A250 celebrations are ramping up across Arkansas. Earlier this week, as we celebrate Black History Month, members of my team attended the unveiling of a commemorative sign at the Daisy Bates Home and Museum honoring one of our state’s most courageous champions of civil rights.

Governor Sanders was joined by Shea Lewis, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, Mary Hardin of the Daisy Bates Museum, and Charles King, President of the L.C. and Daisy Bates Foundation. I am grateful to Governor Sanders and the organizers for the opportunity to have my letter read during the ceremony.

Daisy Bates risked everything to stand for justice during the Little Rock Crisis of 1957, proving herself, as her associate and close confidante Ms. Annie Abrams said, to be “the person for the moment.”

Today, she stands in bronze in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol as a lasting symbol of courage and the promise of equality as we approach our nation’s semiquincentennial.

Second Lady Usha Vance, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, has launched the Bookmark Design Challenge: Celebrating America’s 250th, a nationwide competition open to students in grades K–8.

This challenge invites students to create an original, hand-drawn bookmark that reflects what America means to them. Designs may highlight:

• American history or heritage
• Important moments or people
• Cultural traditions
• Hopes for the future
• Symbols of unity and democracy
• Ideas of community and belonging
• Creativity and innovation

Students may interpret the theme freely and creatively.

Three national winners, one from each age group, will be selected and recognized during America’s 250th anniversary celebrations in 2026. Winners will also be invited to Washington, D.C., with a parent or guardian to participate in special commemorative events.

Submission deadline: March 31, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET
Who can apply: Students in grades K–8 across all 50 states, D.C., and U.S. territories
How to apply: Visit arts.gov/bookmarks for full details and submission guidelines.

My friend and colleague, Rep. Mike Flood, and I recently published an op-ed outlining how Congress can help restore the American Dream of homeownership by addressing the root cause of today’s housing crisis: a severe shortage of homes.

Our bipartisan Housing for the 21st Century Act cuts red tape, expands financing, and makes it easier to build more homes, so families have more affordable options.

Here is an excerpt:

"For generations, owning a home has been the milestone many Americans have equated with achieving the American Dream. Unfortunately, that dream has grown increasingly out of reach.

Housing supply has not kept pace with demand, leaving the nation short by as many as 5.5 million units. Rising construction costs, regulatory delays, outdated zoning constraints, and burdensome federal processes have fueled this problem and made it harder, slower, and more expensive to build.

The Housing for the 21st Century Act includes real, bipartisan solutions to boost development by clearing out red tape and letting communities and local banks do their job."

You can read the full piece HERE.

There is still time to RSVP for my upcoming Veterans Advisory Council meeting.

If you're a veteran in central Arkansas, I hope you’ll join me for a conversation about the issues that matter most to you and your family.

Over my years in Congress, I regularly host VACs across the district and hold Q&As with veterans to discuss the issues impacting our veteran community. This meeting is open to all central Arkansas veterans.

Here are the details:

Location: Veterans and Military Resource Center at University of Central Arkansas, 302 Donaghey Ave., Conway, AR 72035
Date: Friday, February 27
Time: 10:00 AM CT

For more information or to RSVP, please contact my Little Rock office at (501) 324-5941 or send an email.

This week marks the 81st anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the bloodiest and most iconic battles in American history. On February 19, 1945, U.S. Marines stormed the beaches of the small volcanic island and fought for 36 grueling days against a deeply entrenched Japanese defense.

The battle produced 27 Medals of Honor, more than any other battle in World War II, and gave us one of the most enduring images in American history: six Marines raising the American flag atop a rocky summit. As Admiral Chester Nimitz said of the men who fought there, "uncommon valor was a common virtue." This week's trivia question honors their sacrifice.

Last week’s Trivia: Which of the following presidents did NOT pass away on July 4? D) James Madison

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on the same day — July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence — and James Monroe died on July 4, 1831.

42% of respondents answered correctly. (28.6% selected "James Monroe")

The Presidential 1776 Award is a spelling bee-like competition where students demonstrate their understanding of America's founding era. With scholarship prizes ranging from $25,000 – $150,000, this is your chance to shine on a national stage.

Click on the photo below for more information. The deadline to register is Today (February 22, 2026).

The Small Business Administration is reminding Arkansas small businesses and private nonprofit organizations that relief is still available following severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding that occurred April 2–22, 2025.

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans can help cover operating expenses and are available even if no physical damage occurred.

The disaster declaration covers several counties in Arkansas’s Second Congressional District, including:

• Pulaski County
• Saline County
• Faulkner County
• Perry County
• White County

The deadline to apply is tomorrow (February 23, 2026). To learn more or apply, visit sba.gov/disaster or call (800) 659-2955.

Submissions for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition are now open!

This competition is an opportunity to recognize and encourage artistic talent from across central Arkansas, with the winning artwork displayed for a year in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

I will again be hosting a “Fan Favorite” award, where central Arkansans can vote for their favorite piece. The artwork that wins Fan Favorite will be displayed in my Little Rock office.

This challenge is open to all students in grades 9 through 12 who live in Arkansas’s Second Congressional District. The deadline to submit artwork to my office is Tuesday, March 31 at 12:00 pm CST.

One small change from years past: Students are no longer required to submit a photo of themselves with their artwork.

For more information and full submission instructions, click HERE.

          Last year's winner, “Beyond the Familiar" by Amber Bae.

My office can arrange tours of the Capitol and many other sights in Washington, D.C., on behalf of you and your family during your stay. Please note: White House tours require Real IDs or other accepted forms of ID, such as a valid passport or U.S. military ID.

If you and your loved ones are planning on visiting Washington, D.C. in the coming months, I recommend you reach out to my office to request tours as soon as possible HERE.

If you have any questions about your visit to Washington, D.C., please call my D.C. office at (202) 225-2506.