Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-1) issued the following statement after yesterday introducing H.R. 3105, the Aquaculture Risk Reduction Act, which provides a common-sense exemption for producers in cases of accidental inclusion of undocumented animals in shipments of fish across state lines: "No farmer should face the threat of criminal prosecution by the federal government for simply doing their job. However, today this is the case in the aquaculture industry - with the threat of legal action in ...
Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-1) issued the following statement after receiving assurances from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service that, in response to the letter he authored last week, there will be no imminent closures of mitigation hatchery facilities, and that funds would be repurposed to ensure the facilities are adequately funded: "This is great news for Arkansas, and I am proud to have been a leader to save funding for our mitigation hatcheries. These facilities perform a critical function ...
Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-1) issued the following statement after leading on a letter cosigned by the entire Arkansas delegation, as well as colleagues from Tennessee and Georgia, to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell defending mitigation hatchery facilities across the country. There are two mitigation hatchery facilities in Arkansas’ First District, at Norfork and Greers Ferry, which provide a combined $150 million in annual economic output and 1,600 jobs for the region. The letter asks the Se...
Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) issued the following statement in anticipation of a vote to authorize use of force in Syria on the House floor next week: "Barring a major change in events, I have decided to vote against the resolution authorizing the President to conduct military operations in Syria. President Obama has done little to build a broad and solid coalition, nor has he articulated clear and meaningful objectives. Absent a well-planned, comprehensive strategy for this region, I cannot...
On Monday, August 26, Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-1) will begin a tour of farms and agriculture-related interests in Arkansas’s First Congressional District. Agriculture is the top industry in Arkansas and Crawford is the state’s sole representative on the House Agriculture Committee. The Farm Tour will be a chance for Crawford to listen to farm families and advocate for a Farm Bill. “This year’s Farm Tour represents an important opportunity for me to hear directly from the growers and produc...
Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) issued the following statement after returning home from a three-day tour of border facilities in California, Arizona, and Texas, led by Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX): "This trip to the border has opened my eyes to the realities on the ground that face Congress as we prepare to tackle immigration reform legislation this fall. Border security must remain a top issue for the House as we seek to augment the good work Border Patrol has do...
“Today we honor those who have put their lives at risk to defend our nation, and have given of their personal health to preserve our freedoms. America’s warriors, who serve in every corner of the globe, represent the best among us. I thank our veterans for their service and will continue to do everything in my power to ensure that those who have given so much are well taken care of upon returning home.” ### Purple Heart Day, observed every year on August 7, is the date on which then-General Geor...
Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) issued the following statement after Congress adjourned for August recess: “I am very disappointed to be headed home today as Congress still has much work to accomplish. The agricultural industry in my district desperately needs a Farm Bill, and the clock is ticking as we move toward September 30 when current law expires. I do not believe it is responsible to leave Washington and leave farmers hanging in the balance without having voted to establish certainty for...
Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) issued the following statement after China’s decision to cease importation of Arkansas poultry products following an isolated incident of avian flu: “Those of us in Arkansas who have enjoyed the nutritious, tasty, and perfectly safe poultry products produced in our state for generations can attest to the high quality of Arkansas chicken. One isolated incident, dealt with according to regulations and without any further evidence of illness, should not preclude our...
Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) issued the following statement after President Obama traveled to Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, to deliver an address announcing the Administration’s pivot back to job creation as a priority issue: “Although I welcome the President’s renewed focus on repairing our struggling economy, I wish he had never let his focus wander in the first place. My colleagues and I have been hard at work all year passing bills that will cut red tape, reduce the deficit, and c...
