For families here in Arkansas, that relief is significant. A typical family of four will see thousands of dollars in additional take-home pay, with more than $100 billion in total refunds expected across the nation.

The Working Families Tax Cuts also provide long-term certainty by locking in key provisions and delivering targeted tax relief for workers, families, seniors, farmers, and small businesses, including:

• A permanently doubled standard deduction, used by roughly 90 percent of taxpayers, making for quicker, simpler filing.
• Lower tax rates and brackets made permanent, preventing the largest tax increase in American history.
• An expanded Child Tax Credit.
• No tax on tips and no tax on overtime pay.
• A $6,000 deduction for seniors on Social Security.
• Tax relief for American-made vehicles.
• Enhanced deductions and immediate expensing for small businesses.
• Protection for family farms from the Death Tax.

Together, these reforms are designed to give Arkansans more certainty, more opportunity, and more control over their hard-earned money.

For tax filing resources, click HERE.

Over the past week, as frigid temperatures set in and snow made travel dangerous, most Arkansans were spared the power outages that hit so many others. Part of that was because the ice storm tracked farther south, but it was also the result of steady preparation and hard work by Entergy.

Routine maintenance, including regular tree trimming and other resilience efforts, helped prevent widespread outages and made a real difference during this stretch of extreme weather.

I stopped by Entergy’s operations center to thank Arkansas President/CEO Laura Landreaux and her team for their work and to hear an update on recovery efforts here in Arkansas. I also met with Entergy crews before they headed to Louisiana to help restore power in Bastrop and Sibley, which were hit hard by the storm.

I am grateful for the work these crews do, along with road crews, first responders, and others who kept our communities moving and safe, both here at home and when they step up to help our neighbors.

I had a productive visit with leaders at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) discussing their proposals for new rural health initiatives and improved internal campus connectivity. UAMS does critical work for our entire state, especially in rural communities through its network of community health clinics and regional campuses.

The new Nurse Midwifery Program is addressing a real and growing need, and I appreciate UAMS stepping up to tackle such an important issue.

I introduced the bipartisan Ticket to Work Awareness Act earlier this week. The "Ticket to Work" program is a voluntary program that helps Americans with disabilities access job training, employment services, and other support to pursue work and career goals without risking their benefits.

Yet nearly two-thirds of eligible beneficiaries are unaware that the Ticket to Work program exists. That is both unacceptable and fixable.

My commonsense bill to increase awareness simply requires the Social Security Administration to better communicate and promote the program so people who want to work know what options are available, without adding new spending or growing government.

I am proud to lead this effort to support greater opportunity and independence for people with disabilities.

Last week’s Trivia: What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Arkansas? C) -29°F

The coldest temperature ever recorded was observed at Brook Farm Pond near Gravette on February 13, 1905. 

43.3% of respondents answered correctly. (32.5% selected "-18°F")

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

As Cervical Cancer Awareness Month comes to an end, we are reminded that cervical cancer is largely preventable and that early detection saves lives. An estimated 13,490 women in the United States are expected to be diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2026.

Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the leading cause of cervical cancer and is linked to about 90 percent of cases. The HPV vaccine protects against the strains most likely to cause cancer and is most effective when given to boys and girls ages 9 through 12, and teens and young adults up to age 26 can still receive a catch-up series.

Even if you have received the HPV vaccine, routine screening remains essential. Cervical cancer screening can detect abnormal cells early, before they become cancerous. Screening typically begins at age 21 and continues at regular intervals based on age and test type.

If you may be due for screening or vaccination, talk with your health care provider. You can learn more about cervical cancer prevention and early detection by clicking HERE.

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.