NEWS

I had a great meeting with FFA State Secretary Becca Burrow of Brinkley and FFA State President Bryce Rohr of Mountain Home. I am proud of the work these young people have accomplished.

I am glad Kelly & Lindsay Rippy from Paragould were able to stop by my office. My staff was able to take them on a Capitol tour. If you are ever in Washington DC please call my office at 202-225-4076. We would like to help you schedule some tours.

I have had the opportunity to work with some of the best staff a member of congress could ask for since I was first elected. However, it is not just my staff but their families that I have been able to get to know as well. My staff all work long hours to serve the people of the First District and their families support them in all that they do. Here is a great story on the life of one of my district staffers's children, Tammy Davenport. Her daughter, Hannah, has been living with Asperger's syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder, for most of her life. Hannah has a great story, that hasn't been finished yet, and should be an inspiration to us all. We are all proud of you, Hannah! Woman working through Asperger’s By George Jared, Sun Staff Writer, gjared@jonesborosun.com BROOKLAND — Hannah Davenport had no will to live. She struggled to communicate and socialize with children her own age. In large crowds she became fearful and nervous. As a child she was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder. Depression set in and many times Davenport thought about taking her own life. When one of those moments would come, she'd look to a Bible passage her mother, Tammy, placed on her mirror. "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made," the passage reads. And more than once her mother told her, "You have a purpose. God has a plan for you." With the help of her family, the 24-year-old hasn't let her learning disability stop her from living a normal life. Davenport drives, works a full-time job and has a boyfriend. Someday she wants to move into her own apartment, get married and have a family. "I struggled with school. I had a hard time making friends," she said. "I was told I wouldn't make it through school. There were times when I'd think there's no point (in living). Then I would read that passage." Davenport's hardships began soon after birth. Loud voices scared her and she couldn't function in crowded environments. She had a hard time speaking. She had an irrational fear of needles. "I was really shy ... I stayed in my room. I wasn't social," she said. Asperger's is a development disorder. Scientists aren't sure what causes it, but genetics seem to play a role, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms include communication problems, eccentric or repetitive behaviors, unusual preoccupations or rituals and coordination problems. Many with the disorder are high functioning and are productive members of society, according to medical reports. Davenport began to make progress during speech therapy sessions, she said. She worked with Dr. Jerry Blaylock, a Jonesboro area psychiatrist, and her outlook improved immensely, she added. The young girl raised lambs and worked with her grandparents on the family farm. The oldest of three girls, Davenport welcomed baby sisters Kendall and Kaitlyn into the family. But the battle at school was still constant. A student wrote a derogatory message on a classroom wall about Davenport and her learning problems. Davenport doesn't remember exactly what the message said, but it hurt her deeply. The wall was repainted following the incident. Some things began to change towards the end of her high school career. Classmates talked to Davenport more her senior year and she was voted her class's "Most likely to be remembered." Davenport learned to drive, another terrifying experience, she said. Her father, Ken, spent many hours teaching her the art of driving. "I was so scared ... I couldn't let go of that steering wheel," she said. After high school, Davenport and her mother decided college would probably be too much. Davenport then decided to get a job. She didn't tell her parents. They were utterly shocked when they got the call. Davenport got a job working in the fitting room at T.J. Maxx. She's worked there for the last three years. Earning her keep in life is important to Davenport, she said. Because of the severity of her condition, Davenport could receive full disability benefits, but she has chosen to work instead. In her spare time, Davenport likes to put together puzzles. A 10,000 piece puzzle is her idea of a fun night, she said. "It helps to calm me down," she said. An avid churchgoer, Davenport likes to work in the nursery. As her younger sisters grow into maturity, Davenport hopes to be a mentor to them, she said. She's spoken numerous times to groups of disabled people, and she hopes she can inspire them to achieve in their own lives, she said. Through her talks, Davenport met people with disabilities far worse than her's, she said. The experience was humbling. At some point she wants to move out of her parent's home and get her own apartment. Learning how to cook, maintain a budget and other life skills are a priority for her. When the time is right she wants to get married and have children of her own, she said. "I've really come out of my shell," she said. "Things are going good now."

RT @JJasonHarrell: New bar top. Looking for a brass bell. #Initial Success or Total Failure. @DarrellIssa @thekeithman @RepRickCrawford htt…

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“@THV11: #BREAKING: Little Rock Air Force Base has given the 'All Clear' over the loud speakers in regards to lockdown.” Good to hear

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RT @ChanningBarker: 23 counties: disaster areas @rep_stevewomack @RepTimGriffin @SenMarkPryor @JohnBoozman @RepRickCrawford @TomCottonAR ht…

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With August looming just days away, traffic on First District highways and interstates often hits a fever pitch. First, there’s the last minute family vacation. A new school year starts in less than a month, and dads and moms often pack up the kids for one last adventure or visit before summer’s rel...

Following a House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee mark-up Wednesday over the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Waters of the United States rule, U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford (AR-1) expressed his concerns with EPA’s attempts to broaden the scope of the Clean Water Act. “This iss...

Following Tuesday’s 367 to 55 House passage of H.R. 5021, the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014, U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford (AR-1) said the legislation allows Congress to work on an improved, long-term bill. Crawford said Congress had an immediate need to address the solvency of the Highwa...