WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) applauded the assistance of federal regional commissions to communities in Arkansas and across the country, particularly in the wake of natural disasters and other economic challenges, in a hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee.

Boozman, a senior EPW Committee member, went on to urge witnesses from five federal-state partnership entities to help simplify federal grant applications in order to help state and local governments more readily access funds Congress intended for their use.

“Your budgets aren’t very great, but those dollars you have, being able to intervene and really knowing the communities you’re serving makes a huge difference,”Boozman said. “In recent years Arkansas has been devastated by natural disasters from tornadoes and wind to historic flooding along the Arkansas River. The impacts of which are still being dealt with. Once the dust has settled and the rubble has been cleared, communities struggle to continue growth and retain residents.”

Boozman also cited the difficulty small, rural localities like Mountainburg, Arkansas face in applying for federal grants to help fund projects like expanding water infrastructure to deliver safe, reliable drinking water to residents.

“It shouldn’t be that, if you have a good education, you have to hire a $30,000 grant writer in a very, very small community,” Boozman said. “I hope we can all work together on this. There’s no excuse for making things so very difficult.”