Back to School…
It has been a very productive—but busy—past few days in the district. From Harrison to Russellville, I’ve had the chance to visit with folks
from all across the district, including students at several areas schools (Rogers High School, Heritage High School-Rogers, Valley Springs, and NorthWest Arkansas College). I can’t express how important students are to our communities and the future of our state. They are full of energy, spirit and innovative ideas which are sometimes—unfortunately—ignored due to their age. That should never be the case.
Personally, some of the best stops when I’m back in Arkansas are school stops. Be it pre-school, high school or college, I count it a privilege every time, but I will admit one stop in particular was extra special.
On Wednesday, I had the incredible opportunity to address the student body of Russellville High School as part of their first ever Celebrate Freedom Assembly in the gymnasium. As a former Cyclone, it was truly an honor to come back home and celebrate another aspect of my life I hold dear—our Veterans.
Below is a link to the story in the Russellville Courier by reporter, Adam Sweeney—who does a fantastic job of depicting the day’s event. Thank you to all of the schools for sharing part of your day with me.
Getting Down to Business…
On Tuesday night, I spoke to the Benton County Farm Bureau on a variety of issues, including Free Trade Agreements, the harmful effects of EPA regulations and ethanol subsidies, and the Farm Bill.
EPA—EPA overregulation is costing businesses billions of dollars, preventing economic growth and stifling job creation across the country. I understand that some regulation is needed, but day after day, it seems like the EPA proposes a new rule, regulation, or restriction and these new rules and regulations are an assault on American businesses and farms. The EPA now wants to regulate farm dust. (That’s right). In a move that has drawn the ire of many, myself included, the EPA wants to impose a rule to regulate dust at levels twice as stringent as the current standard. We all understand that food production requires tilling soil, harvesting crops, and rearing livestock. But above all, we all understand that the idea of regulating dust on a farm is simply ludicrous. House Republicans understand this. And we are targeting many of these new regulations—including the head scratchers like this one.
Ethanol- We must repeal ethanol subsidies. We've been talking about $7-$8 corn for a while. And now, for the first time ever, the use of corn for fuel is expected to exceed the use of corn for feed. This is unacceptable and must stop.
This is why, in March, I introduced a bill to repeal the $0.45 per gallon excise tax credit for blenders of ethanol and gasoline. I am also an original cosponsor of another bill to repeal the $0.45 per gallon tax credit and to eliminate the $0.54 per gallon import tariff.
I will continue to be out in front on this issue.
Free Trade Agreements—One of the most important things we can do to speed up our economic recovery is to give American farmers and businesses the tools they need to grow and expand their businesses. That’s why the free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea are so important. These three agreements give the United States an opportunity to increase exports and create jobs.
Free trade creates jobs and drives economic growth, and it’s particularly important to the State of Arkansas, where Agriculture accounts for hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in wages and salaries.
Unfortunately, Congress can’t pass these agreements until the president sends them to us. He should have done it months ago. But I am hopeful he will send them to us when we return. I look forward to acting on them quickly.
Farm Bill—A top priority for all farmers is the Farm Bill, and preparation for the bill is underway.
As the Super Committee does its work to identify savings and put our country on a sustainable path, there is concern that a disproportionate share of budget-cutting will fall on farmers. I know because I’ve talked to a number of farmers and their representatives, including the Arkansas Farm Bureau.
Look, I agree that we need to significantly reduce government spending, but it is of the utmost importance that we don't try and balance the budget on the backs of our farmers. We cannot expect the very people who feed us to shoulder the vast majority of the burden. I know it, many of my colleagues know it, and I look forward to working with them to ensure that we craft a meaningful Farm Bill that addresses the needs of our farmers.
News From the Week…
U.S. Congressman
Steve Womack
Serving the Third District of Arkansas
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