morphine-laced poppy seeds purchased from Amazon. As many as 20 other Americans reportedly have died from overdoses caused by morphine-laced poppy seeds sold directly to consumers. I met with Stephen’s family this week to discuss the bill - their advocacy was critical to its development and introduction. By prohibiting the sale of this harmful product, we will help ensure the safety of American consumers and prevent another family from losing a loved one.

The Arkansas Rehabilitation Association then stopped by my office to talk about the needs of disabled Arkansans and policies that will support them. I appreciated their time and thoughtful insights. Later that day, I had the opportunity to meet with alumni from the University of Arkansas, as well as Chancellor Joe Steinmetz.

On Wednesday, I started my day off with speaking at an event hosted by the Coalition for Career Development. Arkansan business owners, as well as education and business organizations throughout the country, were there to discuss the importance of career readiness and training. We need to support pathways that allow students to harness their interests, explore work-based learning, recognize technical training, and understand what their options are. Whether it's going to college or pursuing a technical career right after high school, students should know that there isn’t one path to success. Strengthening career and technical education programs and initiatives will ensure that our young people are equipped for the jobs of the 21^st century.

I then met with Chad Martin, the new President of Tyson Poultry, to talk about trade, economic development, and agriculture policies. Did you know that Northwest Arkansas, particularly Washington and Benton counties, produces the most poultry in Arkansas? 

On the last day of legislative business, I sat down with representatives from the Livestock Marketing Association, which included a resident from Siloam Springs, to talk about issues affecting livestock markets. We discussed livestock transportation, Farm Bill implementation, and local livestock businesses.

My next meeting was with Child Care Aware to talk about the importance of programs that support child care, development, and safety. I wrapped up the day with Dr. Gary Thomas of Fayetteville and Dr. Whit Knapple of North Little Rock, who talked about the importance of colorectal cancer screenings, as well as other local issues impacting medical providers and patients in the district. 

Tomorrow, I will be hosting information sessions for high school students from the Third District on the U.S. Military Service Academies in Fort Smith and Springdale. Students will have the opportunity to speak with representatives from the U.S. Military Service Academies and learn more about the application, nomination, selection, and appointment processes. Information about scholarships available through local Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) programs will also be provided. I encourage all interested students and their families to attend.

Attending organizations include:

• U.S. Military Academy
• U.S. Naval Academy
• U.S. Air Force Academy
• U.S. Coast Guard Academy
• U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
• Arkansas National Guard
• Arkansas Tech University (ROTC)
• University of Arkansas (ROTC)  

Wishing you a great weekend! I will be back in Washington next week for legislative business. Remember to keep an eye on my website or check out my Twitter and Instagram pages to stay up-to-date with the latest news from the Third District and Washington. 

From the front...

Congressman Steve Womack
Arkansas Third District