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Ever since Congress passed the $2 trillion CARES Act, I know many of you have had questions about what this bill means for you, your families and your businesses. I hosted a telephone town hall to hear from you and answer your questions. UAMS Chancellor Dr. Cam Patterson and Executive Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission Mike Preston joined me on the call, providing helpful insight and resources.
As the U.S. grapples with containing COVID-19, Congress has been working to provide emergency funding for research, relief efforts, small businesses, unemployed workers and more. Phase III of the funding plan, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed the House and Senate the week of March 22. It's not a perfect bill, but the CARES Act goes a long way in aiding those most affected by COVID-19.
COVID-19 is presenting many unique challenges to American families, lawmakers, state and local officials, businesses and many others. These are uncharted waters for all of us, and it's important we remain united and work together to care for our friends and loved ones.
U.S. Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton—along with U.S. Reps. Steve Womack, French Hill, Rick Crawford, and Bruce Westerman—sent a letter to the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) to support Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson's request for an SBA disaster declaration for economic injury as a result of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The declaration would make additional federal resources available to the state's small businesses to provide needed relief during this unprecedented time.
WASHINGTON— U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton—along with Congressmen Rick Crawford, French Hill, Steve Womack and Bruce Westerman—pressed the Trump administration to maintain access to vetted, temporary workers to help ensure America's agriculture industry has the workforce it needs to continue producing our domestic food supply as our nation combats the novel coronavirus.
As Coronavirus continues spreading across the U.S., I urge everyone to exercise caution and work to protect your own health and the health of your friends and family. Many of you have called or written to me asking for more information, so Congressman French Hill and I hosted a telephone town hall to answer questions. Dr. Nate Smith from the Arkansas Department of Health joined us on the line, and his advice was so valuable.
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) hosted a press conference on H.R. 5859, the Trillion Trees Act. U.S. Reps. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Rob Wittman (R-Va.), Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Brian Mast (R-Fla.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Greg Walden (R-Ore.), Dave Joyce (R-Ohio) and Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) and U.S. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) also attended the event.
The best ways to protect yourself and others from sickness are to thoroughly and regularly wash your hands, avoid touching your face, sanitize doorknobs, phones, keyboards and other commonly used surfaces and stay home if you're feeling sick. Even as Coronavirus (also referred to as COVID-19) dominates news headlines, these commonsense measures are still the best way to guard against getting sick.
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Reps. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Penn.) introduced the bipartisan Reading Early and Addressing Dyslexia (READ) Act.
Over the decades, government leaders have handed down various decisions about what people can and cannot do before certain ages. For example, young people can't drive before 16, vote until 18, or buy alcohol before 21. Now we're starting to see a surge in unsafe tobacco products form addictions in youth, and I'm encouraged to see this administration taking action to curb systemic issues. Unfortunately, H.R. 2339, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone's (D-N.J.) "Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019," is not the answer we need, for several reasons.