Washington Update
Congress is back
During our first week back in Washington since the election, my House Republican colleagues and I hit the ground running by planning for the year ahead. We elected our leadership team, which remained mostly unchanged, and discussed how we will capitalize on the unified GOP governing trifecta for the 119th Congress. I look forward to working with my House and Senate colleagues to advance President Trump’s agenda, get our country back on track, and deliver meaningful results to improve the lives of everyday Arkansans. It’s a new day in America!
Click HERE to listen to my Comment from the Capitol, where I further report on the leadership elections, what the narrow House and Senate GOP majorities mean for the 119th Congress, and my continued role as Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee on Appropriations.
Bills of the week
Congress is back in session, which means I’m back to doing my fundamental duty – making your voice heard! As I always say, my voting card doesn’t belong to me, it belongs to Third District Arkansans. Here’s an update on some of the legislation I supported this week, all of which passed the House:
- Critical Mineral Consistency Act: Supports the United States’ mission to end reliance on critical minerals and materials produced by foreign adversaries by requiring the U.S. Geological Survey to update its list of minerals essential to the American economy or national security further securing our nation’s spot as a global energy leader and strengthening our domestic supply chains.
- Harnessing Energy at Thermal Sources (HEATS) Act: Expedites the development of geothermal energy involving federal minerals on non-federal lands by clarifying when activities are not subject to certain federal laws and permitting processes, including the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and National Historic Preservation Act.
- FAFSA Deadline Act: Ensures students and families have ample time to make informed decisions about their postsecondary education options by requiring the Department of Education to make the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form available to students each year on October 1.
Picture highlights from the week
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Our country allows us to pursue life, liberty, and happiness—each of these secured by the sacrifices made by those willing to defend her. I was honored to deliver this important message to students, teachers, and veterans at Berryville High School's Veterans Day ceremony on Monday before traveling to Washington.
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Fort Smith’s own, Miss America Madison Marsh came by for a visit! She was in DC this week to meet with members of Congress to advocate for federal funding for pancreatic cancer research. I first met Madison back when she was a Southside Maverick, and she shared with me her mother’s heartbreaking battle with pancreatic cancer. Since then, she has fought to raise money for life-saving research and to find a cure. I’m so proud of her!
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My friend Frank Luntz brought West Point cadets from the American Politics Program to Capitol Hill to engage with leaders on important policy issues. I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to say hello to our future Army leaders. As Chairman of the West Point Board of Visitors, it’s my duty to help ensure cadets are ready to lead the U.S. Army to fight and win our nation’s future battles. Visiting with cadets is what drives my work—I am always inspired by their intelligence, work ethic, and commitment to serving our nation.
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I enjoyed catching up with Bill and Karen Pharis Thursday morning on their radio show, The Marshal. We discussed the GOP majority, advancing fiscal year 2025 appropriations, and President Trump’s nominations. It’s always great to update Third District Arkansans on what is going on in Washington!
Inauguration tickets
If you’d like to request tickets to the 60th Presidential Inauguration, please fill out the request form for Third District Arkansans on my website here.
At this time, we know tickets will be limited, but we don’t know how many tickets we will have to allocate. We will try to accommodate as many as possible. If you are selected to receive tickets, my office will follow up with more information at a later date. The deadline for requests is December 24th, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET.
Have a great 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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