In the News

Rep. Paul D. Ryan was elected the 54th speaker of the House last week, ending a tumultuous month of intra-party politics for House Republicans. The Wisconsin Republican replaces John Boehner, R-Ohio, who stepped down after holding the gavel for the GOP majority for the past five years. His resignation was driven at least in part to a growing rift between establishment Republicans and… Read more »

Detroit – -- Yes it is Halloween but that’s not why two members of Congress were dressed in hospital scrubs today. Their goal was a lot more important than fetching candy. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, D-Mich, and Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., toured DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital to promote skilled trades. The duo are part of a bipartisan congressional group that see trades such as… Read more »

The state’s congressional delegation this week faced a series of issues from debating a two-year budget agreement approved this week as well as House members picking a new Speaker of the House. The following is a breakdown of the week that was in the nation’s capital. BUDGET AGREEMENT APPROVED The Senate voted 63-35 early Friday to approve a budget bill that had… Read more »

LITTLE ROCK — Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, was the only member of Arkansas’ U.S. House delegation to vote for a bipartisan budget deal that cleared the House in a 266-167 vote Wednesday. Seventy-nine Republicans joined with 187 Democrats to approve the spending bill. The measure goes next to the Senate, which is expected to act on it quickly.The measure would raise the $18.1… Read more »

The House passed a two-year budget plan in a bipartisan vote to avert a U.S. debt default. The measure needs final approval in the Senate, which plans to consider it in time to meet Tuesday's deadline to raise the debt limit. The budget vote came after Republicans in the House nominated Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin to be the 62nd speaker of the House, tapping the chairman of the Ways and… Read more »

All four members of Arkansas’ delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives said Thursday they are pleased with Paul Ryan’s election to the powerful post of U.S. House Speaker. Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, succeeded U.S. Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, who resigned from the job of managing the 435-member body. The election for the House Speaker was held Thursday morning… Read more »

Congressional leaders and the White House united Tuesday behind a budget and debt deal that would end the threat of government shutdowns and defaults until well after a new president takes office. The outgoing House speaker, John Boehner, R-Ohio, will try to push the deal through his chamber today as his last act before departing Congress at the end of the week. Click here to read more. Read more »

It was a busy Wednesday in the nation’s capital as the House overwhelmingly approved a two-year budget blueprint for the nation, while the Senate passed a three-week extension to the nation’s highway bill. The House voted late Wednesday 266-167 to approve HR 1314, an $80 billion funding bill that was supported by 79 Republicans and 187 Democrats while the bill was… Read more »

Two of Arkansas' four representatives on Capitol Hill have endorsed Paul Ryan to be the next speaker of the House. And other Arkansans who served with him are welcoming news that the Wisconsin lawmaker is willing to take the job. U.S. Rep. Steve Womack said Thursday that he'll vote for Ryan to replace Rep. John Boehner of Ohio. Click here to read more. Read more »

Second District Congressman French Hill (R-Little Rock) said the void in House leadership from the unexpected departure of Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) could be filled by an existing GOP committee chairman. A week after Boehner announced his sudden departure, heir-apparent Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) abandoned his bid for House Speaker leaving D.C. observers wondering who might be… Read more »