Weekly Columns
If you’ve lived in rural Arkansas for any length of time, you know that broadband connectivity is a huge issue. Something as simple as uploading a resume to a job posting or researching for a time-sensitive project can quickly be delayed by a spotty internet connection.
With a national election on the horizon and geopolitical issues at play, there’s no doubt 2020 will be an interesting year. But now that 2019 is over and I’m planning out the new year, I’m really looking forward to what’s in store.
It’s hard to believe 2019 is almost over. This year has been filled from beginning to end with constituent meetings, legislation, House votes, Arkansas business tours and lots of time in the Atlanta airport waiting for my connecting flight to D.C.
I voted against the impeachment of President Donald Trump. I believe impeachment is one of the most serious votes Congress can use – second only to declaring war – and unfortunately this whole process has been a sham from beginning to end.
As the end of the year approaches, there’s no shortage of news here on Capitol Hill. The House of Representatives is quickly trying to get impeachment articles, appropriations and military funding finalized before Christmas. But by far the most important news of the week was a deal on the United States, Mexico and Canada Agreement (USMCA).
At their best, robocalls are a frustrating nuisance. At their worst, robocalls are a means by which criminals scam people to get money or personal information. Robocalls have been around for years, but an estimated 48 billion robocalls occurred in 2018 – a 64 percent increase since 2016. Many of you have received these calls, some even posing as your own phone number.
In his book, Love Your Enemies, author Arthur Brooks cites a study showing that 70 percent of Americans believe the U.S. will endure long-term hurt if both political parties don’t work together.
The federal budget process isn’t likely to be dinner table conversation, it rarely grabs cable news headlines, and it’s usually the furthest thing from our minds. But on Nov. 19 in a now-annual pattern, Congress punted its appropriation – government funding – duties for another month in what’s called a continuing resolution (CR). I voted against this CR, for several reasons.
At any given time this week, impeachment proceedings completely dominated national news headlines. Yet while networks focused on the partisan process, a huge win for poultry producers across America slipped quietly under the radar. On November 14, China lifted its ban on poultry imports from the United States, thereby reopening a huge market for poultry production.
Former President Ronald Reagan once said, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We did not pass it to our children in the bloodstream.