Studies show that children who have faced abuse have lower graduation rates and exhibit health and substance abuse problems later in life. In 2019, 12 out of every 1,000 Arkansas children were reported to be abused or neglected. That is staggering, and more needs to be done for the sake of Arkansas’s most vulnerable.

Since coming to Congress, one of my top priorities has been working to ensure the safety and security of Arkansas’s children. Last month was Child Abuse Prevention Month, I highlighted some of the recent key developments in federal policy and Congress, and I wanted to share these with you, too.

This year, I have supported several bills to strengthen protection for children. H.R. 485, the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, establishes national standards for tracking child maltreatment, and H.R. 1652, the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act, stops future cuts to vital victim services grant programs. I am proud that both bills overwhelmingly passed the House.

I can help your organization access these and other federal grants; please contact my office at (501) 324-5941.

I am proud of our work in Congress to protect our precious children, and I promise to continue this important work.