Op-Ed

In October, I hosted a Nutrition Summit in Jonesboro where I listened to school administrators, parents, nutritionists and teachers tell me how new nutrition guidelines from the Department of Agriculture are affecting their students. After the Summit it was clear that USDA's new school nutrition regulations are not working and are leaving students hungry. This week I joined with Arkansas's other members of the United States House of Representatives in filing legislation to return control of school lunches to school districts in Arkansas.

During my two years in the United States Congress I have said time and time again that our nation's debt crisis is the greatest challenge we face. As the father of two young children, it is important to me that leaders in Washington try to preserve the American dream for future generations. Ending deficit spending, paying down our $17 trillion national debt and strengthening our weak economy should be top priorities.

Here in Arkansas, farming is a way of life. Agriculture is the number one industry in our First Congressional District and for many families it's a rich tradition. As Arkansas's only representative on the House Agriculture Committee, I fight each day to ensure farm families in our state can continue producing the safest, most abundant and reliable source of food on the planet.

This week President Obama and leaders in the House and the Senate failed to strike a compromise that would avert automatic spending cuts known as the sequester. Like many of you, I grow more frustrated with each passing day at Washington's inability to work together for the common good. If our national leaders would start working with one another instead of holding press conferences attacking the other side's point of view, we might just get some meaningful work done.

In Washington much has been said our nation's debt ceiling – our maximum borrowing authority. President Obama has called on Congress to quickly raise our borrowing limit well into the future. House Republicans are calling on Senate Democrats to pass a fiscally-responsible budget before raising the debt ceiling. Republicans and Democrats have both voiced concerns about the economic uncertainty our nation's $16.5 trillion national debt is causing.

This week Americans heard two very different visions for our country with President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address and the GOP response from Florida Senator Marco Rubio. President Obama believes more government is the solution to every problem facing our country. When I talk to folks back home in Arkansas, they tell me big government is the problem. My constituents are burdened with excessive regulations and they are concerned about our country's massive national debt.