From The Front...

Welcome to my weekly newsletter

January 16, 2026

Welcome to my weekly newsletter, From the Front, where I provide a quick update on what I've been working on in Washington, D.C., and back home in Arkansas's Third Congressional District.

COMMENT FROM THE CAPITOL

In this week’s edition of Comment from the Capitol (CFTC), I break down what happened on Capitol Hill this week, from the appropriations process to the Republican majority’s struggle to pass legislation—including my bill to protect tipped workers. I also lay out what’s next for Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations, namely the potential passage of my transportation and housing appropriations bill. Listen HERE or click below.

TOP OF MIND

This week, the House passed another package of government funding bills. The two-bill package provides full-year funding for the Departments of State and Treasury, as well as the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, Small Business Administration, and related agencies.

The spending levels in the bill will help advance our foreign policy objectives and support economic growth at home. For example, the package bolsters U.S. national security by allocating substantial funding for the Foreign Military Financing Program to support our allies, such as Israel and Taiwan, against foreign adversaries. It also provides funding for the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, which lends to small businesses, affordable housing developers, and similar endeavors.

Read more bill highlights HERE.

While House passage of this package puts us over halfway towards fulfilling Congress’s Article I responsibility, I am not breathing a sigh of relief yet. The government deadline is getting closer, and we must maintain this momentum to advance the remaining four appropriations bills—including my bill, the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. My THUD bill will deliver millions of dollars in direct investments for communities across Arkansas’s Third District, so it is imperative that we get it across the finish line.

ON THE FLOOR

As I discussed in CFTC, there was a hiccup with the workforce bills that House Leadership attempted to move through the GOP majority this week. Despite those challenges, I want to share the remarks I delivered on the House Floor in support of my bill, the Tipped Employee Protection Act, which safeguards tipped workers and their right to earn a living. Watch HERE or click below.

HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT

In Rogers, a ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the completion of the final renovations at Greer Lingle Middle School. The facility closed its doors for the 2024–2025 school year after sustaining major damage during the Memorial Day weekend tornadoes in 2024. It brings me immense joy and pride to see our community rebuild and come back stronger than ever. Read more from 5NEWS HERE.

In Fort Smith, ground has officially broken on the new Bricktown Brewery following a fire that devastated the historic Adelaide Hall building. The new structure will be located in the downtown area and will pay homage to the original building, which was constructed in 1871. I’m excited to see how this new development will help bring new life to this great city. Read more from the River Valley Democrat-Gazette HERE.

CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT

This week’s constituent spotlight goes to Kevin Trainor of Fayetteville.

Kevin Trainor, chief operating officer and associate executive director of the University of Arkansas Alumni Association, was recently elected to the College Sports Communicators Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.

For those who don’t know, Kevin has been a cornerstone of Razorback athletics for three decades, having led Arkansas Athletics’ communications and media relations at the highest levels. He also served as College Sports Communicators President during the 2024–2025 academic year, where he set new standards for the profession.

This recognition is well deserved, and I congratulate him on this outstanding achievement.

PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

This week, Arkansas Tech University (ATU) President Dr. Russ Jones visited my office to update me on the latest happening at my alma mater. In Fiscal Year 2023, when Russellville was part of the Third District, I secured community project funding for modern equipment and technology necessary to enhance the education experience for students in the university’s agricultural programs. The new Farm Credit Agriculture Building, which supports this effort, was dedicated on December 10, 2025. While I no longer represent Russellville—once a Wonder Boy, always a Wonder Boy.

I had the opportunity to meet with the president of Aerojet Rocketdyne, Scott Alexander, who provided me with an update on the important work his company is doing in Arkansas to support our nation’s warfighters while also creating jobs and economic growth. I enjoyed hearing about Aerojet’s work, and I am proud that Arkansans continue to help protect our nation each day.

I was delighted to host leaders from Game Aerospace, a leading aerospace company based in Bentonville, Arkansas. They discussed their newest design, the Game Bird 2 (GB2), which is a state-of-the-art, next-generation wildfire fighting plane, specifically designed to extinguish our nation’s worst wildfires. As the THUD Subcommittee Chairman on the House Appropriations Committee, I have a direct role in helping support their crucial work and I am proud to have such a revolutionary company in AR-3.

My friends at King Aerospace stopped by this week to provide me with an update on the incredible work they are doing in Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas. Their facility at XNA specializes in the modification and integration of government-owned aircraft. It brings me great pride to know that hardworking Arkansans are helping to produce the greatest aircraft in the world, ensuring that our men and women in uniform are safe in the skies.

WHAT DO YOU THINK

Watch my remarks in support of the Tipped Employee Protection Act and let me know what you think.

Should Congress pass the Tipped Employee Protection Act?