WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) applauded members of his Congressional Youth Cabinet following their legislative proposal presentations on Friday, May 3 at the Arkansas State Capitol.

More than 70 high school juniors shared their ideas with the senator regarding topics they selected and researched throughout the school year. In addition to policy suggestions, the students were encouraged to describe how their proposal would be funded and implemented.

This year, seven groups of students presented ideas on a variety of challenging issues including: breaking the cycle of poverty, tackling the fentanyl crisis, improving military recruitment, enhancing career and technical education and bolstering the Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare workforce. 

“I was very impressed with the presentations by these young leaders from across Arkansas. They were thoughtful and well-researched, and I was interested to hear how these issues are impacting their communities,” Boozman said. “These students balance a lot of priorities with school, part-time jobs and extracurricular activities, so I appreciate their dedication and willingness to share their time and ideas with me. I am confident they will continue to be leaders who give back to their communities and hope their participation in the Congressional Youth Cabinet has given them a valuable window into public policy and public service.”

The senator’s office designed the Congressional Youth Cabinet to give students first-hand experience with the democratic process and provide an opportunity to learn how public policy impacts them, their families and their communities.

Click here for a complete list of 2023-2024 Congressional Youth Cabinet participants. 

Senator Boozman listened to policy presentations from Congressional Youth Cabinet members.