July 25, 2025

Weekly Update

Comment from the Capitol

In this week’s edition of Comment from the Capitol (CFTC), I discuss how the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein continues to haunt the House of Representatives, sowing deep divisions within the House Republican Conference and prompting leadership to start the August district work period a day earlier than expected.

Listen HERE.

Community Project Funding Secured

Each year, members of Congress submit requests to receive funding for specific projects in the communities they serve—known as Community Project Funding Requests. This funding is not additional money, but rather existing federal resources directed toward worthy initiatives by Representatives deeply familiar with local needs.

As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, I have a strong voice in determining where our taxpayer dollars are spent.

I’m proud to announce that I have secured $108.476 million in Community Project Funding for 15 projects in the Third District. This funding is included in bills approved by the full House Appropriations Committee.

You can read more about each project and what community stakeholders are saying HERE.

Appropriations Update

The House Appropriations Committee continued to mark up each subcommittee’s bill to fund the government. This week, we approved the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, as well as the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act.

With these bills approved by the committee, we have successfully marked up nine of twelve appropriations bills. Although these bills still have a ways to go before they can be signed into law, having them completed and approved by the full committee is a critical first step.

The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $37.971 billion. In addition to funding two Community Projects for the Third District, the bill supports domestic mining and energy production, which strengthens our economy and reduces reliance on adversarial nations. The legislation also blocks costly Biden-era regulations that restrict consumer choice and increase energy costs. Finally, the bill prohibits unnecessary restrictions on hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting on federal lands.

The National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $46.218 billion. In addition to reducing waste, fraud, and abuse of federal dollars, the bill provides funding for our allies such as Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Taiwan. It also counters adversaries including the Communist People’s Republic of China, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and drug cartels — including those designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

On the House Floor…

Despite the contention in the House that I outlined in CFTC, we succeeded in passing the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025, which authorizes appropriations for the service through fiscal year 2029.

The Coast Guard has been chronically underfunded, and this bill authorizes necessary resources to bolster the service’s cutter fleet, shoreside facilities, and IT capabilities. It also establishes greater parity with the other armed services, creating a Secretary of the Coast Guard.

This was notably the last vote we’ll take on the House floor until we reconvene in September. In the meantime, I’m headed back to the district to do my favorite part of being a member of Congress: meeting with my constituents in the Third District.

Photo Highlights

I sat down with the interns working for the Arkansas congressional delegation this summer to discuss the art of crafting the government’s annual budget. Before we wrapped up, they asked thoughtful questions about my experience representing the Third District and what continues to motivate me.

I had a meeting with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 6 Administrator Scott Mason. We discussed the need to address our region’s growing water infrastructure challenges while also remaining good stewards of our environment. The EPA can be a valuable partner in addressing these issues, and I appreciated Administrator Mason’s commitment to supporting our community’s continued growth.

It’s always a pleasure to meet with constituents visiting our nation’s capital, especially families. This week, I had the opportunity to meet with the Jennings family from Springdale, the Wallace family from Rogers, and Vivek Narayan from Rogers.

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.

From the front...

Congressman Steve Womack
Arkansas Third District