Op-Ed
July 19, 2013
Last week in testimony before the House Natural Resources Committee, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced that after overwhelming negative feedback following the White River Blueway designation in Arkansas and Missouri, the entire program has been put on hold until further notice. The designation for the White River itself had been rescinded a few weeks earlier after the Department of the Interior attempted to designate the river without input from local leaders, no explanation of the effects or purpose of the designation, and little thought to its implementation thereafter.
July 19, 2013
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is a piece of legislation Congress reauthorizes every five years that sets education policy for our country, outlining priorities and initiating reforms when needed. The current piece of legislation, also known as No Child Left Behind, has been due for reauthorization since 2007. There is increasing agreement on both sides of the aisle that this law is outdated and no longer serves the needs of public schoolteachers and students nationwide.
July 19, 2013
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is a piece of legislation Congress reauthorizes every five years that sets education policy for our country, outlining priorities and initiating reforms when needed. The current piece of legislation, also known as No Child Left Behind, has been due for reauthorization since 2007. There is increasing agreement on both sides of the aisle that this law is outdated and no longer serves the needs of public schoolteachers and students nationwide.
July 12, 2013
Last week, the Obama Administration announced it would delay the "employer mandate" portion of ObamaCare, set to kick in on January 1, 2014, for one year. This law will have serious ramifications for individuals, insurers, and the overall health of the economy that we cannot afford. This delay is the Administration's attempt to address many of the underlying problems I have already outlined with the law and its implementation – but it falls short of what our nation truly needs. A delay of one year for just one portion of the law simply does not go far enough.
May 24, 2013
In my family Memorial Day is a special time of reflection, as I'm sure it is for millions of families across America. I had the privilege of growing up in a military family. My dad spent his entire military career in the Air Force where he served one tour in Vietnam amongst other assignments that took our family to all corners of the United States as well as overseas.
May 10, 2013
During the 112th Congress The House Agriculture Committee passed an extension of the Farm bill which secured the current benefits and allowed for more time to design farm policy that works with modern agriculture. As a newly-appointed Subcommittee Chairman, I am using my leadership role to voice the concerns many Arkansas farmers face on a daily basis. Our producers face many challenges; I will continue to make sure their voices are heard by my colleagues on the Hill.
May 3, 2013
Last week Congress took action to help air travelers frustrated with long lines at airports across the country. I was pleased to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this bipartisan legislation. However, it's a shame that Congress had to get involved in the matter. The furloughs of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees could have been avoided if the Obama Administration would stop playing politics.
April 26, 2013
Last week I was honored to be appointed to a special panel of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee charged with examining challenges facing our Nation's freight transportation system. It is a privilege to be one of only eleven members in the House of Representatives asked to serve on this panel and I look forward to working with my colleagues in a bipartisan fashion to ensure our Nation's freight transportation infrastructure can meet the demands of America's job creators.
April 20, 2013
This week I introduced a bill before the House of Representatives that would give farmers a free-market option to prepare for disasters without relying entirely on the federal government. My bill, the Farm Risk Abatement and Mitigation Election or FRAME Act, would establish tax-deferred farm savings accounts to give farmers a choice in responding to disasters.
April 12, 2013
After much pressure, this week the Environmental Protection Agency finally acknowledged it released the personal information of thousands of farm families to radical environmental groups. Moving forward, I plan to hold EPA's feet to the fire to ensure farm families are not subjected to this kind of trust breach again.