Dr. Boozman's Check-up

U.S. Senator John Boozman honored the service and sacrifice of those who wore our nation’s uniform at events in Little Rock on Veterans Day. Boozman started the day highlighting services for Arkansas veterans. He also attended the annual state Veterans Day Ceremony and met with disabled veterans who use service dogs for therapy.

 

If you missed our KFSM interview on Sunday morning you can watch it here. We discussed what the election results mean for the agenda in the next Congress. I believe Arkansans and are concerned about that direction of the country. That's why they've given Republicans an opportunity to govern. The name of the game needs to be job creation and improving our economy. I look forward to working with my new colleagues to help get our economy moving again.

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month is a significant marker in our nation’s history and world history. At this time in 1918, the international community declared the end of World War I. This date has been reserved to honor our nation’s heroes, first as Armistice Day and now as Veterans Day. What does Veterans Day mean to you? Listen to what this important day means to me.

We invested a lot of time and effort to ensure the new Farm Bill was fair and equitable and that it provided an adequate safety net for farmers of all crops and regions. And of course, that it supports economic growth in rural communities, invests in agricultural research, and helps our farmers and ranchers to be good stewards of the environment all while reducing the deficit. 

In order to accomplish these goals, we made major changes to our nation’s agriculture policy. As we move forward implementing the Farm Bill, it is important that stakeholders get up to speed on the new programs created by these reforms.

With that in mind, the Southern Risk Management Education System and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture are hosting a trio of workshops on risk management under the 2014 Farm Bill. The half-day workshops will take place in Jonesboro on Nov. 11; Forrest City on Nov. 12; and Dumas on Nov. 13. These events will help farmers understand the risk management tools under the new Farm Bill.

These are far from the only workshops Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is hosting.  You can learn about Farm Service Agency (FSA) information requirements under the Farm Bill directly from FSA and Division of Agriculture specialists at the following events:

  • Nov. 10: 6 p.m. — West Memphis at Mid-South Community College
  • Nov. 12: 9 a.m.-noon — McCrory at Three County Fair Grounds Entertainment Building
  • Nov. 13: 9 a.m.-noon —  Portland at Portland Baptist Church
  • Nov. 17: 9 a.m.-noon —  Keiser at Northeast Research and Extension Center
  • Nov. 17: 2 p.m.-4 p.m. — Manila at Airport Center
  • Nov. 18: 9 a.m.-noon — Marianna at Lon Mann Cotton Research Station
  • Nov. 19: 8:30 a.m. - noon — Stuttgart, Rice Research and Extension Center
  • Nov. 20: 9 a.m.- noon — Morrilton at Conway County Fair Grounds Multi-Purpose Building
  • Dec. 17: 9 a.m.-noon — McGehee at McGehee Men’s Club, #1 Airport Road South.

The Delta Press has all the details including specific topics of each event and how to register, as well as information for the four workshops on the Farm Bill Web-Based Decision Aid that will be held in West Memphis and Jonesboro in November.

Given that one out of every six jobs in Arkansas is tied to agriculture, the Farm Bill agreement was very good news for our state. We need to make sure the law is properly implemented and that not only takes vigorous Congressional oversight, but active engagement from stakeholders. To that end, I encourage Arkansas farmers to take advantage of these upcoming workshops and learn about the new programs created by the Farm Bill. 

Honoring the Military Service of Arkansas Veterans

Bella Vista Medal Presentation

Nov 05 2014

I was honored to recognize the military of Arkansas veterans during a medal presentation at the Bella Vista American Legion.

Albert Harris of Rogers and Larry Wilson of Bella Vista were awarded medals for their service in the Navy during Vietnam.  Travis McCullough and James Phillips were posthumously recognized. Their medals were accepted by their families.

Military and Veterans Liaison Steve Gray works with the Department of Defense to obtain the medals our veterans earned, but never received. Steve does a great job presenting medals to veterans all across the state.

Read the story printed in the Weekly Vista about this medal presentation.

ICYMI: There are many former Razorback football players who used the lessons they learned on the football field as a launching pad for future career opportunities. I was pleased to talk with 40/29 about my days as a Hog football player and the appreciation I have for Coach Broyles and all things Razorback.

In this edition of 'From the Mailbag' I answer a question asked by a Cabot resident who wants to know what's being done to address the VA claims backlog
In this edition of 'From the Mailbag' I respond to a question from Jenny in Conway who wants to know what we can do to prevent American businesses from moving out of the country.

Despite modern advances in energy development and our country’s abundance of natural resources, we still lack a responsible approach to meeting our energy needs. 

A strategy for the future should embrace renewable forms of energy, but also the safe usage of the vast amount of traditional fuels with which we have been blessed.  If it’s American, we need to be using it safely and responsibly. 

No single source alone is the answer, but one of the most promising sources is natural gas and oil produced by hydraulic fracturing. 

Hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as fracking, has been on the rise in the U.S. as innovation and technology have been put to use in recent years, including in a large geologic formation known as the “Fayetteville Shale” in Arkansas. The natural gas extracted from shale rock provides a clean source of electricity for millions of Americans. Just one trillion cubic feet of natural gas is enough to heat 15 million homes for one year, generate 100 billion kilowatt hours of electricity or fuel 12 million natural-gas-fired vehicles for one year

Along with easing our energy crunch, hydraulic fracturing is a boon for our economy. According to a study by the University of Arkansas, more than $12.4 billion was added to our economy from fracking in Arkansas over a three year period. The study found that this energy production provided jobs for at least 22,000 Arkansans, increased pay, and led to secondary small business and manufacturing jobs across the state.  

As proven in Arkansas, we can extract this natural gas in a safe manner. Fracking is an important, commonsense component of comprehensive energy strategy. 

Clearly hydraulic fracturing offers many benefits, leaving opponents little ammunition with which to attack. For that reason, opponents have relied on a campaign of misinformation and scare tactics to cloud the debate. 

That’s why several of my colleagues and I on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee released a report today to shine a light on the truth behind the science and economic benefits of hydraulic fracturing

The report documents a concerted effort by fracking opponents, including many within the Obama administration, to mislead the American people about the benefits and safety of fracking. The report debunks claims that fracking has a devastating impact on the environment with empirical evidence and outlines how states have safely regulated the process for decades. 

I encourage you to get the truth on fracking by reading our report.