Weekly Columns
Nearly seven months ago, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, a strong and bipartisan reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration.
The historic crisis at our border is raging on, with each new day bringing thousands of illegal immigrants and deadly drugs into our communities. This crisis did not happen by accident. In President Biden’s first 100 days in office, he took 94 executive actions to weaken our immigration policies, including halting construction of the border wall. In August 2022, his Administration doubled down by formally ending the Remain-in-Mexico policy that had been proven to combat illegal immigration.
Spring break is just around the corner, and Arkansans are gearing up for travel. During the pandemic, many people put their travel plans on hold, and now that travel restrictions are lifted, more and more people are traveling abroad. If you plan to travel internationally, I encourage you to check your passports before it’s too late.
Navigating health care for individuals with a disability or a chronic illness can be difficult; the federal government should not create barriers or make it more difficult than it already is. This week, I voted to pass H.R. 485, the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023. This legislation will take strides to expand access to lifesaving cures and prevents discrimination against Americans with disabilities by prohibiting the use of quality adjusted life years (QALYs) in all federal programs.
In the latest extremist move in their ongoing attack on American energy, the Biden Administration recently announced a decision to halt all pending approvals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals. This blatant political move to appease radical climate activists is a major loss for the environment, our economy, the geopolitical landscape, and our national security all wrapped up in one bonehead rule.
Nearly 99% of our nation’s farms and ranches and over 95% of our nation’s small businesses are owned and operated by individuals and families. Family-owned businesses and family farms that have been passed down for generations fuel our economy. Managing a small business or farm operation is no small feat, especially with the current economic climate, and especially for families, which is why it’s a shame that the federal government sees these operations as an opportunity for increased tax revenue.
As a Christian, conservative father of four, I hold deep convictions about the value of life. When I was elected to serve Arkansas’ Fourth Congressional District in Congress, I swore to defend the U.S. Constitution, which protects every American’s right to life – a fundamental right to our nation. I’ve heard from many Arkansans passionate about defending the sanctity of life, and I share that sentiment.
Since 2010, the United States has recognized January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a designated observance designed to bring awareness to human trafficking and the victims impacted by it.
Over the holidays, the crisis at the southern border continued to surge, sending thousands of illegal immigrants and deadly drugs into our communities. In December, we saw the most encounters at the U.S. border ever recorded in a single month - over 300,000. That's nearly eight times the population of Hot Springs.
I was recently asked to summarize 2023 in one word; I had to take a moment to consider the complexities and challenges we faced this year. Initially, I said, “complicated,” but I recognize that because 2023 has not been a simple year, it’s difficult to sum it up in one word. Our nation experienced some trying times this year, but Americans remained resilient.