John Boozman, United States Senator for Arkansas

Happy Juneteenth

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

On June 19^th, 1865 a troop of Union soldiers came riding in to Galveston, Texas. The news they brought with them would not only change the state of Texas, but it would change the United States.

Major General Gordon Granger, USA
Commanding General, Department of Texas
To the people of Galveston and the State of Texas

General Order No. 3

"The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere."

These words were the first taste of freedom that slaves had in Confederate Texas. Although President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had gone into effect two years before, there were not enough Union troops in Texas to enforce the executive order. When General Granger arrived in Galveston with his men two months after the end of the Civil War, the last slaves in the United States were set free. Slaves in Texas began moving north towards freedom, or east to find family in other Southern states.

The day General Granger arrived in Texas was eventually celebrated as “Juneteenth.” For the past 148 years Americans across the nation have come together to celebrate Freedom. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

With the ushering in of the 20^th century, interest in Juneteenth began to decline. However, it resurged with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s and 60’s. The holiday was officially recognized on June 19, 1980 thanks to the efforts of African-American Texas State Legislator Al Edwards.

Although not all states participate in Juneteenth celebrations, I am proud to say that Arkansas is one of the many that does. With celebrations across the state, Arkansans come together to honor the struggles of those who came before us. We come together to commemorate Arkansas’ diverse history. We come together to celebrate how far we have come as a state and as a nation; to challenge ourselves to keep moving forward. We come together united under one common theme: freedom. I hope you gather with others and celebrate and reflect on what this holiday means to all Arkansans and Americans. Happy Juneteenth!

National Small Business Week

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

Small businesses play an integral role in securing the success of our economy. They represent core values that are at the heart of America. That is why this week we are celebrating National Small Business Week. This is a national initiative to encourage the support of our nation’s small businesses.

Small businesses are the engines of our economy. Small businesses represent the hard working middle class. By supporting small businesses, we reinvest in our local economy and support more jobs in our communities. Over the past two decades, small business owners have created more than sixty-five percent of the new jobs in the United States. They employ about half of all private sector employees, and create two out of every three jobs in the U.S. each year. They also represent key American values such as the value of hard work, the capacity to take risks, and the opportunity for success.

This is the fifth year we’ve recognized National Small Business Week. There are many ways to get involved and continue our support of small businesses.

In Washington, we need to provide small business owners with predictability. Right now, these business owners are operating in an environment of uncertainty. If they don’t know the rules of the game, how are they expected to make the types of sound investment decisions that create jobs? Washington needs to rein in federal spending, reform our tax code, and reduce regulatory burdens, then we will realize the true private sector job creation and economic growth that small businesses generate.

At home, an easy way to support this initiative is to buy local products and to hire local contractors for the services you need. By supporting American small businesses, each of us can help revitalize our economy, and strengthen this backbone of our economy.

Visiting with KASU

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

I started this morning off visiting with KASU in Jonesboro about the NSA controversy, the Syrian conflict, the Farm Bill, immigration reform and more. You can listen to the interview in its entirety over on KASU's website.

Week in Review: June 10-14

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

The immigration debate starts, the farm bill passes, I host another telephone town hall and more in this edition of the “Week in Review”

Senate Passes a Farm Bill: I am pleased that we overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan farm bill this week. Considering that agriculture is Arkansas’s top industry, passage of a farm bill is vital to our state’s economic recovery.
Why I Oppose the Current Immigration Bill: The Senate began debating an immigration reform bill this week. While this debate is overdue and there are reasonable measures that we can take to reform our immigration system, the bill brought forth in the Senate fails to provide the necessary actions that will keep us from having to revisit this issue in the future.
Telephone Town Hall Recap: On Monday night, we held our third telephone town hall of the year. Over the course of an hour, I visited with callers from Fayetteville, Ozark, West Memphis, Bentonville, Bryant, Cane Hill, Blytheville, Gentry, West Helena, Springdale, and Gravette. Read a recap and sign-up to take part in the next one.
The Unaffordable Care Act: Another week, more troubling news about the President’s health care law. This time it’s that the law actually makes insurance less affordable for lower income workers.
Challenges to Our Transportation System: At the Senate Appropriations Committee, we are exploring ways to do more with less money. The highway bill Congress passed last year will improve our roads and bridges conditions, and it requires the U.S. Department of Transportation to eliminate wasteful bureaucracy that causes costly and harmful delays to projects. You can watch as I question witnesses from the Department of Transportation to make sure that these cost-saving reforms are implemented as required by the law.

Recovering from Severe Weather: Arkansas is no stranger to severe weather, including the recent floods that took the lives of Scott County Sheriff Cody Carpenter and Arkansas Game and Fish Officer Joel Campora. My column this week honored their lives and outlines efforts to protect Arkansans from severe weather.
Continuing our Commitment to our Veterans: As a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs I have a unique opportunity to help improve the quality and delivery of veterans’ benefits. This week the committee heard testimony from VA representatives and major Veterans’ Service Organizations regarding some of the legislation recently introduced.

Jasper Fire Dept. Receives Grant: Senator Mark Pryor and I announced this week that the Jasper Fire Department will receive a $370,300 grant from the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program to improve their operations and safety.
Flag Day: Today is Flag Day. Read about how the American flag became one of the most recognized symbols throughout the world

Challenges to Transportation System

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I’m glad that the Committee is exploring ways to do more with less. We must stretch investments further, while reinvesting every dollar collected through federal fuel taxes into safe and reliable transportation infrastructure. Maintaining our roads and bridges is vital to economic development in Arkansas. At a hearing today, our Committee examined these issues. Last year, Congress passed new highway legislation, known as MAP-21, with broad bipartisan support. This legislation will improve our roads and bridges conditions, and it requires the U.S. Department of Transportation to eliminate wasteful bureaucracy that causes costly and harmful delays to projects. You can watch as I question witnesses from the Department of Transportation to make sure that these cost-saving reforms are implemented as required by the law.

We Will Recover

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

During our darkest days, Arkansans and all Americans are a shining glimmer of resilience. We come together to help others in need. In the days following the deadly tornados in the Oklahoma City area, many Arkansas groups mobilized efforts to help and that continues today. Unfortunately, our state also recently experienced the force of Mother Nature. More than a dozen tornadoes touched down in Arkansas alone in late May, some of which were deadly. Now those same groups are reaching out to help their neighbors.

Tornadoes are some of the most violent weather conditions we face. We’re familiar with the sound of the sirens in Arkansas but the recent storms have given us all a reason to reevaluate our own emergency preparedness plan. Recent news reports indicate an increase in business for storm shelter companies while some communities are rethinking safe rooms for citizens to use in times of dangerous weather.

While we often rely on forecasters to predict the weather and tell us where the biggest threats are, sometimes we can’t expect the toll nature will take. Some of the storms in Arkansas brought record flooding, and cut lives short. I know the thoughts and prayers of Arkansans are with those impacted by the storms, and our hearts are heavy for those who lost loved ones.

Scott County Sheriff Cody Carpenter and Arkansas Game and Fish Officer Joel Campora were responding to call for help from the rising waters in the Y City area near the Fourche La Fave River when they were killed in the flood waters. Both men chose a career in public service because they wanted to help people so much that they were willing to give their lives for it. They are truly heroes. Senator Pryor and I honored their service and sacrifice on behalf of a grateful state, on the Senate floor.

The American Red Cross provided shelters to families in Scott County and many church groups and other public and private organizations donated time and money to help ease the burden during this difficult time.

My staff and I have been working with state and county officials to make sure Arkansans all over the state are getting the help they need. Governor Beebe declared Cleburne, Cross, Garland Montgomery, Poinsett, Polk, Scott, Stone and Van Buren Counties as state disaster areas. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assessment teams are in Arkansas evaluating the damage.

Although Arkansas has a history of severe weather, it does not make the burden lighter after a storm. However, it is not the storms that define Arkansans. It is their response that is always a testament to their character. It is moving to watch communities come together to rebuild, and to watch helping hands reach across the state to support a neighbor in need. We are here to help you, and will not stop until all communities are rebuilt.

Honoring the American Flag

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

The American flag is one of the most recognized symbols throughout the world. It is seen as a beacon of opportunity, democracy, and power. Seeing our nation’s flag waving in the wind is a familiar sight but we need to remember what it represents.

Before the war of 1812, no significant meaning was attached to the flag. This changed when Francis Scott Key saw the American flag waving through the smoke after the battle of Fort McHenry. Key saw more than a tattered flag; he saw a symbol that represented bravery, sacrifice, and patriotism and wrote a poem that became our National Anthem. You can see the flag that inspired these famous words on display at the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.

Imbedded in the American flag are our nation’s rich history and the stories of the men and the women who helped shape our country and those who fought to defend and preserve our freedoms.

When lowered to half-mast, the flag becomes a sign of our collective mourning in honor of great Americans who have passed on. Last week flags in Arkansas flew at half-mast to pay tribute to Scott County Sherriff Cody Carpenter and Wildlife Officer Joel Campora, public servants who lost their lives in the recent flooding. Across the nation, the flag flew at half-mast to honor WWII veteran and New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg. Seeing the flag at half-mast is a painful, yet necessary reminder of those who have given so much to our country.

The American flag embodies everything that makes the United States of America a great nation. Representing the people of our nation, the American flag is a strong symbol of national pride.

The Unaffordable Care Act

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

The Associated Press is out with a story today confirming what we’ve been saying all along about President Obama’s health care law. It is going to make coverage unaffordable for everyone, including the very people the President seeks to provide coverage to— low-income workers.

Because this law is so poorly written, a worker making $21,000 a year may be offered plans with premiums that are near $2,000. Under the law, this is considered “affordable.”

And this is just the beginning of the costs low income workers could face. For a basic plan, they could also face an annual deductible upwards of $3,000, before the coverage kicks in.

That’s almost a quarter of the annual salary of a worker making $21,000. And this is supposed to be affordable?

It’s further evidence that this law has to be replaced with reform that drives down the cost of health care and makes it truly affordable for every American.

Continuing our Commitment to our Veterans

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

As a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs I have a unique opportunity to help improve the quality and delivery of veterans’ benefits. Today the committee heard testimony from VA representatives and major Veterans’ Service Organizations regarding some of the legislation recently introduced.

Included in those proposals discussed were three legislative proposals that we introduced

S. 257, the GI Bill Tuition Fairness Act of 2013 would protect our veterans’ ability to use their GI Benefit at the school of their choice, without facing the liability of having to offset out-of-state tuition fees by paying out of their own pocket.
S. 695, the Veterans Paralympic Act of 2013 seeks to reauthorize the Paralympic Integrated Adaptive Sports Program for disabled veterans.
S. 889, would mandate that servicemembers be given the choice to take more interactive specialized tracks that fit their transition goals as part of the mandatory portion of TAP

We also reviewed additional bills of which we are an original cosponsor. These pieces of legislation are critical for expanding veterans’ economic opportunities, protecting veterans’ Constitutional rights, improving the delivery of veterans’ services, and honoring those members of the guard and reserve who have dedicated 20 or more years of their life to serving our nation.

This legislative hearing is the first step in the right direction to enacting these common sense bipartisan proposals to fulfill all of the promises that have been made to our veterans’ and their families.

Telephone Town Hall Recap

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

On Monday night, we held our third telephone town hall of the year. Over the course of an hour, I visited with callers from Fayetteville, Ozark, West Memphis, Bentonville, Bryant, Cane Hill, Blytheville, Gentry, West Helena, Springdale, and Gravette.

The issues that were discussed included:

Holding the administration accountable for the IRS scandal;
The President’s health care law;
The failures that led to the Benghazi tragedy and its aftermath;
Illegal immigration & border security;
NSA overreach and the Patriot Act;
Food stamp abuse;
Excessive federal spending;
Second Amendment rights;
and the need for stricter oversight of the Administration’s actions

Perhaps the best question came right at the end when a caller asked me, “Why should we trust the government?”

Considering Congress’s approval rating is currently around 15 percent, it’s a tough question to answer.

I believe accessibility, transparency and accountability would go a long way to restoring faith in Washington. That’s why I do these telephone town halls. Just because I am in Washington right now does not mean I am not accountable to the people of Arkansas, so I have to remain in touch when I am away.

The onus is on Washington to change our low approval ratings, not the other way around. I try to remind my colleagues that we have to be home every weekend and we need to hold events like telephone and online town halls when we are away. Most importantly, we have to listen to what our constituents tell us at these events and when they contact our offices via phone, email or letter. It is vital that we listen to our constituents, help them with their individual needs, and represent them in Washington the way that they ask of us.

So please stay engaged. Sign-up for our next telephone town hall. Let me know your thoughts on issues of importance to you. Grab me when see me in Arkansas and let me know what is on your mind. I am committed to making Washington work for Arkansas and I need you to keep us on the right path.

Why I Oppose the Current Immigration Bill

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

There are reasonable measures that we can take to reform our immigration system, but the bill brought forth in the Senate fails to provide the necessary actions that will keep us from having to revisit this issue in the future.

While making drastic policy changes, this legislation fails to address the core problem of border security and providing the resources necessary for enforcement. Instead this gives the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) discretion and waiver authority to make decisions that should be left to Congress. In the opinion of our current DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, the border is “more secure than it has ever been” and there is no need for additional border security. I disagree. We need proof that our borders are secure before legalization begins.

Unfortunately, this bill takes the opposite approach - legalize now, enforce later. This is an idea Congress approved in the mid-1980s leading to amnesty for millions of people. This method didn’t work then and it won’t work now. We see that same principle in this legislation. I won’t support any law that grants amnesty. The idea that we should reward people who are violating the law with a shortcut to citizenship is not the proper way to fix our broken system.

The bill also repeals the proven E-Verify workplace enforcement system. E-verify has a successful track record of combating the hiring of illegal immigrants and is currently used by nearly 270,000 employers nationwide. Instead this legislation implements an untested system that won’t be fully operational for five years.

I appreciate the efforts of my colleagues to fix our immigration system, but the American people deserve a solution that upholds the rule of law. This bill fails to address what Americans want most, improved border security, enforcement of laws and functioning legal immigrant system that prevents a continued influx of people from abusing the system.

We are committed to working to make the bill better. My colleagues have good ideas that can improve the legislation and we will be working with members on both sides of the aisle as we amend the bill on the Senate floor and provide real reforms that we so desperately need.

What to Watch for This Week

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

Here’s what’s on tap this week:

On the Calendar:

The Senate will vote on final passage of the farm bill at 5:30 pm today.
The remainder of the week, we will turn our attention to the comprehensive immigration reform bill that has been proposed by the Senate’s “Gang of Eight.” While I am glad we are having this discussion as this is an issue that must be addressed, I have serious concerns with this massive bill, especially that the border security component of the bill is not strong enough and that the language in this bill will lead to amnesty, which I oppose on principle. To read more about where I stand on the issue, visit In Depth: Immigration & Border Security.
On the other side of the Capitol, the House of Representatives is expected to take up the 2014 defense authorization bill.
In an effort to keep in touch while working in Washington, I am hosting a telephone town hall with Arkansans tonight. Please sign-up to participate.

Worth Reading:

The scandals plaguing the Obama administration are all about one thing: trust.

E-Verify, the federal government’s online system to screen potential employers, has worked well as a pilot program and should be included in any comprehensive immigration reform package. This Arkansas Democrat Gazette [subscription required] story details how some employers have used the tool in the state.

More evidence of skyrocketing premiums under the President’s health care law. This time, it’s Ohio where the average individual-market health insurance premium in 2014 will be 88 percent higher than this year’s cost.

Pryor, Boozman Announce $370,000 Grant for Jasper Fire Department

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Mark Pryor and John Boozman today announced that the Jasper Fire Department will receive a $370,300 grant from the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program to improve their operations and safety.

“Local firefighters are instrumental to the safety of our communities,” Pryor said. “This grant will give the Jasper Fire Department the training and equipment they need to safely and effectively respond to emergencies, protect property, and save lives in Newton County.”

“This investment will play an important role in protecting Jasper citizens,” Boozman said. “This grant provides tools our firefighters need to protect their safety while responding to emergency situations.”

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides fire departments and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations the tools and resources necessary to protect the health and safety of the public and emergency response personnel. In Fiscal Year 2012, DHS AFG Program awarded approximately $337 million directly to local fire departments and EMS organizations to enhance their response capabilities to fire and all other hazards.

Boozman Applauds Passage of Farm Bill

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:00:00 EST

WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today released the following statement after voting in support of the Senate’s bipartisan farm bill.

“Considering that agriculture is Arkansas’s top industry, passage of a farm bill is vital to our state’s economic recovery. Like any other business, Arkansas’s agricultural producers need certainty to be able to make important planting, purchasing and hiring decisions. A five-year farm bill will give our family farmers and ranchers the confidence to move forward with those decisions, and in turn, create jobs and opportunities in our communities.

This is a great example of Democrats and Republicans working together. Under the leadership of Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Cochran, we worked hard to find common ground and ensure that this bipartisan bill established the framework for a fair approach from which we can build on. The Senate bill is a step in the right direction to protecting vulnerable agriculture producers throughout the nation. We will continue to seek improvements in the final product and I’m optimistic that we can find a solution that both chambers of Congress can support.”

Week in Review: June 3-7

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

The farm bill, honoring fallen heroes, reducing prescription drug abuse among veterans and more in this edition of the “Week in Review”

Commonsense Improvements to our Agriculture Policy: I offered four amendments to enhance the farm bill currently under consideration by the Senate. While the agreement reached for the final passage of the bill does not include these amendments, I do think these commonsense improvements to our agriculture policy merit consideration and I will continue to try to get them enacted through other avenues.
Honoring Fallen Heroes: Scott County Sherriff Cody Carpenter and Wildlife Officer Joel Campora gave their lives trying to save residents trapped by flood waters. Senator Pryor and I honored their lives on the Senate floor.
Reducing Prescription Drug Abuse Among Veterans: I helped introduce a bipartisan bill to address the issue of prescription drug abuse among our nation's servicemembers and veterans this week. The Servicemembers and Veterans Prescription Drug Safety Act would direct the Attorney General to establish drug take-back programs in coordination with the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Put Arkansans Back to Work: A recent Gallup poll shows 86 percent of Americans want Washington to address jobs and the economy and with good reason. Read this week’s column on job creation in Arkansas.

Tackling Malnutrition: We have the safest, most reliable and affordable food supply in the world, but hunger has no boundaries. That’s why Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and I have enlisted our colleagues to push President Obama to make a strong commitment to tackling malnutrition at the June 8, 2013 Nutrition for Growth Summit.
Telephone Town Hall on Monday: I will be hosting a telephone town hall on Monday, June 10 at 7 p.m cst. This statewide event allows Arkansans to ask me questions over the phone or listen to the conversation about the issues impacting our state. If you’d like to participate in the call, sign up here.

Boozman, Cardin Lead Bipartisan Letter Urging Obama Administration to Continue U.S. Leadership in Fighting Global Nutrition

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

'The human and economic costs of under-nutrition are enormous but the solutions are basic, proven, and cost-effective'...

Boozman to Host Telephone Town Hall on Monday

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:00:00 EST

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman is inviting Arkansans to participate in a telephone town hall on Monday, June 10 at 7 p.m. This statewide event allows Arkansans the ability to ask Boozman questions over the phone or listen to the conversation about the issues impacting our state.

“An open line of communication with my constituents is the best way to fulfill my commitment to the people of Arkansas. I think one of the best tools we can use to help keep our constituents informed is the ability to interact live in a tele-town hall format. We’ve had great participation in the past and we’re looking to have more Arkansans join our call,” Boozman said.

Arkansans interested in participating in the call can get their phone number added to the call list by submitting their information here. The Senator will begin calling participants at 7 p.m. central on Monday.

Focusing on Job Creation

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

The economy is picking up momentum. Look no further than the headlines in recent Arkansas publications; “Home sales in Arkansas surge 13.6% in April” wrote the Arkansas Democrat Gazette and “Northwest Arkansas Sees Strongest Metro Job Improvements” touted Talk Business. However there is still a lot of work that needs to be done before we reach the light at the end of this recession tunnel.

A recent Gallup poll shows 86 percent of Americans want Washington to address jobs and the economy and with good reason. Although Arkansas unemployment rates dropped a tenth of a percent from March to April and is now at 7.1 percent, the reality is this number doesn’t reflect the true number of unemployed in the state. In April, 13.4 percent was a more accurate number. This reflects the number of unemployed in addition to the people who have given up looking for a job. In April alone, nearly 280,000 Americans were forced into part-time employment and weekly take-home pay shrank.

City, county, state and federal leaders have all been dedicated to working together to attract businesses to our state in order to provide jobs for hardworking Arkansans. We’re continuing the commitment to expanding job opportunities.

At a recent question and answer session with the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, I discussed issues being debated in Washington and how they impact job creation and economic opportunities in Arkansas.

Hundreds of thousands of jobs can be created if we take steps to increase our exports. Last year we supported, and President Obama signed free-trade agreements with Panama, South Korea and Colombia. More markets remain to be opened. I’ve long been a supporter of changing U.S. policies toward Cuba. We need to open up trade with this country and we need to expand trade with African nations. This is why I helped introduce a bill to accomplish this goal. Arkansas agriculture products have a lot to gain because of our state’s location to waterways like the Mississippi River.

We can see the results of the work that is done to advance economic development in Arkansas. Decisions by two big companies are laying the groundwork for additional jobs in central Arkansas. Last week Dassault Falcon Jet announced a $60 million expansion to its Little Rock facility. The week before Remington Arm. Co. also announced a $32 million expansion to its ammunition plant in Lonoke. These are investments in Arkansas and its workforce that we can all be excited about. This is great news that will help create jobs that Arkansans depend on to feed their families, pay their bills and help communities grow.

We need to continue creating an economic atmosphere that will encourage businesses to grow, hire and locate to Arkansas. Job creation and protection is something all elected leaders must focus on because it’s what the people of Arkansas want and need. Businesses play a crucial role in the development and growth of our economy and I will continue to promote policies that help advance economic development and job creation.

What to Watch for This Week

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:00:01 EST

Member of Congress returned to Washington to resume legislative work yesterday. Here’s what’s on tap this week:

On the Calendar:

The Senate resumes consideration of S. 954, the Farm bill, which is expected to take the remainder of the week. As we continue to take up amendments to the bill, I will be pushing for consideration of the ones I have offered to enhance the bill.
Multiple subcommittee hearings this week in the Senate Appropriations Committee where we will hear from officials about the budget requests of the Department of Justice, Department of Labor, the Federal Housing Administration and the legislative branch.
Over on the other side of the building, the House of Representatives is expected to take up legislation covering military construction projects and the Department of Veterans Affairs and legislation providing funding for the Department of Homeland Security. There will also be additional hearings aimed at the IRS scandal in the House this week.
Yesterday, President Obama signs the Stolen Valor of 2013 making it a crime to profit off fraudulent claims related to military honors. Learn more about this bill here.

Worth Reading:

The President’s health care law has led four in ten small business owners to hold back on hiring. Worse yet, one in five small business owners let employees go because of this misguided law.
More concerns regarding the rollout of the President’s health care law. Nearly two-thirds of Americans who currently lack health insurance don't know yet if they will purchase that coverage by the Jan. 1 deadline set by the ACA, a new survey revealed Monday.

President Obama “punts” on signing UN Arms Treaty right away, but indicates he is committed to doing so. If the President does sign the U.S. as a party to the treaty, it would have to be ratified by 2/3 of the Senate. I don’t believe that this amount of support exists amongst my colleagues and I am committed to voting against ratification.

Stephens Media writes that suicide in Arkansas has risen significantly in the past decade and looks at efforts the state is taking to combat the growing problem. This is important in Washington as we look at how to address the shortfalls in our mental health system in wake of the mass shootings our nation has seen in recent months.

Accountability and transparency questions continue to plague the Obama Administration. The Associated Press (AP) reports that many top Obama officials are using secret government email accounts and that most agencies have failed to turn over lists of political appointees' email addresses. In fact, the Labor Department initially asked the AP to pay more than $1 million for its email addresses.

Honoring the Lives of Sheriff Carpenter and Wildlife Officer Campora

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:00:00 EST

Arkansas's U.S. Senators John Boozman and Mark Pryor honored the lives of Scott County Sheriff Cody Carpenter and Wildlife Officer Joel Campora, two dedicated public servants, who gave their lives while responding to a 911 call at a home in the Y City area near the Fourche La Fave River during severe weather-caused flooding.