Washington Update
Comment from the Capitol
This week in the House was a unique one. Less than 24 hours after arriving back in Washington, D.C., our business was finished for the week, having seen our attempts to legislate against rouge federal judges, pass the SAVE Act, and overturn two bureaucratic regulations, stopped in their tracks due to a debate over member pregnancies.
When you consider the issues facing our great country, including existential national security threats, inflation, border security, deficits and debt, budget and appropriations, and a whole host of other critical challenges, way down on the priority list of items to address would be proxy voting for pregnant members.
Tune into this week’s audio recap to hear my breakdown of the events that transpired that effectively prevented any further business in the House this week. LISTEN HERE.
The Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Safety Act
As you may recall, last week I met with the Hacala family of Rogers to discuss reintroducing the Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Safety Act. This week, I did just that with the support of a bipartisan bicameral group of colleagues. This bill would prohibit the sale of poppy seeds that contain a harmful level of opiates and require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue regulations that establish a maximum level of contamination.
On April 3, 2016, the Hacala family tragically lost their son, Stephen, because lethal substances found their way into our food supply through contaminated poppy seeds. I was proud to reintroduce this bill in his memory and create a solution to close an FDA loophole to ensure that only safe products are available for consumption.
This bill can save lives and prevent another family from experiencing an unimaginable loss.
Picture highlights from the week:
It was a pleasure to welcome the Fort Smith Chamber to Washington, D.C., this week! Fort Smith is a burgeoning hub of innovation, and it was great to hear from chamber members about the exciting happenings in the River Valley. We spoke about the FMS Mission and vital infrastructure investments, both of which are of the utmost importance to me.
Investments made today in biomedical research pay dividends in future cures and treatments. That’s why I have long supported federal research investment through the NIH. Dr. Raj Rao from the University of Arkansas visited with me about research and innovation in Fayetteville and how universities leverage federal dollars to produce scientific breakthroughs.
Dental health greatly contributes to overall health, and our Arkansas dentists work hard to ensure that Arkansans have healthy smiles. Dentists from the American Dental Association visited with me to discuss insurance reforms, support for new dentists entering the workforce, and the challenges they face in running a practice.
From the landscape’s natural beauty to Crystal Bridges to mountain biking, Northwest Arkansas has much to offer. Kalene Griffith, the President and CEO of Visit Bentonville, and Shea Lewis, the Secretary of Parks, Heritage and Tourism and Director of State Parks, visited my office to discuss how Congress can support their efforts to attract more people to Northwest Arkansas.
One of my favorite parts of the job is giving tours to constituents of the Third District. This week, the Meehans of Fayetteville came to visit, and it was a joy to show them around. Please reach out to my office if you are coming to Washington so we can give you a tour as well!
This week, the Ukrainian Parliamentary Delegation stopped by my office to discuss the importance of mitigating Russia’s influence throughout the Baltic region and the rest of Europe. They also emphasized the importance of a complete ceasefire and the signing of the mineral deal.
Reminder!
My office is accepting applications for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition! This is a special opportunity to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our congressional district. The competition is open to all high school students in the Third District, and the overall winner of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol!
For more information on the application process, please visit my website here.
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. |