October 9, 2026

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was in Arkansas’s Third District this week to see firsthand how federal investment is helping our region develop critical infrastructure that will not only contribute to our continued prosperity, but to that of the nation.

As Chairman of the House Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Subcommittee, I author the bill that funds the Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the grants they award to projects across the country—including in the Third District.

We kicked off the Secretary’s visit with a look at the ongoing construction of the Alma-to-Barling segment of I-49 alongside Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) Director Jared Wiley.

This project will help relieve congestion, support new economic growth in the River Valley, and bring us one step closer to finishing the final segment of I-49 in Arkansas. That’s why I worked to secure $21 million through the appropriations process to help move this project forward.

Attendees also included Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Tim Allen; Reese Brewer with Frontier Metropolitan Planning Organization; Barling City Administrator Steve Core; Fort Smith City Administrator Jeff Dingman; Ashley Garris and Sasha Grist with the Western Arkansas Planning & Development District (WAPDD); Arkansas State Highway Commissioners Jerry Halsey and Marie Holder; Sebastian County Judge Steve Hotz; Van Buren Mayor Joe Hurst; Crawford County Judge Chris Keith; Greenwood Mayor Doug Kinslow; Daniel Mann with the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority; Fort Smith Mayor George McGill; Fort Smith Regional Alliance Executive Committee Chairman Jason Myers; Barling Mayor Greg Murray; Van Buren Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Julie Murray; State Senator Jim Petty; State Representative Ryan Rose; and Chairman of the Arkansas State Highway Commission Philip Taldo.

In Van Buren, Secretary Duffy joined me in visiting the future site of the River Valley Slackwater Harbor—a project that received a $15.1 million DOT grant with my support.

Five Rivers Distribution President Marty Shell told the Secretary how expanding the port’s capacity will support increased freight movement in the region, positioning the River Valley for long-term economic growth.

While we were there, we also had a chance to see how Five Rivers moves feed from barge to truck.

Attendees also included Executive Director of the Arkansas Waterways Commission Joseph Bailey; Ashley Garris and Sasha Grist with WAPDD; Nick Griffin and Josh Mickel with Mickel Griffin Engineers & Surveyors; Krister Holladay with Logistic Services Inc.; Van Buren Mayor Joe Hurst; Crawford County Judge Chris Keith; and Chairman of the Western Arkansas Intermodal Authority Jay White.

During a working lunch at XNA, Secretary Duffy and I met with elected officials, airport leadership, trucking and logistics executives, and regional infrastructure stakeholders to discuss Northwest Arkansas’s rapid growth and the transportation challenges that come with it.

I was extremely proud to have at the table Jim Walton, CEO of Walmart John Furner, CEO of J.B. Hunt Shelley Simpson, CEO of ArcBest Seth Runser, Co-Owner and CEO of USA Truck George Henry, and President and CEO of Arkansas Trucking Association Shannon Newton.

Commissioner and Chairman of the Arkansas State Highway Commission Philip Taldo also presented Secretary Duffy with the Arkansas Traveler Certificate—a special recognition given to out-of-state travelers who have contributed to making our state great.

Attendees also included Mitch Adams with Tyson Foods; COO of XNA Andrew Branch; CEO of XNA Aaron Burkes; Executive Director of the NWA Regional Planning Commission Tim Conklin; Bruce Harris with Walmart; Arkansas State Highway Commissioners Jerry Halsey and Marie Holder; Vice Chancellor of the University of Arkansas Margaret McCabe; Karen Minkel with Walton Enterprises; Benton County Judge Barry Moehring; Patrick Simmons with Tyson Foods; Rob Smith with the NWA Council; Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse; Connie Vaughan with McKee Foods; XNA Board Chairman Jerry Walton; Greer Woodruff with J.B. Hunt; and ARDOT Director Jared Wiley.

I had the opportunity to help show off XNA’s new air traffic control tower to Secretary Duffy, where we heard from air traffic controllers and airport leaders, including CEO of XNA Aaron Burkes and COO of XNA Andrew Branch.

Federal investments—including the $17 million I’ve secured through the appropriations process—are helping XNA expand in size and operating capacity, giving travelers more destination options and, simultaneously, improving their time spent in the terminal.

Strong transportation infrastructure keeps our communities moving and our economy growing. It was an honor to host Secretary Duffy this week, and I look forward to our continued partnership to make the Third District stronger than ever.

Watch Secretary Duffy’s video documenting his visit HERE.

Read more about the Secretary’s visit and the federal funding I have secured HERE.

Read more about my Fiscal Year 2027 THUD funding bill HERE.

Today at the United States Military Academy (USMA), I led a West Point Board of Visitors (BOV) meeting in my role as Chairman.

The West Point BOV serves in an advisory capacity, providing counsel to the USMA Superintendent on strategic matters important to the President, Congress, and the public. To accomplish this, we gather insights from West Point leadership and cadets—a critical function of our regular meetings and campus visits.

At today’s meeting, we heard from Superintendent Lt. Gen. James B. Bartholomees III, Commandant of Cadets for the United States Corps of Cadets (USCC) at West Point Brig. Gen. Joseph A. Katz, and Dean of the Academic Board Brig. Gen. Nicholas H. Gist. Together, these men provided a comprehensive update on how USMA is executing on its academic, physical, and military priorities to train and develop the next generation of commissioned Army officers.

During our meeting, I also presented Dr. Frank Luntz with a plaque recognizing his service and support to USMA. Dr. Luntz has been a USMA faculty member since 2023, and while most of America knows him for his distinguished political and academic career, his time at West Point might be his most important work.

Through his research and teaching, he gave cadets the opportunity to learn more about our government and political system. He provided development opportunities for these young leaders here on campus, and all around the world, from Capitol Hill to Normandy. Most importantly, Dr. Luntz understands that it is the young men and women who choose to join the Long Gray Line who make West Point truly great.

USMA will certainly miss Dr. Luntz on campus, but we wish him well on his new chapter.

I also had the honor of presenting Senator Joni Ernst with a cadet saber to thank her for her service on the Board and in the U.S. Senate.

While at West Point, I had the opportunity to engage with many of the esteemed cadets at USMA—including Cadet June Dresel of Fayetteville, Cadet Ryan Johnson of Rogers, and Cadet Casey Elliot of Springdale—to hear firsthand about their studies and training. These cadets, along with the other young men and women at USMA, are some of the finest in our nation. I have no doubt they will lead our Army with excellence.

My visit to West Point also included a tour of the construction taking place on Goethals Hall—the Academy’s newest building and future Cyber and Engineering Academic Center. Goethals Hall builds on the Academy’s ongoing modernization efforts to prepare students for the challenges of tomorrow, and I am proud to support them in this endeavor through my position on the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee.

It is an honor to serve as Chairman of the West Point BOV, and I will continue my work to ensure that USMA remains the premier leadership institution in the world.

CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT

This week’s constituent spotlight goes to Santila Calep and Gerson Polanco of Springdale.

Santila and Gerson are high school students at Archer Learning Center. This week, they traveled to Washington, D.C. and joined other high schoolers from across the country who are advocating for alternative education programs. Schools like Archer Learning Center exist to help students who may struggle in traditional high school environments, need credit recovery, or simply need more individualized attention in the classroom. These programs are crucial to ensuring that all students can succeed, and I’m grateful that these students stopped by my office to highlight their importance.

Although I was not in D.C. this week, my staff had the opportunity to welcome them to the Capitol and discuss their studies at Archer Learning Center.

In addition to their time on Capitol Hill, Santila and Gerson mentioned they each learned something new by being in the city. Both students are leaving D.C. with more knowledge of American government and history than when they arrived. This happened through their visits to important landmarks like the Arlington National Cemetery as well as several of the city’s museums and monuments.

I am proud to know that there are students like Santila and Gerson in Arkansas’s Third District who are taking ownership of their education. Go Aviators!

As I told Secretary Duffy this week, the Third District is home to some of America’s most important trucking and logistics companies. Ensuring that the truckers who work at these companies—and truckers across the country—have proper support from the federal government is one of my top priorities as THUD Chairman.

One of the issues I hear about most from drivers is the lack of safe truck parking along America’s interstates. Many times, truckers must pull over on the shoulder of exit ramps or along the sides of roads to take their mandatory hours of service break. This not only poses serious safety concerns for the truckers and other cars on the road, but it also results in lost wages and time for the driver as they search for safe parking.

To help solve this, I allocated $200 million in my FY 2026 and FY 2027 THUD bills for grants to help states build truck parking infrastructure along our interstates and highways.

While this funding for truck parking is a major accomplishment, my THUD bill does much more.

In my FY27 bill, I provided the Federal Highway Administration with $64.531 billion to tackle priority infrastructure needs and keep cargo moving. For transportation safety agencies, including the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I provided $2.5 billion to help prevent commercial motor vehicle fatalities and combat criminal activities by carriers. I also included language directing USDOT to address pressing issues such as organized cargo theft, staffing of safety-critical positions within the agency, and enforcing English-language proficiency standards for CDL drivers across the country.

Congress has a lot more work to do, but I am proud to be a leader in supporting the trucking industry and the nation’s 3.4 million professional drivers who deliver the products we buy, the food we eat, and the gas we pump.

As I continue my work to support the development of transportation infrastructure in our district, I want to hear from you.

What is your top transportation infrastructure priority?

Building new highways Repairing roads & bridges Improving our airports Developing mass transit Expanding freight & harbor infrastructure Other (please specify)

Submit

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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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