Washington Update
Honoring Service and Sacrifice
To me, Memorial Day is the most sacred of all holidays. It reminds us that our country exists today because of patriotic Americans who were willing to sacrifice for something bigger than themselves. There is no better example of the American spirit than those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and who gave their lives for their country.
As we enjoy time off from our busy lives, we must find the time to honor the sacrifice of others so that we may live in the land of the free and home of the brave.
In this week’s Comment from the Capitol, I pay tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. I also highlight the 2024 service academy graduates from Arkansas’ Third Congressional District! Tune in HERE.
Securing Key Defense Priorities
The House Appropriations Committee tackled its first Fiscal Year 2025 bill this week – the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill. We held a full committee markup to debate and vote on amendments and ultimately pass the bill out of the committee for House floor consideration.
This legislation is full of key defense priorities, including robust investments in the Pacific region and right here in Arkansas’ Third District. It secures $70 million for Ebbing Air National Guard Base Academic Training Center construction, along with additional funding for planning and design of future Ebbing projects to further support the critical Foreign Military Sales mission in Fort Smith.
The bill also fully funds veterans’ health care programs, benefits, and VA programs to care for the patriotic Americans who courageously served our country.
I hope for swift House passage once Congress returns in June.
Womack-backed Legislation
Here’s a recap of what Republicans achieved on the House Floor this week:
Protecting Americans’ Financial Privacy in Digital Transactions
The CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act, a bill I proudly cosponsored that aims to protect Americans’ right to financial privacy, passed the House. A surveillance-style central bank digital currency (CBDC) is a Chinese Communist Party tool waiting to be weaponized against Americans and American businesses. This bill would prohibit unelected bureaucrats at the Federal Reserve from issuing CBDCs, protecting our free-market economy and ensuring Americans’ hard-earned money can’t be used against them.
Establishing a Clear Regulatory Framework for Digital Assets
Millions of Americans see digital assets as one of the many options to take wealth creation into their own hands. However, our nation is falling behind compared to other countries. I voted for the FIT21 Act to protect Americans by establishing a much-needed regulatory framework to develop these technologies and new financial services tools here in America.
Preventing Illegal Aliens from Voting in U.S. Elections
In November 2022, the Council of D.C. voted to enact a bill, the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act, that allows noncitizens, including illegal immigrants, to vote in D.C. local elections. This fundamentally disenfranchises American citizens and could have a ripple effect across other large U.S. cities. It’s common sense—only American citizens should be able to vote in American elections. We passed a bill, H.R. 192, to ensure this holds true. We must preserve this precious right for U.S. citizens and U.S. citizens alone.
Picture highlights from the week:
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The mentality “country over self” drove me to serve our nation in the Army National Guard for over 30 years. It’s also what brought me to Congress. Through a shared dedication to serving America, the For Country Caucus is a group of bipartisan veterans determined to put principles over politics in Congress. I’m honored to be a member of this group and to have the opportunity to speak at the SALT Conference in New York City alongside my colleague Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ). We discussed our military service and how it translates to our work in Congress. Although my Democrat colleagues and I often disagree on policies, as members of the For Country Caucus, we are all committed to healthy debate and putting America’s well-being first.
You may watch our discussion here.
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Another For Country Caucus member, Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), and I joined Chris Stirewalt of NewsNation to discuss veteran leadership in Congress in the past, present, and future, and how to unify our country to solve the problems of America.
Catch “The Hill Sunday” for this Memorial Day special at 9 a.m. CT on most cable providers, streaming platforms, or by logging in to your TV provider online here.
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Eric Burnell and Katie Crawford of Arvest Equipment Finance in Arkansas’ Third came by to discuss issues with Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) reporting requirements and potential legislation to address their concerns. I’ve long been opposed to the way CFPB does business – they try to apply arcane academic ideas to real world commerce. For that reason, I’ve championed bringing CFPB under the jurisdiction of the Appropriations Committee. The Power of the Purse is one of Congress’ fundamental tools and I hope to use it to rein in unelected bureaucrats. As always, it’s great to have folks from the district visit me so I can better serve them in Washington.
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Fort Smith Southside High School’s band and orchestra were in town! The highlight of my week was taking the roughly 150-person group on a special evening tour of the Capitol. I covered the House chamber’s history and how it functions day-to-day. I always take the opportunity to encourage and educate the next generation of young leaders.
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This week, the Southside Mavericks performed at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall! So proud of these talented young people from our community!
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator, Michael Whitaker, met with me ahead of the upcoming Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee on Appropriations hearing on the FAA’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget request. I am laser focused on the safety of our nation’s aviation system and will work with Administrator Whitaker to meet that goal.
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Kim and Karen Eskew of Harps Foods Stores Inc. in Arkansas’ Third and other members of the National Grocers Association came by to discuss issues facing the industry and the Farm Bill, which is comprehensive agriculture and nutrition legislation that just passed out of the House Agriculture Committee yesterday. I appreciated the visit!
Have a great Memorial Day weekend ahead, and I hope to see you around! Be sure to check out my website, Twitter, and Instagram pages in the meantime.
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