Weekly Update
Comment from the Capitol
In this week’s edition of Comment from the Capitol, I break down the pivotal 30 hours leading up to House Republicans’ passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, discussing my own 16-hour stretch presiding over the House floor and the longest recorded vote in House history.
Listen HERE.
One Big Beautiful Bill
This week, the House reconvened after the Senate passed its amended version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Speaker Mike Johnson faced a steep, Everest-sized challenge in rallying the GOP House Conference behind the changes made by the Senate to the bill.
I voted yes on this legislation, and I want to share why while clearing up some common misconceptions.
First and foremost, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act delivers the largest tax cut for working- and middle-class Americans in history. It makes the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent—protecting the average taxpayer from a 22 percent tax hike. The bill also expands the Child Tax Credit, provides tax cuts for seniors, and offers additional relief by eliminating taxes on tips, overtime pay, and car loan interest.
The bill delivers historic investments in our national security from securing the border and addressing the illegal immigration crisis to strengthening our military. It boosts military readiness, restores American deterrence, and revitalizes the defense industrial base.
This legislation also includes commonsense reforms to ensure social safety net programs like Medicaid are reserved for those who truly need them—mothers, children, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly.
Despite fear mongering from the other side of the aisle, the only enrollees who will lose coverage under this bill are illegal aliens, those who are not eligible for Medicaid but receive benefits improperly, and able-bodied adults who choose not to work. Moreover, there are numerous exemptions written in the bill such as parents or caregivers of a dependent child or disabled individual.
When you look at the full picture, this bill puts forth pro-growth policies that will energize our economy and help usher in a new chapter of opportunity for Americans.
For more information, you can read my full breakdown HERE.
Photo Highlights
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Before returning to Washington to vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, I had the opportunity to meet with Arkansas Highway Commission Chairman Phillip Taldo. He walked me through the construction plans for the much-anticipated access road and Highway 612 extension to the Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA). I was proud to help secure funding for this project through the appropriations process, and it’s great to see its progress.
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Celebrating our Independence Day
Happy Fourth of July! I hope tomorrow and the rest of your weekend is spent with family and friends, enjoying quality time and watching fireworks. I’m especially looking forward to celebrating the holiday in the best part of our nation: the Third District of Arkansas.
The Fourth of July holiday is special holiday to me as it marks the annual celebration of our nation’s independence – a nation built on inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was unanimously ratified by the Second Continental Congress, whose delegates represented each of the thirteen colonies. In signing it, they knowingly committed an act of high treason against the British Crown—an offense punishable by torture and death.
Yet the 56 signers wrote their names in ink anyway. And in the 249 years since, we’ve seen that same bravery in the countless men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, willing to pay the ultimate price to ensure that the United States remains free.
We must never forget that our freedom is not free. It is a privilege made possible by the sacrifice of those who came before us and by those who continue to defend us from emerging threats around the world.
Despite our differences, we remain one Nation under God, and I hope we can all take a moment on this Independence Day to appreciate how truly great it is to be an American.
Have a great weekend ahead, and I hope to see you around! Be sure to check out my website, X, and Instagram pages in the meantime. |