Opinion

LITTLE ROCK – Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic Arkansas has received billions of dollars in federal relief funding. The PEER subcommittee of the Legislative Council has grown significantly in importance because it reviews how state agencies, institutions of higher education and public schools proposed to spend those federal relief dollars.

This week, it was announced that a tentative deal has been reached between union workers and Class I railroads, avoiding a threatened strike that would have halted the nation’s freight and passenger rail service. As Ranking Member of the House Transportation Committee’s Railroads, Pipelines, & Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, I was monitoring the situation and keenly aware of the significant and devastating effects a nationwide rail strike would have on industries in the First District and our country’s economy as a whole.

I recently read an article titled “35% of Americans believe president should able to remove judges over decisions” from UPI (United Press International). In this “article” 1001 people was surveyed with 35% of the people believe that the President should have the right to remove Supreme Court Justices for “bad legal decisions”.

In Arkansas, 554 lives were lost to suicide and over 100,000 adults had suicidal thoughts last year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Today I’d like to talk about a proposed federal rule dealing with construction contracts and my efforts to lead the 17 other governors who oppose this executive order. Earlier this year, President Biden signed an executive order which requires Project Labor Agreements for federal construction projects.

Rep. Jack Fortner It is estimated that more than 20 percent of Arkansas households are food insecure.

An integral part of the oversight and review process for future Farm Bills is getting direct input from producers, stakeholders, and consumers on how various programs are working for them. Hearing directly from farm country about what’s working and what’s not is the only way to ensure we craft a Farm Bill that meets the needs of rural America.

LITTLE ROCK – The Senate and House Committees on Education are scheduled to vote on next year’s adequacy report at their meeting in early October. The committees went over a draft of the adequacy report at their September meeting.