I’m listening to you:

One of my most important responsibilities is to listen to you.

In the past two weeks, I have held two public forums to hear your concerns and questions about the upcoming school year and how Congress can help to keep students, teachers, and administrators safe.

You can watch my telephone town hall by clicking HERE or on the image below. 


I’ve heard you:

Congress has provided significant financial resources for our schools. In the CARES Act, Congress allocated $30 billion to the Department of Education to help colleges, universities, and local school districts respond to the challenges created by the coronavirus.

The CARES Act also established the Education Stabilization Fund, which provides $13.5 billion in K–12 formula grants to help school districts prevent the spread of COVID-19, plan for long-term closures and remote learning, and provide mental health services to students in need.

It also provided $14.25 billion for public and private universities to cover the costs associated with closing campuses and transitioning to distance learning. This is very important especially for Arkansas because students will be able to receive financial assistance for food, housing, health care, and childcare.

Finally, the CARES Act allocated $1.25 billion for the State of Arkansas to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and plan for the future, including buying ventilators and protective medical gear as well as increasing hospital capacity in our state.

Providing our students with the best chance at success, especially amid these challenging circumstances, is of the utmost importance.

That’s why last week, I introduced the Helping Educators with Learning Preparation Act or the HELP Act. 

I drafted this bill based upon what I have heard from parents and students alike as well as educators and administrators. This bill will assist elementary, middle, and high school students to transition safely and successfully to distance learning or socially distanced, in-classroom instruction.

As we head into the fall, parents and educators want assurances that schools can safely reopen as children return to onsite learning. We know that even with the significant efforts of parents and teachers, many students were unable to keep up with distanced learning and were left behind, which is not an option for the 2020-21 school year.

I am grateful for the assistance of local educators and parents including those from the Guy-Perkins School District, the Jacksonville North Pulaski School District, the Arkansas State Teachers Association, and the Arkansas PTA in crafting a bill that would have a meaningful impact on our students this coming school year.

With many Arkansans living in rural areas, reliable Internet access remains out of reach for many. Increasing access to the Internet is essential to providing virtual healthcare options and services for everyone. Through various legislative proposals, like the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, which makes it easier for individuals to obtain certain healthcare services from the comfort and privacy of their own home, and the ACCESS BROADBAND Act which establishes an office to coordinate and track federal funding for broadband across all agencies, I have supported cost-effective connectivity options that will make sure your family has access to quality education resources health care services.

You might ask: “What has Congress done to mitigate the impacts on the economy?”

Congress, through the CARES Act, has provided Economic Impact Payments of up to $1200 directly to individuals making below $75,000 and $2,400 to couples with household income below $150,000. In addition, the CARES Act created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) which provides $659 billion for 100% federally-guaranteed loans to small businesses and 501(c)3s. So far, the Paycheck Protection Program given more than 42,000 loans to local businesses in central Arkansas retaining more than 111,000 jobs.

In total, Arkansas has received more than $8 billion in response to COVID-19 including through the PPP, EIP, and the direct payment to Arkansas. I am proud of my work in Congress on behalf of Arkansans and my votes and advocacy are because I’ve listened to you. Please contact if I may be of assistance to your or your loved one. I may be reached at (501) 324-5941 and Hill.House.Gov.

It is an honor to serve you in Congress.