Results: 2024 Arkansas General Election

KUAR | By Daniel Breen, Josie Lenora, Maggie Ryan

Several national, state and local races were decided on Election Day in Arkansas. Here’s a roundup of some of the most prominent races statewide, and here in central Arkansas.

U.S. House of Representatives

All four Republican incumbent members of Arkansas’ delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives won re-election Tuesday. In the 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses most of Little Rock, Rep. French Hill beat his Democratic challenger, Col. Marcus Jones.

Jones said he’s proud of the campaign he ran to unseat the longtime incumbent. He called Hill to concede the race Tuesday night. In his concession speech, he thanked voters and spoke about reproductive rights.

Results: 2024 Arkansas General Election

John Sykes /Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas State Capitol building in Little Rock.

House Passes Womack Cosponsored VA Supplemental Bill to Prevent Funding Cliff and Safeguard Veterans’ Benefits

Washington, D.C.—September 18, 2024…Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) is a cosponsor of H.R. 9468, the Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives last night. This legislation fully funds the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) request for supplemental funding, addressing its massive funding shortfall, and holds the Biden-Harris administration accountable for its mismanagement of the VA budget.

Congressman Womack said, “Our nation’s veterans deserve and rely on resources from the VA budget. The Biden-Harris administration’s $15 billion shortfall is utterly unacceptable. By passing the VA supplemental bill, Congress stepped up for millions of veterans where the administration fell woefully short. Not only does this legislation fully fund the VA’s request, but it also ensures our heroes are never neglected by these failures again.”

Background:

Image provided by Sydney Rae

The VA’s failure to properly budget and account for enrollment growth and staffing costs in its budgetary process resulted in an unprecedented funding shortfall in veteran benefits for the remainder of FY24 and into FY25.

The House Appropriations Committee was notified of the potential shortfall in July—four months after the Biden-Harris administration submitted its Budget Request and following the markup of FY25 legislation in both chambers of Congress. The VA’s updated projections indicated a need of approximately $15 billion above what was originally requested, including an additional $3 billion for the remainder of FY24 for Compensation and Pensions and Readjustment Benefits (mandatory funding) and an additional $12 billion for FY25 for VA medical care (discretionary funding).

Without Congressional action before September 20, this shortfall would result in the Veterans Benefits Administration being unable to process benefits payments scheduled for October 1st. 

Solution:

H.R. 9468 addresses the $3 billion shortfall in mandatory funding, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates would have no net budget effects.

The bill also includes language that holds the administration accountable, requiring a report to be submitted to Congress no later than 30 days after enactment as to why these budgetary errors took place and ways the VA is addressing its failure to accurately project needs and recurring reports on the status of funds of these accounts moving forward.

Womack votes to continue progress on full-year funding; avoid government shutdown

Washington, DC—February 29, 2024…Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 7463, the Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024.

Congressman Womack said, "We've punted our fundamental duty of funding the government five months past the due date. I'm incredibly disappointed—America deserves better. Another CR is regrettably necessary to responsibly avoid a harmful government shutdown and protect hardworking Americans, veterans, and our troops. Important projects in Arkansas' Third, including the FMS mission in Fort Smith, depend on our progress. This move will keep us on track to pass full-year appropriations this month."

The continuing resolution extends FY23 funding for the following appropriations bills through March 8, 2024:

• Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies

• Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies

• Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies

The bill extends FY23 for the remaining eight bills through March 22, 2024

Womack has consistently advocated for solutions to fix the broken budget and appropriations process, which has failed the American people for too long. He co-chaired the Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform and introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to modernize and streamline current processes. Some of the reforms he supported would have helped prevent a budget and appropriations deadline crisis like we see today. Additionally, he called for moving to a biennial budget, ensuring realistic deadlines for Congress to complete its budget and appropriations work, and requiring a joint Budget Committee hearing on the Fiscal State of the Nation.