We finished the visit by receiving an update on the status of both the Alice Walton School of Medicine and Heartland Whole Health Institute. But of course, no trip to the Third District is complete without a tour of the beautiful Crystal Bridges Museum!

Arkansas’ Third is a growing hub for quality medical care and innovative research, and the NIH plays an essential role in funding projects that improve the health and quality of life for people in our communities. I believe investing in critical research now will pay massive dividends in the future in terms of spending, but most importantly, will find cures and save lives. I’m grateful Director Bertagnolli took the opportunity to see the remarkable work of our local health providers, researchers, and partners in action. I look forward to a continued partnership with Director Bertagnolli to improve health outcomes for Arkansans!

Highlights from the week

I started my Wednesday at Kimmons Middle School to hear from the robotics team. They shared with me their concerns about the amount of single-use plastics polluting the ocean, and they’re working on long-term solutions to address the issue. These bright young minds are focused on solving today’s problems that will have lasting impacts on the future of our country, skills that are incredibly valuable to advancing America. I’m grateful their teacher, Mr. Abernathy, invited me to join the conversation and allowed me to offer advice to these impressive students. I always look forward to visiting with the Fort Smith Chamber, and it was an honor to be the keynote speaker at the annual meeting this week. I discussed all the exciting things happening in Fort Smith, such as the Foreign Military Sales Mission (FMS) at Ebbing Air National Guard Base and expanding the I-49 corridor to facilitate growth in the region. Advocating for projects in the Third District, whether that be additional funding for the FMS mission or building vital highways like I-49, will continue to be my focus. Fort Smith is ground zero for exciting opportunities, and I stand ready to assist where I can to support growth. I'm pictured with Rob Ator ‘Gator,’ Chamber President & CEO Tim Allen, Col. Nick Ihde ‘Matrix,’ and Lt. Col. Jonathan Hassell ‘Rev'! It was great to visit with Danny and Angela Cobb, the owners of American Welding Laboratories (AWL), and see their work providing hands-on training for welding students. They told me how the school partners with several workforce development programs to offer financial aid options for students, so they rarely have to pay out of pocket for their education. Their work at AWL is truly remarkable and will chart the course for successful welding careers. The Cobbs and their team are developing the next generation of our workforce, which will meet the increased demand of skilled workers throughout the industry. The new report from the Sam M. Walton College of Business and the Northwest Arkansas Council confirmed what we are all seeing and feeling in Northwest Arkansas – we are continuing to grow in population size and producing more and more job opportunities. This is exciting, as it continues to provide avenues for economic success throughout the region, but it also comes with challenges. Work must be done to ensure housing prices don’t skyrocket and we remain a business-friendly environment. It was helpful for me to attend the briefing, so that I can continue to be ready to work together with local and state leaders to address these growing pains. Pinnacle Surgery Center is a physician-owned hospital with many of the physicians growing up in the area and continuing to call Northwest Arkansas home. It was great to meet the physicians and administrative team, get a tour of their new facility, and hear about their work to provide surgical care. I’m incredibly grateful for all they do to take care for people in our community. My dad, the Colonel, and I helped cheer on the Bulldogs at Springdale High School’s mental health pep rally, featuring the Arkansas Razorbacks and Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball teams. Coach Cal, Coach Self, and the athletes spoke to students about the importance of not only taking care of your physical health but prioritizing mental health as well. Challenges with mental health have sadly impacted our youth in Arkansas and across America. This is an issue the teachers and faculty at Springdale Schools are taking seriously, while addressing it in a way that resonates with the students by hearing from some of the biggest college sports icons in the country. I’m so grateful for all our educators do in developing our future leaders! When the devastating tornadoes struck Northwest Arkansas on Memorial Day weekend, Rogers City employees, from the police and the fire department to the parks and street department, sprang into action to serve our neighbors in need. John Wells hosted an appreciation lunch to express our sincere gratitude for the City of Roger employees’ efficient, effective, and selfless service to our community. It’s been a long road to recovery, but it’s the resilience and teamwork displayed from that weekend onward that have brought our community closer together and allowed us to rebuild. It was great to catch up with John, as well as my friend Jerry Pittman! There’s no better way to get a pulse on what’s on the hearts and minds of those I represent than having candid roundtable discussions with folks throughout the Third District. Today, I made a stop in Gentry to meet with business owners in the area to hear about what day to day issues they face, answer questions, and give an update on what’s been happening in Congress.