Press Releases

Washington, DC—November 27, 2023…Congressman Steve Womack (R-AR) led a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) trip to Antarctica with other members of the House Appropriations Committee to see firsthand the ongoing research and projects in the region under the committee's jurisdiction.

Congressman Womack said, "The CODEL to Antarctica was not only informative, but it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, from the sites we saw to the people we met. My colleagues and I spent our Thanksgiving there to show appreciation to the Americans—some of whom are proud Arkansans—conducting the science and research vital to our country. I'm incredibly grateful to these people representing the greatest nation in the world while working in some of the most extreme conditions on Earth."

Congressman Womack displays the American flag at the South Pole with Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), and Tony Gonzales (R-TX).


Congressman Womack displays the Arkansas flag with Arkansans serving in the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). Travis Ribordy, a Fleet Operator from Fort Smith, and Aaron Rye, a firefighter from Bentonville, are both Third Congressional District Arkansans. Other Arkansans working in Antarctica include Cody Spillane, Matthew Eisele, Jason Jarmon, and Brice Jackson.

The trip provided the members with an overview of operations in the Antarctic region. The members of the CODEL met with senior leadership from the National Science Foundation to understand the current projects within the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) focused on the USAP. They traveled to New Zealand and Antarctica to witness ongoing USAP efforts and conduct oversight of field operations across Antarctica.

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

womack.house.gov

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