News

This week, during a House Agriculture Committee hearing, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack expressed support for my bill, the Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act. The bill would address Communist China’s threats to America’s food supply by ensuring USDA is fully involved in reviewing our foreign adversaries’ acquisition of American agricultural land and businesses.

Little Rock - When the House reconvenes on Monday, members will likely be entering the last week of the 2023 Regular Session. Currently, the General Assembly is expected to adjourn on April 7.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton—along with Congressmen Rick Crawford, French Hill, Steve Womack and Bruce Westerman—wrote to President Joe Biden urging him to support Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ request for a major disaster declaration for Bradley, Calhoun, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Grant, Jefferson, Lincoln, Nevada, Ouachita, Searcy and Stone Counties due to severe winter weather from January 30-February 2, 2023.

LITTLE ROCK - A proposed amendment to the Arkansas Department of Transportation’s (ArDOT) Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for Federal Fiscal Years 2023-2026 is available for public comment now through March 30. Please visit www.ardot.gov/stip to view the proposed amendment.

Mountain Home - Camp Invention, a nationally recognized, nonprofit summer enrichment program, is coming to ASU Mountain Home the week of June 12 - June 15, 2023. A program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Camp Invention challenges children in grades K-6 to tap into their natural curiosity and use their creativity to solve problems.

The Baxter County Veterans Benefits Fair will be held Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

LITTLE ROCK - More than 248 EAST programs from Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma gathered at the Hot Springs Convention Center the week before Spring Break to pick up awards and celebrate wins during the EAST Initiative’s annual conference.

Thank you, Marion County! A great crowd gathered to eat Irish fare prepared by Margaret Ott and Lacie Bettencourt on Saturday, March 11, 2023. The owners of OL South Burgers and BBQ Inc. served up their wonderful food in a brightly lit green and white Community Building on the Marion County Fairgrounds.