In the News

U.S. Reps. Hill, Womack vote for bill allowing banks to serve cannabis industry Talk Business & Politics  9/27/19 LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill allowing banks to provide services to businesses in the country’s legal marijuana industry. Two of Arkansas’ four Congressmen voted for the bill, which now heads to the U.S. Senate. HR… Read more »

Congress Presses Fed On Real-Time Payments Plan PYMNTS 9/27/19 The Federal Reserve’s buildup to faster payments innovation came to a head in August when it announced FedNow, its proposed real-time payments infrastructure under the draft Payments Modernization Act of 2019. Reception toward the initiative was not, however, universally positive. The U.S. House Committee on… Read more »

Advocating for Regulatory Guidance on Capitol Hill ACA International 9/26/19 ACA International advanced the accounts receivable management (ARM) industry’s advocacy message on the need for balanced regulations for consumers and businesses from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau during a hearing with the House Financial Services Committee Thursday. Modernizing the Fair… Read more »

House Financial Services Committee Pokes Holes in Controversial Consolidated Audit Trail Financial Advisor IQ 9/25/19 SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce questioned Tuesday whether the watchdog should proceed with its planned Consolidated Audit Trail, despite Chairman Jay Clayton’s desire to avoid more delays. The CAT is a single comprehensive database expected to store an… Read more »

Arkansas delegation decries impeachment inquiry Arkansas Democrat Gazette 9/25/19 WASHINGTON -- Members of the all-Republican Arkansas congressional delegation Tuesday denounced House Democrats for launching an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. Some delegation members also said it would be inappropriate for a U.S. president to ask a foreign leader to investigate… Read more »

Arkansas delegates criticize Democrats after impeachment inquiry against Trump KATV 9/24/19 LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched the House into a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump on Tuesday. The inquiry centers on claims that Trump abused his presidential powers and sought help from a foreign government for his reelection, actions… Read more »

Speaker Pelosi calls for official impeachment inquiry; Arkansas congressmen respond Talk Business & Politics 9/24/19 Declaring that the president has committed “a betrayal” of national security, national intelligence, and whistleblower statutes, U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Tuesday (Sept. 24) the Democratically-controlled House of Representatives will… Read more »

Debt Collection Legislative Agenda Announced for House Financial Services Committee Hearing ACA International 9/24/19 Ten legislative proposals are on the docket for discussion Thursday during a House Financial Services Committee hearing where ACA member John Bedard, owner of the Bedard Law Group, and Sarah Auchterlonie, shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, will testify… Read more »

Buffalo River project panel forms Arkansas Democrat Gazette 9/24/19 Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, using executive powers, created a new state committee Monday that is to select conservation projects within the watershed of the Buffalo National River. Private funds and a planned contribution from Hutchinson's discretionary funds will go toward the projects. The Nature Conservancy… Read more »

Hill introduces bipartisan bill to correct VA’s benefits processing for veterans The Ripon Advance 9/23/19 U.S. Rep. French Hill (R-AR) on Sept. 17 introduced bipartisan legislation to improve the processing of veterans benefits by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). “Too many veterans in my home state of Arkansas have suffered financially because of payment mistakes… Read more »