In the News

An Arkansas woman who built a consignment sale empire told congressmen Thursday that federal regulations threaten the survival of her company. Rhea Lana Riner told members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce that she's been locked in a legal battle with the U.S. Department of Labor since 2013. "If we lose, Rhea Lana's will no longer be able to provide its valuable… Read more »

Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Technology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, traveled to Washington, D.C. Feb. 6-8 to meet with members of the Arkansas congressional delegation.  Whitman was joined by University of Arkansas College of Engineering Dean John English, Arkansas State University College of Engineering Associate… Read more »

United States Representative French Hill from Arkansas' 2nd Congressional District will host a telephone town hall Wednesday night at 7 p.m. The Little Rock Republican announced the event shortly before 10 a.m. today, just nine hours before it was set to begin. It is unclear how many questions Hill will field or how long the event will last.  If you would like to participate, dial… Read more »

LITTLE ROCK — Members of Arkansas’ congressional delegation are trying a second time to ease regulations on events where children’s clothes are sold on consignment. The effort was inspired by Conway-based Rhea Lana’s Franchise System, which was told by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2013 that it was violating the federal Fair Labor Standards Act by using… Read more »

Arkansas lawmakers have filed a bill to prevent children's consignment business owners from "unnecessary and burdensome Department of Labor regulations." U.S. Senators Tom Cotton and John Boozman and Congressman French Hill introduced the bill called the Children's Consignment Event Recognition Act. The bill would provide an exemption for volunteers at consignment events from the Fair… Read more »

S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, on Wednesday said Congress has an obligation to oversee the executive branch, said the border with Mexico should be more secure but doesn’t have to be a double fence, and both defended and criticized President Trump’s executive orders related to immigrants and refugees. In an hourlong telephone town hall, he also questioned the wisdom of a… Read more »

A bipartisan delegation of Members of Congress from the U.S. House of Representatives arrived Friday on a visit to strengthen ties between the American and Egyptian peoples. Headed by Representative Dana Rohrabacher of California, senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the delegation held productive meetings with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as well as senior… Read more »

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette emailed the spokesmen of all six members of Arkansas' congressional delegation, asking how they want President Donald Trump to handle Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The executive order, signed by President Barack Obama in June 2012, grants two-year work permits and deferred status to immigrants who arrived before their 16th birthdays and before June… Read more »

U.S. Rep. French Hill gave two speeches on the House floor last week. In one, he congratulated U.S. Rep. Steve Womack of Rogers for receiving the Department of the Army Decoration for Distinguished Civilian Service. In the other, the Republican from Little Rock paid tribute to Townsend Wolfe, the former Arkansas Arts Center director who died last month at age 81. Hill described fellow… Read more »

A U.S. House Republican proposal that would tax retailers for the products they import and sell in the United States is still in the early stages. But the idea of a border adjustment tax as part of a broader tax package has retailers like Arkansas-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Dillard's Inc. concerned enough to band together to fend off what they believe would have a significant impact… Read more »