Year in Review
This year in Congress was truly unprecedented, from taking 15 rounds to elect a Speaker of the House, to then ousting that very Speaker nine months later, and fiddling around for three weeks with the seat vacant. We are operating with one of the slimmest House majorities ever and in divided government – and it is clear that even the most basic requirements of government demand intense negotiation and compromise.
We have fumbled on responsibly funding the government. We’ve continued to kick the can down the road through short-term spending fixes instead of resuming regular order to effectively rein in the left’s out-of-control spending. The out-of-touch White House and Democratic Senate have demanded more spending while the fringe of my party have continued to play my way or the highway politics. It’s incredibly frustrating, and the American people deserve much more from their elected officials.
There is still so much work to be done. However, you can see that House Republicans are pursuing our number one mission—limiting President Biden’s disastrous agenda—with vigor and some success. We managed to muster support for some solid, conservative wins and I’m also proud to have advanced important projects for Arkansas’ Third, while keeping constituent services top-of-mind.
Read highlights from the year below!
Advancing conservative priorities
H.R. 2: Secure the Border Act
With a swipe of a pen, President Biden forced failed policies that jeopardized our security, empowered drug cartels to pump deadly fentanyl through our nation, and made it harder for Border Patrol agents to execute their mission. The southern border is pure, unmitigated chaos.
We took action to secure the border by passing H.R. 2—the strongest border security package ever to pass the House. This bill would force the Biden Administration to restart construction of the border wall, increase the number of Border Patrol agents and provide them bonus pay, strengthen current law to protect unaccompanied children from human trafficking, end catch and release, end abuse of executive immigration authority, and strengthen and streamline the asylum process.
As they say, the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago and the second-best time is right now. I wish we could have gotten Senate approval of this bill long ago, but the second-best time is right now.
H.R. 1: Lower Energy Costs Act
President Biden’s assault on American-made energy and his rush-to-green agenda immediately killed thousands of jobs, drove up energy costs, and threatened our national security by making us reliant on foreign adversaries like Russia, China, and Venezuela.
We passed the Lower Energy Costs Act to do just that—lower costs for families by increasing domestic energy production, reforming the permitting process for all industries, reversing anti-energy policies advanced by the Biden Administration, streamlining energy infrastructure and exports, and boosting the production and processing of critical minerals.
Charting a better fiscal course
I testified in front of the House Budget Committee twice this year to offer my solutions to address our unsustainable debt. As former Budget Committee Chairman, it was good to be back, and see my portrait hanging up!
H.R. 710: Sustainable Budget Act
The stark fiscal reality we face should alarm every one of us. Our national debt has bloated to nearly $34 trillion. This unstainable trajectory is one of the greatest threats to America’s prosperity, security, and future generations.
It’s long been a priority of mine to tackle this dysfunction. I helped introduce the Sustainable Budget Act to create a bipartisan, national commission charged with developing policies to balance the budget within ten years and meaningfully address the nation’s exploding debt. I will always be an advocate for solutions to fix the broken budget and appropriations process, which has failed the American people for too long.
FY24 Financial Services and General Government Bill
As Chairman of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee on Appropriations, I was tasked with drafting a bill aimed at right-sizing government agencies within the subcommittee’s jurisdiction.
At a time of high inflation and soaring deficits, this bill responsibly claws back the Biden Administration and Democrats’ bloated spending by demanding federal agencies concentrate on their core mission. It rescinds $10 billion of IRS funding, preventing the creation of a super army of IRS agents, reins in heavy-handed financial regulations, and brings federal employees back to the office so they can be accountable to the American people.
This bill is one of the 12 appropriations bills needed to fully fund our government. Our job now is to work with our Senate counterparts to produce compromised versions to make into law.
Defending our nation
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On my Congressional Delegation trip to Germany in July, I visited Grafenwoehr Training Area to meet with the leadership and members of the Arkansas National Guard’s 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), a unit I served in during my tenure in the National Guard!
H.R. 693: VACANT Act
Our veterans deserve the highest standard of care. Timely hiring and proper staffing of high-quality professionals should be the standard—not the goal. I was glad to introduce the VACANT Act, which brings necessary oversight and accountability to workforce recruitment.
As a direct response to the Fayetteville VA Medical Center’s experience of being without a permanent medical center director for nearly two years, the legislation requires the VA Secretary to ensure a plan is in place to fill vacant medical center director positions within 180 days of detailing.
Just as a battalion commander leads a unit, the VA needs leadership in place to ensure health services are being properly delivered to those who’ve worn America’s uniform!
H.R. 1732: Basic Needs Allowance Fairness Act
Our courageous servicemembers represent the best of America. They deserve to receive the full value of their military benefits. The Basic Needs Allowance, which supports thousands of servicemembers and their families, is not income and should not be subject to income taxes.
Recognizing the importance of supporting military families, I introduced the BNA Fairness Act to eliminate this tax burden. With reduced financial pressure at home, our troops can better focus on performance and defense.
Sound of Freedom in Fort Smith
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Securing the pilot training mission for Fort Smith was one of the top moments of 2023. This mission is major for the River Valley region. F-35 fighter planes along with a F-16 squadron will be part of the installation, bringing about 1,000 new families, an estimated economic impact of $1 billion, and an elevated role for Arkansas in bolstering our national security.
I ushered $76 million for Ebbing construction projects within the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. Important to supporting Americans who courageously served in uniform, this bill also fully funds veterans’ healthcare and benefits.
Putting the Third District first
My 8,000th Consecutive Vote
Earlier in the month, I cast my 8000th vote in a row, without missing one. A lot of this is due to luck—without a medical issue or family emergency having prevented me from my duty—but it also is part of my commitment to you. Each decision I make in Congress is guided by Third District priorities.
I invite your views and bring them with me to Washington. My role in representing you in Congress is something I never take for granted, and my vote is always for something bigger than myself. As I count my blessings this holiday season, getting the chance to make your voice heard in Congress is at the very top of my list.
Assisting with Federal Agencies
I’m incredibly proud of the work my casework team has done this year to serve the people of Arkansas’ Third!
Helping constituents solve problems with federal agencies is one of my most important tasks in Congress.
From the VA to the Social Security Administration to the IRS—and every agency in between—my team and I can intervene on a person's behalf to answer questions, find solutions, or just cut through the red tape.
The unprecedented surge of passport application requests earlier in the year caused a major processing backlog. This serves as your reminder that with a new year—please check the expiration date of your passport or file for a first-time passport if you are considering international travel in 2024. Do it now, don’t wait!
If you need help with a federal agency, my team is the best in the game. We stand ready to assist you. Find resources here.
Wishing you a Happy New Year!
As one year comes to a close, a whole new chapter of opportunity is presented to each and every one of us. Let us take this time to reflect on the old, and welcome in the new.
Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed, healthy, and joyful 2024. From my family to yours, Happy New Year!
I look forward to another week in Arkansas before I head back to Washington. I hope to see you around! Be sure to check out my website, Twitter, and Instagram pages in the meantime.
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