Representatives Hill and Gottheimer introduce bill to protect credit score of American hostages or wrongful detainees

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. French Hill (R-AR) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) introduced the Fair Credit for American Hostages Act to safeguard the credit score of American hostages or wrongful detainees. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) recently introduced similar legislation in the Senate.

Rep. Hill said, “Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad already have so much to worry about when they arrive home after this unimaginable situation. I thank my colleague Rep. Gottheimer for joining me in leading our legislation that makes it easier for these Americans to get their lives back on track and some sense of normalcy.”

Rep. Gottheimer said, “After being held for days, weeks, and months by terrorists and our adversaries, facing unimaginable horrors, and making it home, the last thing Americans should have to worry about is a hit to their credit score. That's why I'm proud to lead the Fair Credit for American Hostages Act with my colleague Congressman French Hill.”

Sen. Tillis said, "It’s crazy to think an American held hostage in a foreign nation could return to a ruined credit score and financial turmoil because of their inability to make timely payments. This commonsense legislation ensures that Americans wrongfully detained abroad can move forward without worrying about how a poor credit score impacts their financial future.”

Sen. Coons said, “Americans who have been wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad shouldn’t have to worry about their credit score when they come home, and the Fair Credit for American Hostages Act will ensure they don’t have to. I applaud Representatives Hill and Gottheimer for introducing this critical, bipartisan legislation in the House, and I’ll continue to support American hostages and their families when they come home.”

Further Background:

H.R. 9830 - Fair Credit for American Hostages Act: This legislation stipulates that if a former detainee or hostage provides authenticated documentation of their detention, then the credit bureaus must strike adverse information from the time of their detention. 

UAMS College of Nursing’s Undergraduate Programs Ranked 74th in Nation by U.S. News & World Report

By Chris Carmody

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Nursing ranks among the nation’s 100 best undergraduate nursing programs, according to a list released today by U.S. News & World Report.

UAMS climbed 12 spots in the annual ranking, tying for 74th out of 686 programs evaluated by the publication. It was the only Arkansas institution in the top 100.

U.S. News & World Report conducted its evaluations through surveys from top academic and nursing school officials, who rated BSN programs they were familiar with on a scale from 1 to 5. Schools on the list were required to have a bachelor’s-level accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, and they needed to have recently awarded at least 50 BSN degrees.

UAMS College of Nursing’s Undergraduate Programs Ranked 74th in Nation by U.S. News & World Report

The UAMS College of Nursing’s undergraduate programs climbed 12 spots in this year’s ranking from U.S. News & World Report.

Cotton, Rubio, Hawley introduce legislation to end permanent normal trade relations with China

Senator Tom Cotton

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida), and Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) today introduced The Neither Permanent Nor Normal Trade Relations Act to end Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with China.

“China’s Permanent Normal Trade Relations status has enriched the Chinese Communist Party while costing the United States millions of jobs. This comprehensive repeal of China’s PNTR status and reform of the U.S.-China trade relationship will protect American workers, enhance our national security, and end the Chinese Communists’ leverage over our economy,” said Senator Cotton.

Senator Marco Rubio

“Giving Communist China the same trade benefits that we give to our greatest allies was one of the most catastrophic decisions that our country has ever made. Our country’s trade deficit with China more than quadrupled, and we exported millions of American jobs. Ending normal trade relations with China is a no-brainer,” said Senator Rubio.

Senator Josh Hawley

“More than two decades ago, Washington elites granted China most favored nation trading status, enabling Beijing to exploit our working class. Congress must revoke this sweetheart deal to protect American workers from our greatest adversary and to bring back the millions of manufacturing jobs shipped overseas,” said Senator Josh Hawley.

Text of the bill may be found here.

The Neither Permanent Nor Normal Trade Relations Act would:

• End PNTR for China.

• Phase-in tariffs for Chinese products over five years, including 100% tariffs for goods determined to be important to national security. 

• Empower the President to create supplementary quotas and tariffs to phase out Chinese imports and to institute overriding bans on specific Chinese goods.

• End de minimis treatment for covered nations—including China—and require customs brokers for other de minimis shipments.

• The revenue produced will go towards farmers and manufacturers injured by potential Chinese retaliation, the purchase of key munitions important to a Pacific conflict, and paying down the debt.

New program adds 12,000 acres of Arkansas wetlands for waterfowl

BY Randy Zellers

LITTLE ROCK — Nearly 12,000 additional acres of wetlands will greet waterfowl in The Natural State this winter, thanks to the successful implementation of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Conservation Incentive Program.

The program was funded through special set-aside funds by the Arkansas General Assembly. Throughout spring and summer, AGFC staff worked with private landowners to offer $3.5 million in incentives to help improve wildlife habitat on their property. The initiative was developed similar to many cost-share conservation incentives provided through Farm Bill programs, but is targeted specifically at wildlife and fisheries needs in Arkansas on a state level.

Two of the nine practices comprising the initiative focused on open wetland habitat, and another incentivized forest management on private greentree reservoirs.

According to Randy Brents, Assistant Chief of the AGFC Private Lands Habitat Division, roughly 11,871 acres of land has been placed under contracts to enhance habitat for waterfowl this winter. Many of these acres may have been tilled early or left dry during the migration if not for the incentive.

“We have contracted with farmers to flood 10,961 acres of rice fields using surface water sources during a 90-day portion of the waterfowl wintering period, and none of those acres will be tilled, leaving as much waste grain as possible for ducks and geese,” Brents said. “Another 910 acres of native wetland plants will be flooded that can offer even more benefit to waterfowl and other migratory species.”

According to Brents, 127 landowners signed up to implement the flooded rice and wetland practices.

“Those are all acres that are above and beyond what normally would be contracted by other programs,” Brents said. “One of our requirements was that the land couldn’t be enrolled in another cost-share or incentive that paid for flooding.”

Brents said this boom in additional acreage is only a portion of the wetlands being provided by the AGFC and other agencies. The AGFC will fund nearly 16,000 acres of wetlands on private land this season.

“We have another 4,000-plus acres in the Waterfowl Rice Incentive Conservation Enhancement Program this winter that promotes flooded rice fields with an additional caveat that landowners allow some limited public hunting through a permit-based draw system,” Brents said. “And this year, thanks to the federal Migratory Bird Resurgence Initiative, an additional 29,946 acres are enrolled in federal programs to promote wetlands in the state for wildlife benefits. Our private lands biologists have been working hard with landowners to apply for these incentives as well.”

Garrick Dugger, Private Lands Habitat Division Chief, says the vision of this new initiative is simple: “You don’t manage wildlife in a bubble. Whether it’s private or public land, the success of wildlife habitat management depends on the land surrounding you, not just what you control. Even if we manage the public land absolutely perfect, we’re only affecting 10 percent of Arkansas’s land, the rest is up to private landowners, so we want to help with their efforts as well.”

Dugger said the connection between private and public land management is most obvious in migrating birds like waterfowl.

“We know that it takes wetland habitat on a landscape level to provide energy for migrating ducks and geese,” Dugger said. “Even if all of the public land in Arkansas is flooded and full of food, it’s only a fraction of the habitat needed to draw ducks to Arkansas and give them the nutrition they need during and after migration. Private land accounts for so much more of our state’s landmass, and it’s the actions of those landowners that play a pivotal role in wildlife management for us all. If rice fields aren’t wet, hunters everywhere notice it in empty skies and empty game straps.”

The Conservation Incentive Program is an undertaking by the AGFC’s Private Lands Habitat Division and is made possible by Greenway Equipment, an AGFC cultivating partner. Visit www.agfc.com/habitat for more information.

Cotton, Boozman to Young and Su: All people should have the opportunity for dignified work

Shalanda Young - Creator: Carlos Fyfe | Credit: White House

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Senator John Boozman (R-Arkansas) today wrote a letter to OMB Director Shalanda Young and Acting Secretary of labor Julie Su regarding troubling reports that the Department of Labor (DOL) is considering a new rule that would abolish the 14(c) program wherein individuals with cognitive or physical disabilities can find employment and resources in a supervised setting. The Senators stated that all people deserve to have the opportunity for dignified work, and reiterated to Director Young and Acting Secretary Su that any attempt to disrupt this program without Congressional authorization would be illegal. 

Julie Su - U.S. Dept of Labor

In part, the senators wrote:

“All people, regardless of their abilities, should have the opportunity for dignified work. The 14(c) program does not limit the ability of disabled workers to engage in competitive employment. It merely provides those with difficulties in a traditional work environment the opportunity to engage in meaningful work. It provides many vulnerable Americans with a sense of accomplishment and provides their families and caretakers with time to complete activities necessary for the functioning of their households.”  

Full text of the letter may be found here and below.

September 20, 2024

Shalanda Young 

Director

Office of Management and Budget 

725 17th St NW

Washington, DC 20503

Julie Su

Acting Secretary 

Department of Labor

200 Constitution Ave NW 

Washington, DC 20210

Dear Director Young and Acting Secretary Su,

I write regarding troubling reports that the Department of Labor (DOL) is considering a new rule that would abolish the 14(c) program. Any changes to the 14(c) certificate program rests with Congress and not DOL.

Since 1938, the DOL has provided intellectually and developmentally disabled Americans the opportunity to engage in meaningful work through Section 14(c) certificates. According to the Washington Post, despite these longstanding statutes, and no legislative reforms, the DOL is considering a new rule that would be the "regulatory equivalent of abolition of 14(c) programs."

All people, regardless of their abilities, should have the opportunity for dignified work. The 14(c) program does not limit the ability of disabled workers to engage in competitive employment. It merely provides those with difficulties in a traditional work environment the opportunity to engage in meaningful work. It provides many vulnerable Americans with a sense of accomplishment and provides their families and caretakers with time to complete activities necessary for the functioning of their households.

Regardless of any policy objections the administration might have with the 14(c) program, it must be enforced according to the law. Former Secretary Marty Walsh, the last Senate-confirmed Secretary of Labor, agreed that changes to the program rest with Congress, rather than the DOL. Any efforts to make it functionally unworkable without Congressional authorization would be illegal.

Before deciding on the legality of these proposed changes to 14(c), please answer the following questions:

1. Where in the Fair Labor Standards Act and accompanying amendments does the DOL find the legal authority to make significant changes to this program, especially considering the Supreme Court's recent decision to end agency deference in Loper Bright Enterprises .v Raimondo?

2.How many disabled Americans would lose their jobs at sheltered workshops if 14(c) certificates were phased out?

3.Has the DOL considered the secondary effects of these individuals losing their jobs, such as their families needing to provide caretaking services during working hours, rather than working themselves or performing necessary functions for their households? If so, provide the details of that analysis.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. 

Sincerely,

###

UAMS Researchers Find Health Care Providers’ Advice Matters to Those Hesitant about Vaccines

By David Wise

FAYETTEVILLE — Health care provider recommendations for vaccines are critical for reaching vaccine-hesitant individuals, particularly regarding COVID-19, influenza and HPV vaccination, according to researchers from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

According to several studies published this summer, researchers at the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation found that hesitant people who received a provider recommendation had significantly greater odds of being vaccinated than hesitant people who did not.

“Provider recommendations matter a lot, especially when patients are hesitant, because it can considerably increase the odds of a person becoming vaccinated,” said Don Willis, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the Institute for Community Health Innovation. “However, not enough people who are hesitant are getting provider recommendations, so hopefully these findings can help health care providers increase vaccine recommendations to their patients.”

UAMS Researchers Find Health Care Providers’ Advice Matters to Those Hesitant about Vaccines

Bruce Westerman and colleagues introduce resolution recognizing October 2024 as National Dyslexia Awareness Month

Today, Congressional Dyslexia Caucus Co-Chairs Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) and Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) introduced a resolution recognizing October 2024 as National Dyslexia Awareness Month.

Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Angus King (I-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced the companion resolution in the U.S. Senate.

“Although millions of students face the social stigmas and learning challenges related to dyslexia every day, dyslexia rarely receives the proper attention it deserves. This important resolution recognizing October as National Dyslexia Awareness Month is an important step in ensuring educators and parents are aware of the prevalence of dyslexia and empowered to get their students the learning resources they need,” said Congressional Dyslexia Caucus Co-Chair Westerman.  “I am proud to support this resolution once again, and I thank Senator Cassidy and my fellow Dyslexia Caucus Co-Chair, Congresswoman Brownley, for making this a bicameral and bipartisan issue.”

“I began my career in public service to ensure that all children, including individuals with dyslexia like my daughter, have the resources and positive learning environments to live up to their full potential," said Congressional Dyslexia Caucus Co-Chair Brownley. “In recognizing October as Dyslexia Awareness Month, we are bringing much needed attention to the challenges people with dyslexia face and, more importantly, reaffirming our commitment to providing them with the support they need to thrive. As Co-Chair of the Congressional Dyslexia Caucus, I look forward to continuing to work with Congressman Westerman and my colleagues to raise awareness and help those with dyslexia to succeed.” 

“Dyslexia impacts one in five Americans. With an early diagnosis by the end of kindergarten or beginning of the first grade, these students won’t be left behind and can reach their full potential,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This National Dyslexia Awareness Month, we raise dyslexia awareness and continue to our work to ensure these bright children have the resources to achieve their dreams.”    

“Dyslexia impacts individuals in West Virginia and all across our country, which is why it is so important that we recognize the substantial challenges it poses to students and adults. I’m proud to join my colleagues once again to introduce this resolution, which will help us raise awareness around the need for early screening, diagnosis, and evidence-based solutions,” said Senator Capito. 

"Identifying dyslexia in early childhood is crucial to ensuring students in Maine and across the country are being properly prepared for a lifetime of reading and learning,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan resolution seeks to raise awareness of the problems associated with a lack of dyslexia testing for American students which has left countless unidentified dyslexic students to struggle silently in their education.” s in Maine and across the country are being properly prepared for a lifetime of reading and learning,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan resolution seeks to raise awareness of the problems associated with a lack of dyslexia testing for American students which has left countless unidentified dyslexic students to struggle silently in their education.” 

Read the full text of the resolution here

UAMS Receives Nearly $2.2 Million Federal Grant to Study Immune Response to Eye Disease

By Benjamin Waldrum

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) received a five-year, nearly $2.2 million federal grant to study how modulating the body’s immune response may potentially benefit patients with certain eye diseases.

The National Eye Institute (NEI) awarded the grant to a laboratory led by Abdel Fouda, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the UAMS College of Medicine. Fouda specializes in studying retinal ischemic diseases, which are common causes of vision impairment caused by a lack of blood flow to the retina. His lab focuses on developing new therapies for ischemic and trauma-induced retinopathy.

The grant allows Fouda’s lab to study the role of a certain type of immune cells, called myeloid cells, in retinopathy. In a process called efferocytosis, myeloid cells engulf, or eat, and remove dead cells as part of the body’s natural immune response. Although efferocytosis is well-documented for various diseases, its impact on retinopathy is largely unknown. Fouda’s initial data shows that efferocytosis could play a beneficial role in treating retinopathy. The project will explore methods of treatment to enhance myeloid cell-mediated efferocytosis, potentially leading to improved injury recovery and better patient outcomes.

UAMS Receives Nearly $2.2 Million Federal Grant to Study Immune Response to Eye Disease

Fouda (back row, third from right) with members of his lab earlier this summer. The NEI grant is the third "R-type" grant the lab has received in three years.

Sanders, Colonel Hagar release statements after illegal immigrant kills Little Rock respiratory therapist

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today joined Arkansas State Police in mourning the death of Little Rock Respiratory Therapist Jennifer Ann Morton, who was killed by illegal immigrant Maynor Yair Sorto-Herrera.
 
Herrera, a Honduras native, was driving drunk in the early morning of September 8th, when he drove his vehicle into Morton, a respiratory therapist in the Infant Toddler Unit at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. He has been charged with Negligent Homicide, Battery, DUI, Violation of the Concealed Weapons Act, Reckless Driving, Driving Without a License, Failure to Stop After Accident with Death, and other traffic violations.
 
Herrera is currently being held for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He was previously deported from the United States in 2018.
 
“I am devastated for the loss of Respiratory Therapist Jennifer Ann Morton. Our state will feel the loss of this woman’s life and sends its prayers and sympathies to her entire family,” said Governor Sanders. “We will use every tool available to prosecute the illegal immigrant who caused this senseless death, but let’s be clear: he never should have been in this country to begin with. President Biden and Vice President Harris opened our borders wide. It’s time for the federal government to step up, close the border, and end the mayhem in our communities.” 
 
“Our hearts are heavy for the Morton family as they are devastated by the loss of Jennifer, who devoted her life to compassionate care of children,” said Arkansas State Police Colonel Mike Hagar. “I know our Troopers want to honor her memory by doing their part to make sure this man is held responsible for her death.”
 
Governor Sanders previously deployed Arkansas National Guardsmen to the southern border to assist Texas law enforcement as they dealt with a surge in illegal immigration. She deployed 80 guardsmen in the summer of 2023 and 40 guardsmen in the spring of 2024.

U.S. Congressman Bruce Westerman and Governor Sarah Sanders applaud Army-Navy hospital security and fire protection grant

HOT SPRINGS - The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) awarded a federal grant for $2,750,000 to the state of Arkansas for security and fire protection services for the former Army-Navy Hospital property in Hot Springs. Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders released the following statements applauding the announcement.

Congressman Westerman said, "This grant will provide critical funding for much-needed security and fire prevention services at the former Army-Navy Hospital, a site that holds so much value for Hot Springs and the entire state of Arkansas. With this grant, we are not only ensuring the safety of the buildings and surrounding areas, but we are one step closer to putting this historic site on a clear-cut path to safer and more beneficial use in the future."

Governor Sanders said, "The Army-Navy Hospital has a significant place in our state’s history and deserves proper care to stay viable for future use. I was proud to work with our federal, state, and local partners to help secure this grant and ensure the safety of the building and downtown Hot Springs. Very grateful for our congressional delegation for their leadership and making this happen."

Wikimedia Image - Old Army-Navy Hospital in Hot Springs, AR

BACKGROUND:

• The nearly 21-acre site of the former Army-Navy Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which sits atop the city's downtown on National Park Service land, is rapidly falling into disrepair. 

• The Army and Navy began use of the Hot Springs Reservation in 1887. The current major buildings, built by the U.S. Government in the 1930s, once served as the first general hospital in the country to serve Army and Navy patients.

• The site was deeded by the Army to the State of Arkansas in 1960 and became a state-run rehabilitation center; later being converted into the Arkansas Career Training Institute (ACTI).

• In 2020, the state ceased all operations at the site, and it has remained vacant since, falling victim to increased vandalism and unauthorized access, leading to serious safety and fire concerns for the surrounding areas.

ABOUT THE GRANT:

• On September 10th, the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) approved a federal grant for $2,750,000 to the State of Arkansas in support of the former Army-Navy Hospital in Hot Springs.

• The grant allows the state of Arkansas to provide security and fire protection services for the former Army-Navy Hospital property.

Congressman Westerman worked closely with Arkansas Senators Tom Cotton and John Boozman and Congressman Steve Womack (AR-03) to secure language (Section 2852) in the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to authorize funding for this grant. 

Anonymous Donors Give UAMS $9.7 Million During 2024 Fiscal Year

By Andrew Vogler

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) received $9.7 million through anonymous gifts in the 2024 fiscal year, supporting several UAMS programs throughout Arkansas.

“During the 2024 fiscal year, one of UAMS’ highest fundraising years, we received several significant anonymous gifts that support a variety of programs in many parts of the state,” said Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health. “Though the contributors of these gifts would prefer to not be publicly acknowledged, it is difficult to not highlight the impact that these funds are having on the recipient programs.”

The Division of Institutional Advancement integrates donor and alumni relations with fundraising to secure resources and support for the UAMS Foundation Fund for the benefit of the UAMS mission.

Anonymous Donors Give UAMS $9.7 Million During 2024 Fiscal Year

John Erck, vice chancellor for the Division of Institutional Advancement.

UAMS Receives $5 Million to Reduce Infant Mortality Rates

By Linda Satter

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has received a $5 million Congressional appropriation to coordinate efforts across the state to reduce infant mortality.

Nirvana Manning, M.D., professor and chair of the UAMS Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, said the funding, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), will allow UAMS to supply resources to every birthing hospital in the state and reach out directly to postpartum mothers to steer them to the appropriate help they may need.

The recently released funds were part of a legislative package championed by U.S. Sen John Boozman and approved in late March.

“Healthy, thriving families are key to a successful Arkansas, and UAMS consistently dedicates significant resources to help achieve that objective across our state. I was proud to secure a federal investment to enhance its infant and maternal care, so moms and babies receive proactive outreach and adequate medical support. Dr. Manning and her colleagues are terrific partners whose commitment to solving this challenge will continue demonstrating the merit in allocating these funds,” Boozman said.

UAMS Receives $5 Million to Reduce Infant Mortality Rates

Nirvana Manning, M.D.

Attorney General Tim Griffin joins bipartisan call on Congress to require Surgeon General warning for social media platforms

Griffin: ‘As the father of two teenagers myself, my interest in this issue goes beyond policy. It’s personal. We must protect our kids from the dangers that exist online’

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement after he and 41 other attorneys general sent a letter urging Congress to pass legislation requiring a U.S. Surgeon General warning label on all algorithm-driven social media platforms:

“Social media platforms have become part of everyday life for most Americans, but it’s no secret that their algorithms are inherently addictive and can have devastating impacts on young people. That’s why I joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in support of the U.S. Surgeon General’s recent call for Congress to require that a warning be placed on all algorithm-driven social media platforms.

Wikimedia Image

“The responsibility for protecting children begins and ends with parents, but we can all do more. As the father of two teenagers myself, my interest in this issue goes beyond policy. It’s personal. We must protect our kids from the dangers that exist online, including algorithms that entice them to consume unhealthy amounts of content that degrades their mental health.

“A Surgeon General’s warning on social media platforms isn’t a cure-all, but it’s a step in the right direction toward keeping our kids safe in digital spaces.”

Last year Arkansas was among the first states to file lawsuits against TikTok and Meta for deceiving consumers and pushing their addictive and harmful algorithms to minors. As noted in today’s letter to Congress, since Arkansas filed its lawsuits in the spring of 2023, a total of 45 states have now filed or joined similar lawsuits.

The letter was co-led by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, and Tennessee. In addition to Arkansas, joining in signing the letter were the attorneys general of Alabama, American Samoa, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

To read the letter, click here.

To download a PDF copy of this release, click here.

Walmart to tout fashion in a 40-city ‘Style Tour’

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Walmart is not known for its fashion apparel. But on the heels of a major revamp of the fashion department in its store remodels, the Bentonville-based retailer is hitting the road with plans to visit 40 U.S. cities through October with its first “Walmart Style Tour.”

The tour comes on the heels of a $2 billion revamp of its No Boundaries private fashion brand announced in June. The retail giant hired an experienced design group focused on the No Boundaries brands for Gen Z consumers (ages 14-27). Walmart also expanded the size range in the brand to fit XXS to 5X in young women and XS to 3X in young men.

Walmart announced the tour last week with a dedicated page at Walmart.com where customers can shop products on the tour that began in Chicago in conjunction with the Taste of Chicago event held Sept. 6 in Grant Park. The tour coincides with city festivals.

Walmart to tout fashion in a 40-city ‘Style Tour’

U.S. Senator Tom Cotton to UN: Is Hamas a terrorist organization?

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today wrote a letter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, highlighting his refusal to refusal to call Hamas a terrorist organization in the wake of their brutal execution of six hostages. Senator Cotton pointed out the UN’s repeated false equivalencies between the nation of Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.

In part, Senator Cotton wrote:

“Could you please answer this simple question: Is Hamas a terrorist organization?”

Full text of the letter can be found here and below.

September 10, 2024

Mr. Volker Türk
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Plaza
New York, New York 10017

Dear Mr. Türk:

I write regarding your shocking failure to condemn the terrorists of Hamas. While you preen as the moral voice of the world, you’ve refused to call Hamas a terrorist organization and repeatedly drawn a false equivalence between Hamas and Israel.

You and your United Nations colleagues should immediately and unequivocally call Hamas what it is: a terrorist organization. The United States, United Kingdom, Israel, Australia, Japan, and even the European Union took this action long ago.

Yet moral blindness unfortunately seems to be your modus operandi—never more evident than in your statement earlier this month after Hamas executed six hostages. Although you professed that you were “horrified” by the executions, you failed even to mention Hamas as the murderer and called for an “independent” investigation into the killing. Hamas had already admitted to these barbaric murders, so I’m not sure what such an investigation would prove.

Of course, the United Nation has an obscene penchant for targeting and smearing Israel. From the UN’s infamous “Zionism is Racism” resolution a half century ago to its parroting of Hamas casualty numbers today, the UN consistently sides with terrorists against the Jewish state. Your office especially has shown contempt for Israel, repeatedly posting criticisms of Israel on your official social-media accounts and falsely accusing Israel of war crimes.

Your moral equivalence between brutal terrorists and a nation-state protecting its citizens is appalling. You have painted Israel as the aggressor while ignoring that Hamas bears responsibility for civilian deaths in Gaza.

But you can address these concerns with very little effort by simply joining the rest of the civilized world. Could you please answer this simple question: Is Hamas a terrorist organization?

Please respond to this letter no later than September 17. To make it very easy for you, I’ll happily accept a letter that says nothing more than “Hamas is a terrorist organization” between the salutation and the signature line.

Surely you can muster the courage to do that?

Sincerely,

____________________

Tom Cotton

United States Senator

USDA’s latest farm income estimate a tale of black swans, record yields, tenant farmers

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest farm income forecast, showing a somewhat rosier picture than it forecast in February, is a tale of record yields, black swans and tenant farmers.

At left, Hunter Biram, at right, Ryan Loy, both extension economists with the U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.  The two chime in on the implications of the Sept. 5, 2024, farm income update from USDA. (U of A System Division of Agriculture image)

The report, released last Thursday, showed net farm income was expected to decline 4.4 percent, compared to the 22 percent USDA had forecast earlier in the year. The forecast is the result of a complex intertwining of factors including available stocks of commodities, predicted yields and “black swan” events such as the COVID pandemic and persistent drought.

USDA said net farm income was forecast at $140 billion, down 4.4 percent from the previous year.

Broad strokes

The overall farm income report is influenced by expectations for the sales of livestock and poultry and plant commodities. Cash receipts from commodity sales were expected to decrease by $9.8 billion, from $526.3 billion in 2023 to $516.5 billion in 2024.

“The expectations of animal receipts in February was much lower and that was putting downward pressure on everything else,” said Ryan Loy, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “But now, the USDA  thinks animal receipts are going to offset low crop receipts.”

USDA put the value of production of livestock at $19 billion and the value of crop production at minus $25.6 billion.

Loy said “On the crop receipt side of things — driven mostly by corn and soybeans, because they have the most acreage overall — corn is going to be down about $16 billion. Soybean is going to be down about $8.6 billion.

“What they’re predicting is just the crop receipts alone is going to be down about 10 percent to about $249 billion,” he said.

Record yields

Corn and soybean stocks from the previous growing year were high, and 2024 looks like another high-yield year. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service was forecasting record corn and soybean yields for the United States, including Arkansas.

Slide from USDA presentation on farm income. ((mage courtesy USDA)

Following supply and demand, those high supplies mean “we don’t have any supply constraints on prices,” Loy said, a situation made worse by the lowering Mississippi River preventing shippers from moving full barges of commodities out to the Gulf of Mexico.

USDA also said the cost of crop production would decline by $4.4 billion, or 1 percent, due to lower costs of inputs such as fertilizer and fuel. Loy said the decline in production costs might have another cause: “They might be a function of leaner operations” that simply aren’t buying as many inputs as they have in previous years.

The forecast said farm sector assets would increase 5.2 percent while debt would increase 4.2 percent.

Farm equity is also a factor in how net farm income is calculated. USDA is forecasting a brighter picture with farm equity increasing 5.3 percent, although it’s unclear whether its equity forecast includes tenants that are non-farm owners — those who rent land to farm.

According to 2017 USDA figures, 6.7 percent of Arkansas farmers are tenants.

“The tenants are the ones who are really going to be impacted this year,” Loy said. “They don’t have as much of their equity in land. Land appreciates over time, whereas tenants typically have equity in depreciable assets, such as machinery.

“In a time where cash on hand is important, having equity in machinery versus land means you may only recover a portion of your debt obligation through sales of machinery,” Loy said.

Shifting from market-based to emergency-based

Government assistance to farmers was another significant shift under the report’s surface, said Hunter Biram, an extension economist with the Division of Agriculture. Biram is also associate director of the Southern Risk Management Education Center. This assistance is also included in the calculations for net farm income.

USDA said direct government payments were forecast to decline $1.8 billion, or 15.1 percent from 2023 to 2024.

There are several types of government assistance to agriculture: programs that provide a safety net from commodity market fluctuations, supplemental assistance in case of natural disaster, resource conservation incentive programs and ad hoc programs.

ARC, or Agriculture Risk Coverage, and PLC, or Price Loss Coverage, are market-based programs that financially protect farmers from substantial drops in crop prices or revenues. Both programs are legacies of the 2014 Farm Bill. Non-market-based assistance available to farmers includes ERP, or Emergency Relief Program, and ad hoc programs such as the Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program, Coronavirus Food Assistance Program and the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program.

“What I find particularly interesting is that shift in proportion of assistance from majority ARC and PLC — market-based assistance — to majority supplemental assistance and ad hoc assistance,” he said.

“From 2015-18, the percentage of government assistance attributed to these market-based programs averaged about 48 percent,” Biram said. “Supplemental programs, that average was about 18 percent and conservation programs was about 31 percent.

“Now, if you look at 2019 through the 2024 report released on Sept. 5, the ARC-PLC percentage is 7 percent, the supplemental proportion is 69 percent, and conservation is 22 percent,” he said.

“The implication I see immediately is that the current market-based programs are potentially outdated,” he said. “They were written for the 2014 Farm Bill with no significant changes in the ’18 Farm Bill.”

Asked if the shift from market-based to ad-hoc was due to higher incidences of natural disasters or other events, Biram said, “it could possibly be from more frequent what people call ‘black swan’ events — these events that have very low probabilities of occurring like the pandemic, like the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“It could be that supplemental assistance is more feasible to roll out versus changing the existing commodity programs,” he said. “But it doesn’t diminish the fact that the commodity program has not provided adequate risk protection in recent years. I think there is an implication for an improved safety net. And while these are low-probability events, I don’t think they explain the difference in 48 percent versus 7 percent.”

ERP on its own is another factor in the improved forecast for net farm income, Biram said.

“Most of the government assistance for the years 2022-2024 are the Emergency Relief Program and conservation programs,” Biram said. “ERP assistance for the 2020-2021 crop years was delivered in two phases in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, another round of phase one payments are projected to be released due to a rule which limited ERP assistance to producers who received federal crop insurance indemnities.”

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

Governor Sanders Receives Report from Strategic Committee for Maternal Health

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today received the Strategic Committee on Maternal Health’s report outlining recommended policies and programs to improve maternal health outcomes in Arkansas.
 
The Governor established the Committee through executive order on March 6, 2024, and initiated a six-month timeline for stakeholders to meet and discuss potential reforms. In that time, more than 100 stakeholders representing dozens of organizations have met more than 20 times to craft and discuss the recommendations included in this report.
 
“As the first mom to lead Arkansas, maternal health is personal. I’m not interested in headline-grabbing policies or duplicative government programs that don’t actually change maternal health outcomes. Instead, this Committee pursued a comprehensive, coordinated approach that will help healthier moms have healthier babies,” said Governor Sanders. “I’m grateful to all the stakeholders who participated in this discussion and I look forward to continuing our work to turn these ideas into action.”
 
“Collaboration is key to improving the health and wellness of Natural State mothers and infants. That’s why we’ve brought together experts and advocates through roundtables and partnerships to champion solutions to Arkansas’s maternal health crisis. I am grateful for Governor Sanders’ leadership to build on this momentum and take action to better serve the prenatal and postpartum needs in our state,” said Senator John Boozman.
 
“We are incredibly grateful that so many partners came together to consider obstacles to maternal and postpartum care that exist, and to align around this set of meaningful solutions which promise to make a real and positive difference in our state,” said Department of Human Services Secretary Kristi Putnam. “We will act on these changes as quickly as possible because we know they have the potential to improve the health of countless women and babies, and to save lives.”
 
“We are proud to present these strategies and recommendations today,” said Renee Mallory, Arkansas Secretary of Health.“This report is the result of many meetings and listening sessions with stakeholders across the state. While we’ve already begun this important work, we look forward to continuing to enact solutions to improve the health and well-being of moms and babies in Arkansas.” 
 
“As someone who has spent her career taking care of Arkansas women, I am inspired by the many conversations this committee started and the actions we will take as a result,” said Dr. Kay Chandler, Arkansas Surgeon General. “It will take efforts from many different groups across the state to move the needle, and I believe we’ve put together a road map to make that happen.”
 
“Medicaid pays for more than half of the pregnancies in our state, so it’s critical that we implement reforms so that care is available and encouraged every step of the way before, during, and after birth,” said Janet Mann, Department of Human Services Deputy Secretary of Programs and State Medicaid Director. “These recommendations and changes will remove barriers, improve care, and deliver better health outcomes.”
 
“I am encouraged to see so many people from different sectors come together to address this issue. As Chair of the Arkansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee, I can attest that the challenges surrounding maternal health are complex,” said Dr. Sam Greenfield, ADH Medical Director for Family Health. “This is a significant step that addresses specific findings and needs in Arkansas. I am supportive of these recommendations and look forward to the role enactment will play in improving health outcomes for mothers in our state.”
 
The report is linked here.

State of the State Mid-Year 2024: Medical providers pinched by disparity in costs, payments

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

Arkansas health care providers are facing increasing costs without matching payment increases from government payers and insurance companies. It’s a major issue in a state that ranks near the bottom in maternal and infant mortality rankings.

Dr. Joe Thompson, president and CEO of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, a healthcare research and policy development organization, said the state is “still in a recovery mode from the acute effects of COVID.” Thompson was referring to inflationary pressures caused by the pandemic, when labor and supply costs increased dramatically. While hospitals are no longer relying on high-paid traveling nurses, the use of that resource during the pandemic has driven up labor costs for full-time staff.

At the same time, Medicaid, which serves primarily lower-income individuals, hasn’t increased payments, while Medicare, which serves older Arkansans, hasn’t increased them enough. Commercial insurance, the health care system’s other primary payer, is trying to limit reimbursement increases.

State of the State Mid-Year 2024: Medical providers pinched by disparity in costs, payments

Cotton to Mayorkas: American people have a right to know who is crossing southern border

U.S. Senator Tom Cotton

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today wrote a letter to Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas expressing his concern over the refusal to disclose the nationality of individuals on the FBI’s terror watchlist who illegally crossed the southern U.S. border. Senator Cotton questioned the justification of protecting the “personal privacy” of suspected illegal alien terrorists and suggested that the decision to withhold information is a politically motivated attempt to hide evidence of the Biden-Harris border crisis.  

 Full text of the letter may be found here and below.

September 5, 2024

The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas 

Secretary, Department of Homeland Security 

Washington, D.C. 20528 

Dear Secretary Mayorkas,

I write about troubling reports that the Department of Homeland Security is refusing to disclose the nationalities of FBI terror watchlist suspects who illegally crossed the southern border. 

In October 2023, Fox News filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking disclosure of the nationalities of FBI terror watchlist suspects who unlawfully crossed the southern border. A letter denying Fox News’ request stated that your agency is “committed to protecting the identity of individuals” on the terror watchlist, and that the request was an “invasion of personal privacy.” Your agency asserted that the “privacy interests” of illegal-alien terrorists “far outweigh whatever public interest, if any, exists in having their information released.”

Your letter also dubiously claimed that terrorist organizations could exploit nationality information by “infer[ring] a large percentage of its operatives from a particular nationality” raise fewer terrorism red flags. Of course, if the Biden-Harris administration impartially enforced our laws and deported illegal aliens regardless of their origin, terrorists wouldn’t be able to game the system in the manner you describe.

I suspect that the real reason you’re unlawfully withholding this information about terror suspects’ nationalities isn’t due to privacy or security concerns, but rather partisan concerns that it would alarm the American people. Once again, you’re attempting to hide evidence of the Biden-Harris administration’s border crisis.

But the American people have a right to know who is crossing our border, especially when those illegal aliens have ties to terrorism. And that right, contrary to your bizarre assertion, “far outweighs” the privacy rights of illegal aliens suspected of terrorism. Honestly, I can’t believe I even have to write that sentence.

Congress has an oversight interest in this information as well. Therefore, please provide my office with the information sought in the Freedom of Information Act request made by Fox News no later than September 10.

Sincerely,

____________________

Tom Cotton

United States Senator

Silent Spoiler: Listeria outbreak raises food safety concerns

By Jenifer Fouch
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — From deli counters to dinner tables, food safety relies on careful research and strict sanitation. As a multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to deli meats raises concerns, researchers continue to work behind the scenes to ensure food safety standards.

Food safety scientists like Jennifer Acuff at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station are dedicated to improving fresh and processed food safety and protecting food products from microbial contamination. Some of her work involves understanding how pathogens like listeria survive and spread — including in ready-to-eat foods.

LUNCH IS SERVED — As a multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to deli meats raises concerns, researchers continue to work behind the scenes to ensure food safety standards. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Nick Kordsmeier)

“One of the things that my research program focuses on is trying to control environmental conditions so that pathogens are not welcomed guests into that environment,” Acuff said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is investigating a multistate outbreak of infections linked to Boar's Head brand meats. So far, 7 million pounds of products have been recalled. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported nine deaths and 57 hospitalizations from 18 states.

“Whenever we see Listeria monocytogenes outbreaks, we see high hospitalization rates and alarmingly high mortality rates. And that’s because listeria has this incredible ability to cause an invasive infection,” Acuff said.

Acuff said listeria is unique because it’s what scientists call a psychrotroph, meaning it can survive and grow at cold temperatures, unlike other foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli.

This characteristic makes ready-to-eat foods like deli meats particularly vulnerable since they can remain in cold storage for extended periods. And listeria and other pathogenic bacteria, Acuff says, is particularly dangerous because it doesn’t visibly spoil food, unlike molds.

“We can’t see them on our food. There’s never an indicator to us that the food is spoiled by a pathogen,” she said. “Doing the sniff test or looking at it to see if it looks okay doesn’t tell you if listeria is there.”

SCIENCE BEHIND SAFE FOOD — Food safety scientist Jennifer Acuff is a Cooperative Extension Specialist and also a member of the Center for Food Safety, which is part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Fred Miller)

Acuff is a Cooperative Extension Specialist and also a member of the Center for Food Safety, which conducts research and develops technologies to detect, control and reduce foodborne pathogens, toxins, and chemicals, enhancing food safety from production to consumption. The center is part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

“These appointments give me really good opportunities to integrate the research findings we’re looking into with what is actually applicable to our stakeholders in Arkansas — producers, consumers and scientists alike,” she said.

Where does listeria come from?

Listeria is a ubiquitous bacterium, meaning it’s naturally present in the environment, Acuff said, and that contamination often signals a sanitation problem in food processing.

“When we see listeria associated with a ready-to-eat food product, it automatically sends up red flags because we don’t want to see it in the processing plant,” she said. “It is so easy to accidentally track it in, whether through workers’ boots or clothing, leaks in the environment, or even pests.”

The FSIS reported several noncompliance violations at a Boar’s Head plant in Virginia, including the visible presence of mold, trash and insects.

Mitigating risks

According to the CDC, symptoms of listeriosis, the illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes, can take up to 10 weeks to appear, making it difficult to promptly trace the infection’s source. Many people who are immunocompetent recover without medical care, so the actual number of cases is likely higher than reported. Immunocompromised individuals, such as pregnant people and those taking immunosuppressant drugs, are at particular risk, though.

Acuff said consumers can take steps to reduce their risk of listeria exposure. If you have any of the recalled products at home, throw them away immediately. It is also a good idea to clean any surface area the product might have encountered.

For general consumption, one effective prevention method is to heat deli meats to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, reducing the risk of listeria infections. Acuff also encourages consumers to be proactive about food safety when dining out, especially during an ongoing outbreak.

“People should feel empowered to ask a restaurant where their deli meat comes from. It’s okay to ask for more information,” she said.While it’s impossible to produce food in a sterile environment, Acuff says it’s important to maintain strict sanitation standards to minimize risks.

“We don’t get to eat no-risk food,” she said. “So, being informed and knowing, ‘Am I willing to take this risk?’ is crucial.”

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.