WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., sat down with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki on Tuesday to discuss the status of the proposed Arkansas State Veterans Home near Fort Roots in North Little Rock. Pryor urged Shinseki to approve the state’s request that ownership of the land be transferred from Shinseki’s agency to the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs, a critical step in moving the project forward, his staff said.
The federal Department of Veterans Affairs has announced that $14 million in federal funding for the project will be awarded in September.
HOMELESS VETERANS
Little Rock is one of 17 cities that will participate in a national effort by the National League of Cities challenging cities to meet President Barack Obama’s administration goal to end veteran homelessness by 2015.
Each city will engage in a “friendly competition” with another comparable city to be the first to end chronic veteran homelessness.
National League of Cities principal housing associate Elisha Harig-Blaine said Little Rock has not been paired with another city yet.
He said the federal government defines chronic homelessness as someone homeless continuously for at least one year or four times in three years.
He said the league will work to connect city leaders with existing local efforts to combat homelessness and encourage city leaders to talk about what they are trying.
“The goal of this is to end veteran homelessness by making sure all veterans have a home,” Harig-Blaine said.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., and U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., wrote a letter to National Review urging the U.S. Supreme Court to stop requiring private businesses to provide contraceptive care for employees through their health insurance plans.
On March 25, the U.S. Supreme Court is to hear Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., which asks if a for-profit corporation can deny its employees health coverage of contraceptives the employees would be otherwise entitled to under federal law because the corporation owners have religious objections.
“As a nation, we should insist that our laws should encourage and support, not penalize, citizens who seek to consistently adhere to their moral convictions,” the lawmakers wrote.
REAGAN-ERA ENDORSEMENT
President Ronald Reagan’s domestic policy adviser Gary L. Bauer endorsed U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on Wednesday. He has led the Family Research Council and ran for president in 2000. Bauer is now chairman of Working Families PAC, a political action committee that works to elect conservatives.
Cotton is challenging Pryor in November.
“Tom Cotton is a Ronald Reagan conservative who believes in the full-spectrum conservative agenda of lower taxes, smaller government, respect for traditional values and a strong national defense,” Bauer said in a news release.
Cotton spokesman David Ray said the campaign wasn’t told about the endorsement before it was made, which is not unusual, but “we will need all the support we can get in this race.”
BALANCING THE BUDGET
On Thursday, Arkansas Senate President Pro Tempore Michael Lamoureux, R-Russellville, attended an event in Washington about a state-led effort to pass a balanced-budget amendment. The meeting was hosted by the State Government Leadership Foundation, a conservative group that coordinates policy with state-level leaders.
A convention to consider any amendment would be called if two-thirds of state legislatures request one. Approval of three-fourths of the states would be needed to add an amendment.
Most amendments to the Constitution have gone through Congress and are then ratified by the states.
Some groups have raised concerns that a constitutional convention could not be limited to a particular topic and that other things could be added to the agenda.
AWARDS
The American Heating and Refrigeration Institute gave Pryor its 2013 Public Service Award on Thursday for his work on two bills. One, the Water Heater Efficiency Act, allows for the continued manufacture of large “grid-enabled” electric resistance water heaters for use in electric thermal storage or demand response programs. The other requires the Department of Energy to recognize voluntary efforts by manufacturers to certify air conditioning, furnace, boiler, heat pump, and water heater products. The Energy Department and product manufacturers each currently spend millions of dollars annually to certify those products.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce gave Boozman its “Spirit of Enterprise” award “for supporting free market efforts to move the economy forward,” according to a news release.
The award was presented by Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. chamber.
ARKANSAS VISITORS
Terri Weir, CEO of Special Olympics Arkansas; Donna Morey, Special Olympics Arkansas Board vice chairman; and Sarah Carroll, a Special Olympics athlete, met with U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., and other members of Arkansas’ delegation last week.
Paralyzed Veterans of America Mid-South Chapter President Cheri Arnold met with U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin, R-Ark.
On Wednesday, Batesville Mayor Rick Elumbaugh, Marion Mayor John Fogleman and Mountain Home Mayor David Osmon met with U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., during the National League of Cities convention.
Planning to visit the nation’s capital? Know something happening in Washington, D.C.? Contact us at (202) 662-7690 or swire@arkansasonline.com
Front Section, Pages 9 on 03/16/2014