All four of Arkansas’ GOP U.S. House members re-elected

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

In deep red Arkansas, outcomes of races in the state’s four Congressional districts provided no surprises, with all four of the GOP incumbents coasting to easy reelection wins. But as of late Tuesday night, it was unclear if they were returning to the majority in the U.S. House.

In the 1st Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, defeated Democrat Rodney Govens and Libertarian Steve Parsons. As of 11 p.m., and with 81% of precincts reporting, Crawford received 72.8% of the vote, Govens had 24.9%, and Parsons was at 3.04%. The win sends Crawford to Congress for his eighth two-year term.

In the 2nd Congressional District, U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, defeated Democrat Marcus Jones. As of 11 p.m., and with 75% of precincts reporting, Hill received 57.1% of the vote, and Jones had 42.9%. Hill returns to Congress for his sixth two-year term.

All four of Arkansas’ GOP U.S. House members re-elected

Crawford co-leads legislation to aid farmers

Washington, D.C. – Representative Rick Crawford (AR-01) joined 47 of his colleagues in introducing legislation that will provide immediate support to farmers as Congress continues debating a long-term Farm Bill. The Farm Assistance and Revenue Mitigation Act (FARM Act) provides emergency assistance to producers of eligible commodities for which the expected revenue in crop year 2024 is below the projected per-acre cost of production. Current Farm Bill safety net provisions utilize cost of production data from 2012. As a result, the aid provided by these programs has not kept up with inflation.

“As lending season approaches, farmers must work to secure credit for the upcoming year. Unfortunately, credit is drying up as producers face climbing farm input costs and a decline in net farm income. Congressional Democrats have been unwilling to compromise on a new Farm Bill that provides long-term certainty for farm country, and so House Republicans are stepping up once again for our ag producers with this critical economic assistance,” said Rep. Crawford.

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“Farmers have been hit with circumstances outside of their control, such as natural disasters, inflation pressures, and drought, which have crippled their ability to obtain financing from credit and banking institutions. The FARM Act will bridge the gap, providing relief so that our farmers can continue to do their best—feed the nation,” said Congressman Trent Kelly (MS-01). 

Original co-sponsors include: Representatives Sanford Bishop (GA), Julia Letlow (LA), Rick Allen (GA), Michael Guest (MS), Mike Rogers (AL), Barry Moore (AL), Austin Scott (GA), Don Bacon (NE), Rick Crawford (AR), Jerry Carl (AL), John Rose (TN), Vicente Gonzalez (TX), Greg Murphy (NC), Jake Ellzey (TX), Troy Nehls (TX), Dale Strong (AL), Brad Finstad (MN), David Rouzer (NC), Robert Aderholt (AL), Chuck Fleischmann (TN), Michelle Fischbach (MN), Mike Ezell (MS), Troy Balderson (OH), Tony Gonzales (TX), Henry Cuellar (TX), Michael McCaul (TX), Monica De La Cruz (TX), Clay Higgins (LA), Mike Collins (GA), Pat Fallon (TX), Pete Sessions (TX), Ronny Jackson (TX), David Kustoff (TN), Randy Feenstra (IA), John Carter (TX), Frank Lucas (OK), August Pfluger (TX), Gary Palmer (AL), Juan Ciscomani (AZ), Buddy Carter (GA), Brian Babin (TX), Jim Baird (IN), Randy Weber (TX), Lance Gooden (TX), Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA), Marc Veasey (TX), Nathaniel Moran (TX), and Michael Rulli (OH).

The FARM Act is endorsed by:

American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Cotton Council, National Sorghum Producers, National Sunflower Association, U.S. Canola Association, U.S. Peanut Federation, USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council, USA Rice, Western Peanut Growers Association and National Corn Growers Association. 

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin welcomes more than 1,600 to Cybersecurity Summit featuring federal CISA Director

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement at the opening of his Cybersecurity Summit at the Statehouse Convention Center in cooperation with the FORGE Institute and featuring the Director of the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Jen Easterly:

“You don’t have to look far to understand why cybersecurity matters. Look on the front page of today’s newspaper about China hacking three American telecom companies. Today, so much of our life is connected to each other: government, individuals, businesses, for example. I don’t think anyone can question the need for cybersecurity now.

“There are a lot of people out there who want to do you harm. Some are individuals that aren’t that smart and will get caught quickly. Some of them are highly sophisticated entities—such as criminal cartels—that want to do you harm. Some of them are aggressive nation-state actors, including China, Russia and Iran. If you have a home computer and a printer, and it’s connected to the Internet, you need to be cyber-secure. If you’re a big company or a small company, you need to be cyber-secure.

“When it comes to cybersecurity, we are only as strong as our weakest link. Success on this front requires a collective defense built on cooperation and collaboration.”

In addition to the opening chat between Griffin and Easterly about the role of CISA and tools being provided to Arkansas, speakers on the first day of the two-day summit included Congressman French Hill (AR-02), member of the House Intelligence Committee; Senator Tom Cotton (AR), member of the Senate Intelligence Committee; and Lee Watson, founder of the FORGE Institute. Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-01) will be the opening speaker on the second day of the summit on October 8.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin at 2024 Cybersecurity Summit in Little Rock, AR

Two candidates challenge Crawford in 1st Congressional District

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

Arkansas’ 1st Congressional District has a unique group of candidates vying to represent east Arkansas in Congress.

Incumbent Republican Rep. Rick Crawford is running against a Democrat and a Libertarian. Little Rock Public Radio was in talks with Crawford’s office for weeks to do an interview that ultimately never materialized. The station sent him the same list of questions we asked the other two candidates.

Crawford has been in his job since 2011. He is a Tea Party conservative, who believes in smaller government, minimal spending and stronger borders. He also serves as chairman of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee.

His two opponents are Rodney Govens, the Democrat, and Steve Parsons, the Libertarian.

Two candidates challenge Crawford in 1st Congressional District

Incumbent Republican Congressman Rick Crawford (left), Libertarian Steve Parsons (middle), Democrat Rodney Govens (right).

U.S Rep. Rick Crawford said he is optimistic about steel agreement between the U.S, Mexico

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

Last week, the United States and Mexico reached a deal to address China’s ability to evade tariffs that were created to protect North American products that are made with steel, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Lael Brainard, director of the White House National Economic Council, said the agreement is a way to enforce existing tariffs, according to the Associated Press.

“The president [Biden] is taking action to close loopholes left by his predecessor [Trump] that allowed China to circumvent trade rules,” she said.

U.S Rep. Rick Crawford said he is optimistic about steel agreement between the U.S, Mexico

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Rep. Crawford statement on SCOTUS decision in Trump v. United States

Washington, D.C. — Representative Rick Crawford (AR-01) released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. United States.

“The SCOTUS decision today confirms that a President is immune from criminal prosecution for official acts within his ‘conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority.’ This ruling should prove to any Justice Department official, Democrat or Republican, that politically motivated prosecutions cannot be directed at the President. Clearly, some of the indictments in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s case against President Trump are likely unconstitutional. Instead of rushing to a conclusion that is not based on our Constitution and established caselaw, the District Court should reflect on this ruling and determine the best course forward for our nation and not a pre-desired political outcome,” said Rep. Crawford.

Steel Caucus voices concerns of potential trade status change for Vietnam

Washington, D.C. – 37 Bipartisan Members of the Congressional Steel Caucus, led by Chairman Rick Crawford (AR-01) and Vice Chairman Frank Mrvan (IN-01) sent a letter to the secretary of commerce, Gina Raimondo, expressing concern about the department’s reconsideration of Vietnam’s non-market economy (NME) status in U.S. antidumping proceedings.

As the letter points out, Vietnam remains a top-down, government-controlled economy. The country practices steel dumping by flooding the U.S. with heavily subsidized steel in violation of international trade standards, which harms domestic production. Vietnam is also known to be a platform for Chinese steel to circumvent U.S. trade remedy orders. This malicious behavior should not be rewarded by a beneficial change of status. 

In October, the Department of Commerce announced that it would begin reviewing Vietnam’s NME status. This announcement came shortly after Vietnam filed an official request to be considered a market economy. Commerce has 270 days to complete the review, which should occur in mid-July.

“Vietnam has been injuring the American steel industry for years through unfair trade practices. Our government has a duty to protect American businesses and workers, and the Department of Commerce must reject Vietnam’s request. To grant Vietnam market economy status would be rewarding bad behavior and is a thumb in the eye to American steel,” Rep. Crawford said.

“The livelihoods of steelworkers and their families are dependent upon the full and fair enforcement of our U.S. trade laws, and we must do all we can to hold bad actors around the world accountable for unfair trade practices. As vice chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus, I look forward to continuing to partner with all my colleagues to ensure that workers in steel-producing communities throughout our nation can compete on a level playing field,” said Rep. Mrvan.

“The SMA applauds the Congressional Steel Caucus for highlighting the devastating effect that granting Vietnam market economy status would have on American workers and American steel production. America’s industrial might relies on fair trade. If countries such as Vietnam, which has turned into one of the most harmful steel traders in the world, are granted market economy status, that puts American jobs and livelihoods at risk. It also destroys secure domestic supply chains in favor of countries that only succeed through government intervention or serving as a key cog in China’s belt and road initiative. We stand with the bipartisan members of the Congressional Steel Caucus in calling for Vietnam not to be granted market economy status,” said Philip K. Bell, President of the Steel Manufacturers Association.

“As China continues to utilize Indo-Pacific markets to undercut American steel tariffs, STI/SPFA stands in strong support of the Congressional Steel Caucus’ letter to Commerce Secretary Raimondo urging the reconsideration of Vietnam as a ‘market economy,'” Tim O’Toole, executive director of the Steel Tank Institute/Steel Plate Fabrication Association (STI/SPFA), said. “By legitimizing Vietnam’s government-controlled economy that relies on aggressive subsidies to finance its steel marketplace, the Commerce Department would send a signal that developing countries can follow in Vietnam’s footsteps by dumping steel products into the United States and subsequently preventing domestic steel manufacturers across the supply chain from competing on a level playing field. We appreciate Representative Mrvan and Representative Crawford’s leadership on this issue and look forward to working with the Steel Caucus to continue pushing back against efforts to undercut American-made steel,” said Tim O’Toole, executive vice president of STI/SPFA.

The letter is also supported by the following groups: Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports (CPTI), Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA), American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), United Steel Workers (USW), Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA), Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), and the Steel Tank Institute/Steel Plate Fabricators Association (STI/SPFA).

Rep. Crawford’s Statement on Biden’s Mass Amnesty Order

Washington, D.C. — Representative Rick Crawford (AR-01) released the following statement regarding President Biden’s plan to grant amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants. 

“With illegal immigration soaring under President Biden’s open-border policies, straining law enforcement, public services, and resulting in an increase in violent crime, the President has once again responded with a weak and fumbling executive order that only contributes to additional illegal immigration. Only days ago, a young girl, barely a teenager, was reportedly raped in broad daylight in a New York park by an illegal immigrant wielding a machete, and police in Maryland, using DNA evidence, arrested an illegal immigrant for the brutal murder of a mother of five who had been out for a casual jog. President Biden’s latest amnesty plan is a slap in the face to these victims and their families, as well as the millions of legal immigrants who wait patiently in their countries of origin for visas to be approved,” said Rep. Crawford.

Arkansas House Delegation to McDonough: The politicization of the VA is inappropriate

Washington, D.C. — Congressmen Rick Crawford (AR-01), French Hill (AR-02), Steve Womack (AR-03), and Bruce Westerman (AR-04) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough voicing concern for the encouragement of VA facilities to display Pride flags at the taxpayers’ expense. The letter calls on McDonough to immediately remove any flag other than the American flag, flag of the VA, state flags, and the POW-MIA recognition flag from VA facilities.

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In part, the lawmakers wrote:

“The Pride flag is once again flying over the VA facility in Little Rock, and our constituents and veterans across Arkansas have called on us to inquire about why the VA is expressing a clear political leaning. Your continuation of this policy demonstrates the continued disregard for the opinions of veterans you showed last year. The men and women who have served our country deserve to enter a facility that is free from discrimination and political posturing, and we should strive to provide them with an apolitical VA when they seek the care, benefits, and services they have earned.”

Click here for the full letter.

Arkansas delegation supports governor’s request for major disaster declaration

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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton—along with Congressmen Steve Womack, Rick Crawford, French Hill and Bruce Westerman—wrote to President Joe Biden urging him to support Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ request for a major disaster declaration as a result of severe storms in Benton, Boone and Marion Counties on May 26.

“We encourage the president to quickly approve federal aid to help speed up recovery efforts in Arkansas,” members said. 

The letter can be found here and below:

Dear Mr. President:

On behalf of the State of Arkansas, we are writing to support Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ request to declare a major disaster, pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief Act, as a result of severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding that began on May 24, 2024, and are continuing.

As Governor Sanders noted in her request, the severity of this event created disastrous amounts of debris, severe infrastructure damage, and resulted in the deaths of at least nine citizens and injured countless others. Arkansans will continue to feel the destructive impact of this storm as we work to rebuild.  

Preliminary damage estimates conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency show major impacts to local jurisdictions in Benton, Boone, and Marion Counties exceeding an estimated $6.4 million in damages. At least 217 homes were destroyed with an additional 94 sustaining major damage. In total, over 478 homes were affected by the storms, leaving a large number of Arkansans displaced and many counties left without power for days. 

Despite facing significant hardships from the severe storm, Arkansans have demonstrated remarkable resourcefulness and resilience. Communities from across the state have come together to support one another during this challenging time. But as it stands, we believe the magnitude of this weather event warrants supplemental federal assistance. The above-mentioned counties have seen homes, businesses, and important infrastructure severely damaged, and federal government resources will be critical in restoration efforts.

The entire Arkansas delegation is eager to assist in any way possible to ensure expedited evaluation of this request. Please do not hesitate to contact our offices with any questions. We thank you for your support, and respectfully ask for your attention and assistance in providing the resources necessary to ensure the safety and full recovery of Arkansans.

Rep. Crawford’s Legislation Banning Federal Aid for Chinese-Made Railcars Passes House

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Rick Crawford’s (AR-01) legislation to ban Federal Transit Administration (FTA) aid from being used to buy Chinese-made railcars passed the House floor this evening. Under current law, rail rolling stock cannot be purchased from state-owned enterprises. FTA misapplied the law, however, and allowed certain transit rail car contracts to continue. H.R. 3317, the Rolling Stock Protection Act closes this loophole.

“Despite our efforts, the Chinese Communist Party has still maintained a foothold in the rail market through contracts that have been grandfathered in. Taxpayer dollars should never go to countries that continue to lie, steal, and cheat in an attempt to push the U.S. out of the global market. We need to keep our critical infrastructure safe from the hands of the CCP,” said Rep. Crawford.

Earlier this year, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) cancelled its contract with China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) after frequently missed deadlines and quality issues. CRRC is one of the most subsidized companies in China and has close ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The CRRC has an ongoing contract with Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), despite MBTA experiencing similar delays due to CRRC mismanagement. In March, it was reported that this project has cost MBTA over $1 billion, which is hundreds of millions more than the initial bid price, and is now set to be completed four years late.

Rep. Crawford Statement on Senate Passage of FAA Legislation

Washington, D.C. — Representative Rick Crawford (AR-01) released the following statement after the Senate passed a reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

“It’s clear to me that after many months of delays in the Senate, we finally have a Senate-passed FAA bill for one reason: the hard work of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Chairman Sam Graves, subcommittee Chairman Garret Graves, and the entire staff of the Aviation Subcommittee and the full committee have shepherded this bill every step of the way through over a year of hearings, markups, and negotiations between the chambers and with industry and labor leaders. Their dedication to this effort is unmatched. While I don’t agree with every change the Senate has made to the original House-passed bill, I believe this is a fair compromise and a victory for the flying public and the aviation industry. I look forward to supporting this bill next week,” said Rep. Crawford.

Rep. Womack, Crawford will play role in rebuilding of collapsed bridge in Baltimore

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

Last week, U.S Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, visited the site where the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in Baltimore, Maryland.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Womack will help with the rebuilding process of the bridge. In an interview with Arkies in the Beltway, a podcast by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Womack said the federal government will be involved with helping pay for the rebuilding of the bridge, but is not sure how much the federal government will contribute.

“Eventually, there will be a bill to be paid and quite frankly I think that members that were there today recognize that this is not something that Maryland is going to be able to do on its own,” he said.

Rep. Womack, Crawford will play role in rebuilding of collapsed bridge in Baltimore

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A crane is used to clear debris from the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

Reps. Crawford and Duarte introduce legislation to protect water systems from cyber threats

Washington – Citing persistent cyber threats to our nation’s critical water infrastructure, Congressmen Rick Crawford (AR-01) and John Duarte (CA-13) introduced H.R. 7922, the Water Risk and Resilience Organization (WRRO) Establishment Act. This legislation establishes a new governing body, the WRRO, with cyber and water-system expertise to develop and enforce cybersecurity requirements for drinking and wastewater systems. The WRRO will work in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure cybersecurity measures are both practical and beneficial.

“Foreign adversaries such as Russia and China have utilized cyber-attacks to target critical infrastructure such as water systems. This bill is a more proactive approach to safeguarding our drinking and wastewater from these types of attacks. These protections are vital at a time where cyber threats are constant and technology is evolving quickly,” Rep. Crawford said.

Earlier this year, FBI Director, Christopher Wray testified to Congress that Chinese hackers have been targeting infrastructure such as water treatment plants, electrical grids, and pipelines. Just last month, other administration officials echoed this sentiment when both the national security advisor and EPA sent letters to state governors. In the letters, they urge the governors to address any vulnerabilities in their state’s water systems to minimize risks of cyber-attacks.  This is more than just a threat; cybersecurity breaches have already happened around the country. Just before last Thanksgiving, a small Pennsylvania water utility was breached by pro-Iran hackers. A Florida water treatment facility was hacked in 2021, and the hackers tried to increase the amount of beneficial chemicals in the water to unsafe levels. In February, the U.S. intelligence community reported that Chinese-backed hackers have had a presence in many critical infrastructure systems in the U.S., including water systems for as long as maybe five years.

“With the constant threat of cyberattacks by our adversaries, the United States’ water infrastructure must be secured and defended properly,” said Rep. Duarte. “I am proud to help lead this crucial legislation with Rep. Crawford to ensure that our wastewater and drinking water systems are adequately prepared to deal with potential cybersecurity threats.”

Leaders in the water system industry have shown wide support for the Water Risk and Resilience Organization Establishment Act. They recognize the importance of safeguarding this critical resource and are willing to play a role in achieving this goal.

“Strong and effective cybersecurity oversight is critical for the water sector,” said American Water Works Association CEO David LaFrance. “Rep. Crawford’s vision for a collaborative model that leverages the knowledge of the sector is the right approach for protecting water utilities from cyber-attacks.” 

“NAWC applauds the leadership of Rep. Crawford to advance legislation that helps bolster cybersecurity protections for the entire water sector. This legislation is long overdue and aligns with our guiding cybersecurity pillars, which call for greater collaboration and coordination of efforts to better protect critical water infrastructure,” said Rob Powelson, President and CEO of the National Association of Water Companies.

“Cyber threats targeting both informational and operational systems today pose a growing threat to the nation’s water systems, and a successful cyber-attack could threaten public health while also undermining the public’s confidence in their water supply. AMWA supports H.R. 7922 as a critical piece of the puzzle to defend the nation’s water systems from criminals and bad actors in cyberspace, and we thank Rep. Crawford for his leadership on this important bill,” said Tom Dobbins, CEO of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies.

Cyber-attacks often cost millions of dollars to address and can result in contamination, malfunctions, and service outages. Leveraging private sector expertise to provide cybersecurity awareness to thousands of public water systems across America is critical to ensuring infrastructure security.