Dear Friends, 

Last week, I visited the Museum of Veterans and Military History in Vilonia. I was pleased to be joined by several local veterans where I learned more about their stories and what issues are concerning them. I want to thank Linda Hicks for her continued dedication towards the museum and serving the veterans in the area. If you want to visit the museum, please visit their website HERE to learn more.

I am thankful for the service of our veterans and am honored to advocate for them back in Washington.

I am proud to have three combat vets on my team to directly help Arkansas’s veterans get the benefits they have earned and deserve. If you or someone you know is a veteran and needs help with the VA or other veteran-related issues, please call my Little Rock office at (501) 324-5941 or click HERE.

I also had the opportunity to stop by the White County Health Unit in Searcy, and meet with administrator, Matt Morrison, and his team.

I thanked our front-line health care workers for their hard work keeping our community safe throughout the pandemic. We are extremely fortunate to have such dedicated health care professionals here in central Arkansas and I am thankful for their work every day.

Saturday morning was the second meeting with this year’s Future Leaders Council – a program I started in 2017, made up of fifth graders from central Arkansas, that meets four times during the school year to learn about the Constitution, history, and how a bill becomes a law.

We met both virtually and in-person, at the Darragh Center at the Central Arkansas Library System’s Main Library in Little Rock. During this meeting, we learned about federal powers and state powers – where they are separate and when they intersect.

I was joined by Arkansas Secretary of State, John Thurston, who helped teach the students more about the significance of state powers, and the importance of voting.

The meeting was filled with great discussion, and excellent questions from our bright, future leaders. I am already looking forward to our next meeting!

As the founder and Co-Chairman of the Skilled Workforce Caucus, I was pleased to address last week's Be Pro Be Proud event in Little Rock where Governor Hutchinson announced a $1.45 million grant to support their efforts to expand skilled workforce opportunities to more communities across Arkansas.

Be Pro Be Proud currently operates a Mobile Workshop Unit, which is a tractor trailer outfitted with amazing, interactive displays so that middle and high school students can have the hands-on opportunity to try out skilled workforce careers. I tested my skills on the backhoe and locomotive simulator. With this grant, they will be able to put another trailer in service, cutting the wait times to visit our high schools and middle schools.

I am excited for the opportunities Be Pro Be Pro is providing central Arkansas students and look forward to seeing the program’s continued success.

I was pleased to meet with the Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce, small business owners and other community leaders last Wednesday. We discussed the issues concerning central Arkansans, including education, the local workforce, expanding broadband, and the impact rising inflation is having on our local businesses.

I look forward to working alongside local community leaders to continue ensuring growth in Greenbrier and am ready to fight for their concerns back in Washington.