Washington Update
Signed into Law
I was proud to see my cosponsored bill, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, signed into law this week.
Families, small businesses, and farmers are depending on leaders to address historic levels of inflation and supply chain disruptions. I’m proud to help deliver legislation that will make a difference. Just yesterday, my cosponsored bill, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, was signed into law! As a champion of this bipartisan proposal, which will strengthen our economy and movement of goods, I was proud to deliver solutions that will help level the playing field for U.S. exporters and ease shipping backlogs. Importantly, the news also helps address trade imbalances with China. Stopping unreasonable practices by foreign ocean carriers supports a fast flow of goods and Arkansas producers, especially our hardworking farmers and ranchers. Increasing market access and economic opportunity for Arkansas and American-made products is essential to alleviating price burdens on consumers.
Learn more about the bill and its Arkansas support here.
Appropriations
As Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, I stressed the importance of fiscal responsibility during subcommittee markup.
We are about 100 days away from the beginning of a brand-new fiscal year. That day marks the time by which Congress should have completed its constitutional duty to fund the government. This entails passing 12 appropriations bills through regular order—a process that should go from passing a budget resolution to completing work on all appropriations legislation before October 1st.
As I mentioned last week, House Democrats have still not produced a budget. A failure to budget is a failure to govern—and I saw more dysfunction showcased during this week’s House Appropriations subcommittee markups. For those unfamiliar with markups, it is the process by which congressional committees and subcommittees debate, amend, and rewrite proposed legislation before it is advanced to the floor.
The one-sided bills have a long way to go before they can be signed into law. Unfortunately, we are starting out with proposals that exemplify a left-leaning agenda, fail to exercise any fiscal restraint, and will only make inflation worse. Big policy differences will need to be reconciled in the coming weeks, and I will be using my voice and taking action in the coming weeks to do just that.
In fact, I was honored to be named a 2022 “Fiscal Hero” by The Campaign to Fix the Debt for my longtime commitment to putting America on a better fiscal and economic path. Arkansans and Americans have no choice other than balancing their checkbooks. Yet, the federal government doesn’t obey those rules. The result: out-of-control spending ushering in decades-high inflation and debt and deficits at untenable levels. The futures of our children and grandchildren are at stake, and we have a moral obligation to get our fiscal house in order.
President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and head of Fix the Debt Maya MacGuineas released the following statement regarding the award: “With inflation at a 40-year high, the national debt reaching near-record levels, and our major trust funds facing looming insolvency over the next decade, our country faces daunting fiscal challenges. Addressing our fiscal challenges requires policymakers in Washington who distinguish themselves by their leadership and political courage, and Rep. Womack is doing just that. We applaud his commitment to getting our nation on a more sustainable fiscal path.”
I remain resolute in leading efforts to make the tough—but necessary—decisions to chart a responsible path forward and ensure America’s future prosperity. Learn more about the recognition and my work on the issue here.
Protecting Arkansas Agriculture, Food Supply Chain
I am urging a vote on the Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act to support our hardworking agriculture producers.
Long before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, America's farm families and consumers were struggling with fractured supply chains, skyrocketing input costs, and historic levels of inflation. Each of these challenges has contributed to increased food prices and diminished inventories.
The ongoing conflict has further disrupted the global food system, exacerbating increased energy prices, fertilizer cost spikes and shortages, and worsening food shortages in developing countries. Despite these facts, the House Democrats and the White House have pursued a spending and regulatory agenda that compounds the problem. In fact, under President Biden’s leadership, wholesale prices for businesses jumped 10.8% from the previous year, according to a new Producer Price Index (PPI) report from the Department of Labor. While main street businesses and American families get hit with double-digit inflation, real wages drop, and energy prices continue to skyrocket, the administration continues to falsely blame industry instead of recognizing the results of their policy decisions.
To add insult to injury, House Democrats put forward H.R. 7606, the Lower Food and Fuels Cost Act. I’ll hand it to them—the title is catchy, but it’s also terribly dishonest. It spends millions of dollars to increase input costs, worsen food shortages and supply chain issues, and ultimately raise prices on American consumers.
We are in a crisis scenario. Putting meals on the table is getting harder for families. Emptier wallets and shelves have become commonplace, and costs continue to rise. As a full-blown global food shortage looms, the Biden Administration and House Democrats are targeting the very people who feed and fuel the nation. Their heavy-handed regulatory agenda will hammer our hardworking farmers and ranchers and limit domestic production.
Policies need to help—not harm—the ability of our producers to grow, raise, and supply nutritious products. This is why I am urging a vote on the Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act bill. This solutions-focused proposal, which I cosponsored, requires the Biden Administration to stop using regulatory barriers to limit U.S. agriculture production and provides immediate relief to farmers, producers, and families.
America’s agriculture sector is vital to alleviating global food crises, and I will continue taking action to support our stewards of the land. Undermining their work risks our nation’s ability to meet the food and fiber needs of America and the globe.
Learn more about this proposal and other actions I have taken to support our farmers, ranchers, and producers here.
A few other notes - This week, I joined lawmakers in demanding the Department of Justice investigate recent attacks against several pro-life organizations as instances of domestic terrorism. In the last two months, there have been at least 15 documented terrorist attacks against pro-life organizations. These attacks included incidences of vandalism, destruction of property, and even firebombing. In addition to these attacks, police recently arrested a California man for attempting to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his home. Each of these crimes followed the egregious leak of the draft Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Supreme Court opinion and were clearly politically motivated. These attacks must be investigated as instances of domestic terrorism as defined in federal law. Read the letter here. I also further raised concerns regarding the White House’s actions to direct federal agencies to go beyond their missions, including involvement in election and registration activities. Federal agencies should be focused on serving the American people by fulfilling their respective missions, not engaging in the Biden Administration’s political activities. At a time when our nation is facing many crises, we want to ensure that President Biden is not diverting resources away from important programs that fall directly under our congressional oversight. This follows up on questions we posed to the Administration in March, which we have yet to receive a response on. Read more here.
Some pictures from the week:
Amy Grace of Rogers was visiting the Capitol with her grandparents. We took a quick picture on the East steps before I had the opportunity to show her the House floor and experience some legislative action in person! Safe travels back to the Natural State!
I appreciated sitting down with the McKee Foods team to discuss inflation, supply chain issues, economic growth, and manufacturing.
Thanks to Arkansas PTA members Audre Darling, Melinda Kinnison, and Ray Saminego for taking time to meet with my office and discuss the importance of education and our students.
It was great welcoming Gabrielle Russell of Van Buren and Jayden Urioste of Berryville to D.C.! They shared their personal connections to the TRIO program and how resources, including tutoring, counseling, and mentorship, helped them reach their full potential and goals.
As Chairman of the West Point Board of Visitors, it's an honor to play a role guiding this leadership institution and meeting with the future of our Army. I met with USMA Cadet Graham Hendrickson, who is part of the Class of 2024. He is in D.C. participating in an Advanced Individual Academic Development (AIAD) internship with the Army’s Office of the Chief of Legislative Liaison.
David Zalkaliani, Ambassador of Georgia, discussed strategic partnerships, current situations in occupied regions, and Russian aggression against Ukraine.
I received an update from Ukrainian Parliament members about the ongoing war and the realities of Putin's evil in the region. We also discussed the impact of Moscow's aggression on global issues, including the food supply and energy.
ISO-Pacific uses innovative technology for environmental remediation, and it was helpful to learn more about their capabilities and work.
As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, I had the opportunity to sit down with some of the committee interns and talk policy, the budget and appropriations process, and their current work this summer.
I’d also like to give a shoutout to all the Arkansans who stopped by during their visits to our nation’s capital this week for a tour with my office. A big thank you to the Cowart family of Bentonville and the Galloway family of Tontitown. Safe travels back to the Natural State!
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!
I will be back in Washington for legislative business next week. Wishing you a great weekend ahead, and I hope you will all be watching Razorback Baseball take on Stanford tomorrow. The Hogs are headed to Omaha—and we need everyone cheering them on. Woo Pig! Also, calling all Third District middle and high school students. The 2022 Congressional App Challenge has officially launched. Put your STEM skills to the test by applying to participate. You never know how your app or idea could change the world! Details on the competition and how to apply here. 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. |