Furloughs, health care and a visit from the Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce were among the highlights of this week in Washington.

• Ending the FAA’s Unnecessary Furloughs:  Earlier this week, I signed onto legislation that would force the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fix the flight delay mess the agency created by failing to adequately plan for sequestration. These unnecessary, politically-motivated furloughs will cause a huge inconvenience for travelers and delays that slow down air travel literally put jobs at risk throughout the aviation and travel industries. By the end of the week, Congress passed legislation that reiterated the FAA has the ability to keep planes safely flying and requires them to take the necessary steps to avoid furloughs.
   
• Challenging the Administration’s Claims on Health Care: Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who is in charge of implementing President Obama’s health care law, appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee this week. I took the opportunity to question her on how businesses are expected to stay competitive and maintain their workforce while complying with the burdensome mandates imposed by the law.
   
• Visiting with Jonesboro Chamber: We had an excellent visit with members of the Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce who came to Washington to discuss infrastructure and other issues affecting the region with members of the Congressional delegation.
  
  
• Staying in Touch While in Washington: I held a telephone town hall earlier this week and fielded a number of questions on health care, the Second Amendment, our economy and other issues of importance to Arkansans. You can sign-up for future telephone town halls here.
  
  
• Protect Your Loved Ones From Scams: This week's column isn't policy focused, rather intended to raise awareness of an uptick in scam artists preying on Americans, especially older ones. Here are some tips to protect yourself and your loved ones from those trying to take advantage of others.