The Senate held another In-State Work Period in October and early November, which gave me time to visit multiple Natural State communities, meeting with many stakeholders around a variety of topics including economic development, maternal health, drug abuse prevention and more.

I attended the grand opening of a brand-new Sig Sauer ammunition plant that is now delivering ammunition for the U.S. Army's next generation weapons system while bringing hundreds of jobs to The Natural State.

Arkansas Money and Politics – Sig Sauer Hosts Grand Opening of Jacksonville Arkansas Ammunition Center

Guns.com – Sig Sauer Opens Huge New Ammo Plant

Outdoor Wire – SIG Takes Another Step for The Infantry

Shooting Sports USA – Gov. Sarah Sanders, Sen. John Boozman Headline SIG Sauer Jacksonville Arkansas Ammunition Center Grand Opening

Arkansas Leader – Sig Sauer Opens New 210,000 Square foot Facility in Jacksonville

It was a pleasure to take in the inaugural pump of the new Bayou Meto water pump station – a project I’ve long championed and shepherded – that will help farmers in eastern and central Arkansas more efficiently and sustainably irrigate their crops as well as enhance flood risk protection and preserve habitat.

Talk Business and Politics – Bayou Meto Water Project Prepares for Next Phase  

KARK – Bayou Meto Project Station Gets First Pump

Stuttgart Daily Leader – Historic Bayou Meto Project Pump Station Demonstration  Marks Milestone in Decades-Long Effort to Boost State’s Agriculture Economy

As our state continues to battle the opioid crisis, I was honored to secure new funding for a program at UALR to fight drug misuse and abuse among Arkansas youth.

University of Arkansas, Little Rock – UA Little Rock Recieves $5 Million to Combat Drug Use Among Arkansas Youth

Arkansas Advocate – Arkansas Youth Drug-Reduction Program Launches Using $5 Million in Federal Funds

KARK – UA Little Rock Program Receives $5 Million to Help Combat Drug Use Among Arkansas Youth

Arkansas Democrat Gazette – UALR to Use $5 Million in Federal Funding for Drug Abuse Prevention Campaign  

Arkansas Business – UA Little Rock Receives $5M to Combat Drug Use Among Arkansas Youth

Arkansas Money and Politics – UA Little Rock, Boozman Announce Federal Funding to Combat Youth Drug Use  

Talk Business and Politics – UALR Receives $5 Million for Training, Education to Combat Drug Use

Arkansas Democrat Gazette – Editorial: Drug Action

Congressman Steve Womack and I welcomed the Director of the National Institutes of Health to NW Arkansas and showcased our medical community and gave providers and researchers the opportunity to share their insights directly with us.

Arkansas Democrat Gazette – State’s Medical research Deserves More Funding, National Institutes of Health Director Says During Northwest Arkansas Visit

Axios – NIH Director “Blown Away” by Health Care Efforts in Arkansas

Talk Business and Politics – NIH Director Tours AWSOM, Applauds Focus on Whole Health  

UAMS News – NIH Director Visits UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation

I was pleased to speak at the investment announcement from the Faymonville Group. The decision to make the Port of Little Rock its first U.S. production site is an exciting chapter for the region and Arkansas.

Morning Star – Faymonville Group Selects Little Rock, Arkansas for United States Production Facility

Talk Business and Politics – Faymonville Group to Build Plant in Little rock, Add 500 Jobs

The Trucker – Trailblazer in Heavy-Duty Trailers: Faymonville Group Sets up Shop in Little Rock 

I welcomed this year’s Congressional Youth Cabinet to more students than we’ve ever had participate before. We look forward to a great year of hard work and collaboration as they learn more about the impact public policy has on their lives and communities.

Southwest Arkansas Today – Boozman Convenes 2024-2025 Arkansas Congressional Youth Cabinet

River Valley Democrat Gazette – River Valley Students Selected for State Congressional Youth Cabinet; Annual Initiative Aims to Foster Civic Engagement

Arkadelphian – Arkadelphia Student Tabbed for Congressional Youth Cabinet

Stuttgart Daily Leader – Boozman Convenes 2024-2025 Arkansas Congressional Youth Cabinet

Arkansas Democrat Gazette – 114 Arkansas High School Juniors Meet in Little Rock as Congressional Youth Cabinet  

Batesville Daily Guard – Sen. Boozman Convenes Congressional Youth Cabinet

Johnson County Graphic – Ozark Students Selected for Congressional Youth Cabinet

Jonesboro Sun – Congressional Youth Cabinet Convenes

Poinsett County Democrat Tribune – Weathers Selected for Youth Cabinet

I also participated in many events highlighting Arkansas’s growth and improvements in various different industries and regions. The new I-57 designation is a tremendous achievement for Arkansas. I look forward to the economic growth it will attract and am proud to have championed its federal recognition. We also had the honor to help celebrate thirty years of the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center. The institution and its staff are a blessing, and I applaud its efforts to expand access to innovative pediatric research. Rep. Bruce Westerman and I were excited to attend the ribbon cutting at PotlatchDeltic’s expanded sawmill in Waldo. The timber industry is integral to Arkansas and their investments will grow our workforce and keep our forests healthy. While in SW Arkansas, I appreciated the opportunity to receive an update from local officials from Pike and Howard counties. I also visited Game Composites in Bentonville and discussed the space its carving out of the aviation industry to support forest fire suppression and our agriculture community. Our state’s farmers and ranchers also kindly hosted me at several venues, including a day of stops with Gov. Sanders, and I ended that swing of the trip with a visit to Carbon Chicken Project’s Innovation Farm in Fayetteville.