Weekly Columns

We all know that life is about making choices. Serving in Congress requires making big choices on a big stage that are forever chronicled in our vote record. And making choices is about setting priorities. House Republicans have made it clear that cutting spending, securing the border, and keeping our men and women in uniform paid are our top priorities. On Friday, my vote reflected that.

The Biden Administration’s misguided open border policies have led to a historic crisis affecting the entire nation, making every community a border community. Since President Biden took office, there have been more than 5.8 illegal crossings at the southern border. Many illegal immigrants are going to “sanctuary cities,” like New York City, but they’re buckling under the massive influx. Even the progressive New York City Mayor recently stated that the current border policies will “destroy the city.”

Illicit fentanyl poisoning is now the leading cause of death for adults aged 18-49 – more than cancer, car accidents, and heart disease. Only a few milligrams of the drug, about the size of the tip of a pencil, can be lethal. With thousands and thousands of pounds of deadly drugs pouring across our border and infiltrating our communities, this epidemic has grown and evolved into a full-blown health and national security crisis.

Generations of Americans remember where they were on September 11th, 2001, a day our nation changed forever. I was driving to a meeting in Gurdon and listening to the radio when I heard the news that we were under attack. When I arrived at the meeting, attended by Americans from all over, including New York City, we watched the TV in disbelief and horror as the events unfolded. It’s been 22 years since that tragic day.

Free and fair elections are fundamental to our system of government.  Americans should be able to cast their ballot with complete confidence that their vote counts and that our elections are transparent and a model for democracy around the world.

In yet another attack on sportsmen and women, the Biden Administration recently confirmed that the Department of Education is withholding funding from schools with shooting sports activities in their curriculum.

Every day, more and more deadly drugs and criminals are flying over our southern border and into our communities. In June alone, over 2,000 pounds of deadly fentanyl were seized at our southern border – enough to kill the entire state of Arkansas 150 times (over 453 million people). Just imagine how much is making it across under our noses.

Arkansans are no strangers to the summer heat, especially in southern Arkansas, where high humidity levels and heat index values of 105+ have become the norm this summer. Trying to beat the summer heat is no joke, and when coupled with record-high gas and grocery prices, Arkansans may be forced to cut corners to afford to stay cool.