Washington Update

D.C. Tours

Congressman Womack with Beth Greenfield and Tuesday Chapman of Fort Smith

To start off this edition of From the Front, I want to remind everyone that Capitol tours are back! Meeting and taking Third District families to see the ins and outs of the People’s House is one of the best parts of my job. I would like to thank all of the Arkansans who stopped by during their visits to our nation’s capital this week, including Beth Greenfield and Tuesday Chapman of Fort Smith, Blake Pennington and Patti Mulford of Fayetteville, and Drew and Dillion Turner of Fayetteville. Safe travels back to the Natural State!

If you have any questions about tours or other sights to explore, please don’t hesitate to contact my Washington office or visit my website here. If you would like to request a tour of the Capitol, White House, or other sights around D.C., please fill out this linked form. Tickets are free and provided on a first-come, first-served basis. We will do our best to accommodate all requests, but I will underscore that tour tickets for the White House and Capitol are extremely limited right now. We hope to welcome you soon, and I can’t wait to have many more families from the Natural State visit in the coming months!

Policy Review

Congressman Womack talking to border patrol agents during a previous visit to the southern border, where he saw the crisis, which has since escalated even more, firsthand 

President Biden has created the worst border crisis in American history. This White House never prioritized the security of our southern border. You could look at their policy actions or the fact our Commander-in-Chief has refused to visit the crisis of his own making—or you could simply look at the statistics. The numbers are a purely objective rendering of the situation, devoid of any partisanship. In less than 2 years, there have been more than 2.3 million encounters at our southern border—and those are just the ones we know about. Let’s bring a little more context to these figures. From March 28^th to March 29^th, 9,000 illegal migrants were encountered at our southern border. That's more people than the entire city of Farmington in one 24-hour period. Those numbers don’t even touch the massive in-flow of fentanyl into our communities and empowered gangs and cartels trafficking other illicit substances and innocent people.

How did we get to this place? Since taking office, President Biden tried to stop the Trump Administration’s Remain in Mexico policy, halted construction of the border wall, reinstated and expanded the dangerous catch-and-release practice, demonized border patrol agents, and openly advocated for amnesty policies.

Now, the Biden Administration is preparing to make it worse. They are rescinding Title 42, a public health authority that gives the government the ability to immediately expel those who are coming across the border. Doing this would strip our law enforcement of an important legal tool they have to expeditiously expel migrants. The change in policy will also incentivize more people to illegally cross the border.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is now seeing over 7,000 encounters daily, and the Department of Homeland Security is said to be bracing for a significant mass influx of nearly 18,000 migrants daily when Title 42 ends. The surge this will bring is unconscionable.

Congress must step up to make up for President Biden’s blatant disregard of maintaining our country’s security. House Republicans attempted to do just that this week when we made 70+ attempts to vote on legislation, which would fully enforce Title 42. Democrats blocked each effort. Instead of protecting our sovereignty, they prioritized the wants of progressive activists who want to essentially erase all borders.

Furthermore, while the Biden Administration ends Title 42, fundamentally declaring the pandemic is over as it relates to illegal migrants, they are simultaneously pushing "emergency COVID funding" and still requiring Americans to wear masks on planes. The White House continues to contradict itself.

Meetings

Congressman Womack with Arkansas trucking, which keeps America moving

Arkansas Trucking: Third District truckers are core parts of our economy and supply chain. This industry impacts the lives of families and businesses each day. These men and women work day and night, enduring long periods away from home, to move goods and deliver critical resources. From J.B. Hunt and PAM Transport to ABF Freight, ArcBest, and other trucking and logistics companies—I’m proud of our strong trucking industry in Arkansas. I met with the Arkansas Trucking Association and many of its member companies in my office to discuss infrastructure, truck parking projects, workforce development, supply chain, and regulatory issues. I’m proud to be an advocate and supporter of multiple pieces of legislation focused on maximizing the labor force to keep the supply chain flowing and promoting safety and opportunities within the trucking and logistics industry. I will always stand up for our truckers. I thank them wholeheartedly for their work to keep the U.S. moving.

Arkansas National Guard: I thank Arkansas National Guard Adjutant General Major General Kendall Penn, Arkansas Air National Guard Air Component Commander Brigadier General Leon Dodroe, 188th Wing Commander Colonel Jeremiah Gentry, 189th Airlift Wing Commander Colonel Dean Martin, and 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Commander Colonel Chad Bridges for briefing me on ongoing state military operations. I received updates on ongoing operations at the 188th Wing (Ft. Smith) and the 189th Airlift Wing (Little Rock). We also discussed the future of both units and future equipment necessary to complete the mission and heard from the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) on operations and future threats and capabilities required for the nation to be safe and secure. Always appreciative of the service of our men and women in uniform.

Congressman Womack with Dr. Steven Collier and the ARcare team

ARcare: Dr. Steven Collier developed ARcare to help ensure that patients in rural Arkansas could get quality medical care, and he has helped provide access to healthcare for patients throughout the tri-state area ever since. Services include primary care, behavioral health, pharmacies, and a community outreach program. The organization is a federally qualified health center, and it will be expanding in NWA. I thank Dr. Collier and his team for their commitment to the health of our communities.

Congressman Womack with Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism

Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism: Arkansas is home to abundant attractions and activities all over the state. From museums, bike trails, and outdoor recreation to historic landmarks and cultural centers, our communities have so much to offer to families and visitors alike. Arkansas Secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism Stacy Hurst came by my D.C. office to talk about tourism and its impact on the economy. We also talked about workforce shortages and the need for the repeal of arbitrary travel mandates. Arkansas is an incredible destination, and we want to show visitors everything our great state has to offer.

Arkansas School Board Association: Our kids are our future, and I am proud to say Arkansas teachers and educators have done a great job in preparing the next generation and navigating classroom issues throughout the pandemic. Our state has certainly led the way in bringing normalcy and getting our kids back into the classroom. I spoke on these issues, as well as child nutrition, mental health, special education, broadband access, and workforce retention, with Arkansas School Board Association members. I will note, the Arkansas chapter left the corrupt National School Board Association, which clearly was advocating a partisan agenda instead of putting our kids and families first. We should always honor the rights of parents and local school boards to make the decision that best suits their families and communities.

Congressman Womack with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Arkansas Game and Fish: There is nothing like the Natural State! From the wildlife and free flowing rivers to the mountains and hunting grounds, the great outdoors is all around in Arkansas. Great having Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Chairman Bobby Martin and Executive Director Austin Booth in D.C. We talked about their work to ensure Arkansas’s beautiful nature areas and wildlife are enjoyed for generations to come.

Congressman Womack with USSOCOM Commander General Richard Clarke

General Richard Clarke: U.S. Special Forces are deployed around the world, conducting covert operations, training other militaries, and advising troops. They are led by General Richard Clarke, Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), who I met with again this week. As a defense appropriator, it’s important I hear firsthand from General Clarke about updates related to our special operators as they continue to plan, conduct, and support critical missions in a dangerous world at a demanding pace. We must ensure they are properly resourced and ready to confront the evolving threat landscape. I will also note General Clarke is a West Point graduate. Go Army!

Defense Hearings: As a member of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, I participated in multiple hearings related to national defense posture and funding. I can’t discuss many aspects of these briefings, which focused on a range of areas, including U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, and U.S. Strategic Command. We need sustained and stable funding that allows our military to plan and meet growing needs and threats. Defense readiness is critical to ensuring a safer and more secure nation for the American people, both today and in the future.   

Congressman Womack with the Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce

Fort Smith Chamber: Arkansas is a hub of economic growth and business opportunity, and we must continue to unleash our potential. It was great to have the Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce in the House this week. Fort Smith boasts community differentiators—strategic location, economic opportunity, a strong workforce, and more. This confluence is recognized through the FMS mission coming to the River Valley and the opening of world-class institutions like the Peak Innovation Center. We discussed the importance of these projects, economic development, earmarks, infrastructure, local transportation, business growth, and more. Thank you to Fort Smith Chamber President Tim Allen and all of the city employees and businesses for visiting. Your commitment to making Fort Smith an even better place to live and work has always served Arkansas and our community well. I look forward to continuing our work to empower businesses and strengthen economic opportunity.

Congressman Womack with Alyssa Rudelis (right) and her MIT classmate

Alyssa Rudelis: I always appreciate hearing the stories of Arkansans, especially those who are part of our next generation of leaders. I had the opportunity to speak with Alyssa Rudelis, who was born in Rogers. She is currently a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she is a Ph.D. candidate in atomic physics and a member of the Science Policy Initiative. To say the work she is doing is impressive is quite an understatement. Alyssa spoke about her studies, discussed incredibly important points on cybersecurity capabilities, and also talked about building the pipeline of scientists and engineers across the country. Wishing her the best of luck in her studies. I know she has a bright future in front of her!

High School Students

Military Service Academy Day events will be hosted in Fort Smith and Rogers tomorrow

Military Service Academy Day: Our United States Military Service Academies offer a challenging education and opportunity to serve our exceptional nation. This Saturday, April 9^th, I'm hosting Academy Day events in Fort Smith and Rogers for students interested in attending the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Information about local ROTC programs and the Arkansas National Guard will also be available. I encourage all interested high school students to attend. For more information, click here.

• Fort Smith– Event will be on April 9^th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Southside High School (Enter at the main entrance.)
• Rogers– Event will be on April 9^th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Rogers High School (Use the South entrance to the school. Proceed past the auditorium and gymnasium to the far side of the Commons area.)

Congressman Womack encourages students to enter the 2022 Congressional Art Competition

Congressional Art Competition: The creativity and talent of young artists of the Third District are always on full display during the Congressional Art Competition. I encourage all local high school students to participate again this year. It is an opportunity for them to present their greatest artwork, which could end up hanging in the halls leading to the People’s House. Submission deadlines are at the end of April. For more information on due dates and rules, click here.

Wishing you a great weekend ahead. You can keep an eye on my website or check out my Twitter and Instagram pages to stay up-to-date with the latest news from my office.