Welcome to "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of May 18, 2025! I'm Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

Reconciliation work remained the talk of Capitol Hill as House Republicans continued to put together a plan combining spending cuts with an extension of the 2017 tax cuts.

Away from the nation's capital, a group of Arkansans celebrated President Donald Trump's plans to ease sanctions on Syria.

The United States placed sanctions on Syria amid former President Bashar Assad's atrocities against the Syrian people.

The Syrian Emergency Task Force — a nonprofit organization with offices in Washington and Little Rock — has been an instrumental force in raising awareness of Assad's actions and leading humanitarian efforts in the war-torn nation.

Members of the task force recently traveled to Damascus to meet with top Syrian officials, including interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, to discuss the country's future.

STORY: Arkansans see 'new possibilities' for Syria following U.S. plans to end sanctions

One Arkansas farmer provided senators with insight into the importance of agriculture conservation programs.

Arkansas Farm Bureau board member Brad Doyle testified before the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee about these federal initiatives as farmers and other producers wait to see if Congress will approve a new Farm Bill later this year.

STORY: Arkansas agriculture leader discusses conservation funding during U.S. Senate hearing

Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., watched the House of Representatives approve his latest bill to expand the Flatside Wilderness Area in Central Arkansas.

Hill, of Little Rock, has been pushing legislation to expand protections for more than nearby 2,200 acres, which would limit construction and other human activities in this space.

STORY: U.S. House approves Hill legislation expanding Flatside Wilderness

Thank you for checking out this week's episode of "Arkies in the Beltway!" You can stay up to date with all Arkansas news at ArkansasOnline.com, or follow me on Bluesky for developments from the nation's capital!

This is "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of May 11, 2025! I'm Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

House Republicans continue their work on Capitol Hill to finalize a budget package cutting the deficit and extending the 2017 tax cuts.

The House Natural Resources Committee — led by Arkansan Bruce Westerman — approved its portion of the proposal last week. The committee's legislation seeks to generate $18.5 billion in savings and new revenue over the next 10 years.

STORY: Westerman, U.S. House committee approves energy-focused legislation aimed at boosting production and reducing deficit

Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., led the House Intelligence Committee on its release of a report assessing the FBI's investigation into the June 2017 congressional baseball shooting outside of Washington.

Crawford, of Jonesboro, and the committee determined the FBI was incorrect in its assessment of the attack being a "suicide by cop," noting the agency's own evidence showing the shooting was an act of domestic terrorism.

STORY: Crawford, House Intelligence Committee blast FBI for assessment of 2017 baseball shooting

One Arkansas farmer is seeking a chance to challenge Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., in next year's Senate race.

Hallie Shoffner has helped with managing her family's farm near Newport since 2016, but following their decision to close the operation amid a tough agricultural economy, she says she wants to help Arkansans like her who feel their voices remain unheard.

STORY: Sixth-generation Arkansas farmer plans to challenge Cotton for U.S. Senate

Thank you for listening to "Arkies in the Beltway!" You can stay up to date with all Arkansas news at ArkansasOnline.com, or follow me on Bluesky for developments from the nation's capital!

This is "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of May 4, 2025! I'm Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

The Senate and House of Representatives are back in action on Capitol Hill, and some House committees did not waste any time considering their portions of the reconciliation package.

Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., and the House Financial Services Committee approved its section authorizing steps for reducing the deficit by $1 billion over the next 10 years.

Committee Democrats opposed the language, arguing their Republican colleagues are pushing for potentially harmful spending reductions for the sake of extending the 2017 tax law.

STORY: Hill, U.S. House committee approves portion of reconciliation plan

Disability Rights Arkansas has stopped accepting new cases amid a snafu concerning federal funding.

The organization, which provides advocacy and litigation services to Arkansans with disabilities, was supposed to receive federal grant dollars in the weeks after Congress approved its most recent continuing resolution funding the government. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, however, have not delivered that funding.

STORY: Disability Rights Arkansas not accepting new cases, citing undelivered federal support

Warren Stephens is the new ambassador to the United Kingdom.

The Senate confirmed Stephens — a longtime investment banker and former leader of Stephens. Inc. — last Tuesday in a 59-39 vote.

STORY: U.S. Senate confirms Warren Stephens as United Kingdom ambassador

Thank you for checking out this week's "Arkies in the Beltway!" You can stay up to date with all Arkansas news at ArkansasOnline.com, or follow me on Bluesky for developments from the nation's capital!

This is "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of April 27, 2025! I'm Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

Arkansas' federal delegation has asked President Donald Trump to reconsider the federal government's decisions on major disaster declaration requests in response to severe weather in mid-March.

Per the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Josh Snyder, the delegation's April 21 letter followed Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' own appeal to the president concerning requests for individual assistance and public assistance.

STORY: Arkansas’ congressional delegation urges Trump to approve major disaster declarations made by Sanders

Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives return to Capitol Hill on Monday following a two-week break.

Congressional Republicans do not have much time to waste, as they need to present policy recommendations by May 9 that meet their party's goals of spending cuts and preserving the 2017 tax breaks.

STORY: After national Republicans pass budget resolution, state’s delegates prepare to search for cuts

Thank you for supporting "Arkies in the Beltway!" You can stay up to date with all Arkansas news at ArkansasOnline.com, or follow me on Bluesky for developments from the nation's capital!

Welcome to "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of April 20, 2025! This is Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives remain away from Washington, D.C., as part of a two-week break from legislative business.

When lawmakers return to Capitol Hill at the end of the month, they will not have much time to finalize plans for meeting congressional Republicans' goals of spending reductions and preserving the 2017 tax cuts.

Senate and House committees have received instructions to finalize their recommendations by May 9, with House leaders already eyeing a vote on a reconciliation bill before the Memorial Day holiday.

Visit ArkansasOnline.com for the full story.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., had a successful first quarter of fundraising in support of his reelection effort.

Cotton, of Little Rock, ended the first three months of the year with $8.4 million in his campaign's reserves.

Cotton and other candidates for federal office submitted reports to the Federal Election Committee last week detailing their campaign's fundraising efforts and expenses through 2025 so far.

STORY: Cotton starts reelection effort with $8.4 million on hand after first quarter

Thanks for listening to "Arkies in the Beltway!" You can stay up to date with all Arkansas news at ArkansasOnline.com, or follow me on Bluesky for developments from the nation's capital!

This is "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of April 13, 2025! I'm Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Senate budget framework on Thursday. The blueprint calls on congressional committees to recommend actions meeting Republicans' goals of spending reductions and extending the 2017 tax breaks.

All four of Arkansas' House members backed the legislation.

Congressional Democrats have been vocal with their opposition to the framework over possible cuts to government services like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid.

STORY: Disagreements over proposed SNAP changes at center of U.S. House hearing

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is now the ambassador to Israel.

The Senate confirmed Huckabee's nomination last Wednesday in a 53-46 vote.

Hours after the vote, Huckabee took the oath of office in a ceremony at the state Capitol in Little Rock.

STORY: U.S. Senate confirms Mike Huckabee as next ambassador to Israel

President Donald Trump is positioned to sign legislation overturning a Biden administration rule capping overdraft fees at banks and credit unions.

The House approved a Senate resolution nullifying a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule limiting overdraft fees to $5. The rule was supposed to take effect in October.

Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., in February introduced a House resolution with identical language to the Senate resolution. Hill, a former banker, chairs the House Financial Services Committee.

STORY: U.S. House votes to overturn overdraft rule; Arkansas lawmakers back nullification

Thanks for checking out "Arkies in the Beltway!" You can stay up to date with all Arkansas news at ArkansasOnline.com, or follow me on Bluesky for developments from the nation's capital!

This is "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of April 6, 2025! I'm Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

The weekend began with a late night on Capitol Hill; the U.S. Senate worked until early Saturday morning on approving a budget plan with steps to cut spending and preserve the 2017 tax law.

Arkansas' two senators — Republicans John Boozman, of Rogers, and Tom Cotton, of Little Rock — supported the framework, which still needs the House of Representatives' approval.

Congressional Democrats oppose the plan, voicing concerns about the future of government services like Medicaid and food stamps if Republicans succeed in securing spending reductions.

STORY: U.S. Senate approves budget framework; Boozman, Cotton back plan

The Senate's consideration of the framework followed two chaotic days for U.S. stocks. Markets reacted negatively to the Trump administration's tariff plan affecting international goods imported into the United States.

During a telephone town hall, Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., acknowledged tariffs have been part of the country's "trade diplomacy" efforts, but he pushed back against the decision to enforce a sweeping tariff strategy affecting all foreign products.

STORY: Hill hosts telephone town hall event

The House Financial Services Committee advanced a bill to establish a regulatory framework for certain digital assets.

The STABLE Act would set federal oversight affecting payment stablecoins, which are digital assets whose value is pegged to traditional assets like the U.S. dollar.

Hill, of Little Rock, chairs the House Financial Services Committee.

STORY: House committee approves regulatory bill for stablecoin

Arkansas investment banker Warren Stephens faced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Stephens is the second Arkansan to receive a nomination from the Trump administration; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee appeared before senators in late March to discuss the possibility of serving as the next ambassador to Israel.

STORY: Stephens faces U.S. Senate panel in pursuit of U.K. ambassadorship

Thanks for supporting "Arkies in the Beltway!" You can stay up to date with all Arkansas news at ArkansasOnline.com, or follow me on Bluesky for developments from the nation's capital!

This is "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of March 30, 2025! I'm Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

Much of the recent talk around Capitol Hill has focused on how Trump administration officials discussed a recent military operation and one journalist's access to their messages.

The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg revealed he was part of a group chat on the Signal platform with top leaders, including Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The participants used the chat to discuss an attack on Houthi rebels in Yemen.

This group chat's existence dominated separate hearings last week held by the Senate and House of Representatives Intelligence committees.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., chair these panels. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., serves on the House Intelligence Committee.

STORY: Cotton highlights local FBI work amid intense U.S. Senate hearing

STORY: Crawford, Hill participate in intelligence hearing amid questions about group chat

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee spent time before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Huckabee faced questions last Tuesday as President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as ambassador to Israel.

Huckabee, a staunch supporter of Israel, said his job — if confirmed — would be to "represent the president and his policies" rather than his own positions.

STORY: Former Gov. Huckabee looks to advance Trump administration’s vision in ambassadorship

The head of the National Transportation Safety Board told lawmakers in both chambers that her agency is continuing to review possible solutions to prevent close aircraft encounters around airports.

Jennifer Homendy's appearances on Capitol Hill occurred nearly two months after a fatal collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport between a commercial plane and a U.S. Army helicopter.

STORY: Womack asks NTSB chair about D.C. airport collision, failure to prevent incident

Thanks for supporting "Arkies in the Beltway!" You can stay up to date with all Arkansas news at ArkansasOnline.com, or follow me on Bluesky for developments from the nation's capital!