The Senate voted to provide the American people with a voice in any proposed agreement with Iran, I cosponsored legislation to rein in the EPA and direct the agency to revise its Waters of the United States proposal and we recognized the engines of our economy, small businesses, during National Small Business Week. 

• Giving Congress a Voice in Iran Negotiations: We have a responsibility to ensure that Iran never achieves its goal of becoming a nuclear power. The Senate overwhelmingly passed the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act. Without this bill, there will be no review of the Iran deal. There would be nothing stopping President Obama from signing a bad agreement with Iran. There would be no limitation on the President’s ability to waive sanctions and it would be much more difficult for Congress to reinstate sanctions should Iran fail to live up to its end of the bargain.  

• Reining in EPA: I cosponsored The Federal Water Quality Protection Act, legislation that would protect our nation’s waters and the rights of landowners against an overly burdensome and costly regulatory power-grab by Washington. This bill directs the EPA to revise its “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule to exclude waters that have never been controlled by the federal government like isolated ponds, ditches and agriculture water that lack enough flow to carry pollutants to navigable waters.
  
  
• National Small Business Week: This week marks the 52nd annual National Small Business Week, a time to celebrate the innovations, ideas and hard work of our entrepreneurs. To recognize these engines of our economy, I joined with Sen. Tom Udall to introduce legislation that would ease tax preparation for business owners who operate primarily out of their homes. Creating an economic environment that reduces the regulatory burdens on small businesses gives these job creators the predictability to boost growth and development. 

• Young Arkansas Volunteers Recognized: Congratulations to Arkansas's 2015 recipients of The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Colbe Cortez, a 7th grader from Benton, used money he received for Christmas to rent a plot in his church’s community garden. He grew vegetables that he sold to benefit a local shelter for working homeless families. Heather Jackson, a senior from Caddo Gap, earned this recognition for educating her community on disaster preparedness through presentations, brochures, a day camp and home disaster packs. 

• Protecting Investors:  The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) shelved a proposed regulation that carried serious privacy issues for the general public. This proposal was universally opposed from the start, and it was wise of FINRA to listen to the concerns that resulted from this misguided regulation. I serve as the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and believe this is the right approach to protect both investor privacy and ensure that the industry is not unduly burdened with another poorly drafted mandate.