March 27, 2026

In this week’s edition of Comment from the Capitol (CFTC), I offered my real-time commentary on Congress’ efforts to partially fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). At the time of recording, it was unclear how exactly the House would proceed following the Senate’s middle-of-the-night passage of a bill to address the government shutdown—more on that below. Listen HERE or click below.

Schools across Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley were out for spring break this week, and my office welcomed many families spending their vacations in Washington. Here are a few of the families I was fortunate to meet.

With the Acosta family of Fort Smith and the Phillips family of Alma, I explained how the appropriations process works—or is supposed to work—in addition to the work we are doing this month to kick start the process for the new fiscal year. Before they left for their tour of the Capitol, I also met the Frakes and Fillmore families of Bentonville.

I enjoyed visiting with the Crouse family of Gentry and the Bishop/Delao family of Fayetteville while they were in town. Kendra Crouse, a teacher in the Gentry Public Schools system, even quizzed me on my knowledge of the 1989 Gentry Women’s Basketball State Championship team. I’m proud to report that I passed with flying colors.

Peter Bishop, a junior at Fayetteville High School, is an incredibly impressive young man and hopes to study politics one day. I have a rich history with the Bishop family, and I was honored to have them in my office.

With a few minutes to spare, I took the group over to the Capitol for a tour. It’s always a highlight to show Arkansans the beautiful and historic building where I have the privilege to work.

Before heading to a hearing, I had the chance to meet with the Tohme family of Siloam Springs. Landon and Lauryn, both high school students, were eager to learn more about what it looks like to serve in Congress. They asked thoughtful questions about the work that’s top of mind for me right now, so I shared how my role on the House Appropriations Committee impacts our country. When Lauryn asked me the most rewarding part of my job, I could honestly tell her that it’s meeting with young people like her. After our conversation, I’m more confident than ever that the next generation is well‑equipped to lead our great nation.

I also had the opportunity to meet the Marshall family of Rogers, the Podleski family of Bentonville, and the Kuykendall family of Rogers while they were visiting the Capitol. We had a great discussion about how the City of Rogers has grown over the past 25 years. Votes were called in the middle of our discussion, so I took some of the kids—Henry, Anthony, and Christopher—with me to vote on the House Floor.

After votes, I showed the families around the Capitol building where we bumped into my friends, House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain and Majority Whip Tom Emmer.

As constituents of the Third District, my office is equally theirs, and it was a privilege to have each of these families visit. If your family is headed to D.C. soon, call my office and my team will ensure you receive a top-tier tour of our U.S. Capitol.

As Chairman of the House Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I led an open hearing this week to allow other Members of Congress to testify on their priorities for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 THUD Appropriations bill.

Member engagement is key to the appropriations process at large, but this is especially true when it comes to my THUD bill. Every district has important housing and transportation assets that taxpayers depend on for shelter and mobility. As a former Mayor, I appreciated hearing about issues that impact Americans from coast to coast, and I look forward to addressing many of those priorities in FY 2027.

Watch the full hearing HERE.  

This week’s focus centered largely on the fight to fund DHS, even as the department’s new secretary, Markwayne Mullin, was sworn in on Tuesday.

I set the scene in this week’s episode of CFTC, but after I recorded it, House leadership made the call to amend the Senate-passed bill and replace it with a stopgap measure to fund the entire department. Nothing is certain but that process is underway as I send this newsletter.  

Apart from the DHS debate, the House also passed the following pieces of legislation this week:

The Defending American Property Abroad Act, which would seek to prevent foreign governments in the Western Hemisphere from unlawfully seizing or nationalizing U.S.-owned ports and infrastructure.

The Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act, which would remove regulatory barriers that prevent the development of supersonic flight over land.

In Springdale, the Arkansas Department of Public Safety will open the new Northwest Arkansas Division of Law Enforcement Standards and Training Center. This new state-of-the-art facility will strengthen the skills of our brave law enforcement officers while also reducing travel time so they can spend more time with their families and loved ones. Read more from the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette HERE.

The Fayetteville City Council approved a lease agreement with OSM Aviation Academy to launch a new commercial aviation school at Drake Field. Operations are expected to begin in the coming weeks, with the program aimed at expanding aviation training, workforce development, and jobs in Northwest Arkansas.

I just had the chance to visit Drake Field with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford. Read more about what we saw HERE.

CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT

This week’s constituent spotlight goes to Dr. Stephanie Summerford of Bentonville.

Dr. Summerford is the principal at Sugar Creek Arts Academy in Bentonville, and she recently was named Arkansas Elementary Principal of the Year by the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators.

To those who know her, Dr. Summerford is a proven educator who goes above and beyond to care for the teachers and students under her leadership. Dr. Summerford has been pivotal in navigating the school’s implementation of a new learning model to integrate visual and performing arts into daily lessons.

While Dr. Summerford has taught and served in administrative roles at several schools, she started her career over twenty years ago at Sugar Creek—making her award that much sweeter.

Congratulations to Dr. Summerford on her well-deserved honor. The Third District is home to some of the best educators in the state, and Dr. Summerford is a prime example.

HOW I'M HELPING

One of the most important things I do as a U.S. Representative is help people resolve an issue with a federal agency. Although I cannot override the decisions made by a federal agency, I can often intervene on a person's behalf to answer questions, find solutions, or just cut through the red tape. Learn more HERE, and take a look at how we've assisted constituents so far this year.

I’d like to hear from you about our efforts in Congress to fund DHS.

Do you support Congress funding all of DHS except for ICE and CBP operations?

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The final day to submit your original artwork for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition is quickly approaching on March 31, 2026. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your work in the nation’s Capitol for an entire year.

Artwork may be dropped off at any of my district offices before 5PM CT this coming Tuesday.

Find more resources HERE.

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

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