Washington news in brief

Congress honors 2 Arkansas educators

Tributes to two retiring Fort Smith educators were published in Thursday's Congressional Record, the official record of House and Senate proceedings.

U.S. Sen. John Boozman honored Superintendent Benny Gooden. "Dr. Gooden has led the Fort Smith School District since 1986 and in those 30 years he has proven himself to be a driving force in education at the local, state and national level. ... During his 50 years in education he always put students first and fought to ensure the community created opportunities in their best interest," the Rogers Republican stated.

He also praised Fort Smith athletic director Jim Rowland, praising his "outstanding achievements in athletics and education."

The lawmaker said Rowland had affected "countless students ... including me. I was on the Darby Rangers football team in eighth grade when he started his coaching career in Fort Smith and I was a member of the Northside Grizzlies when he became an assistant coach at the high school. Coach Rowland was a role model and one of the most positive influences in my life, as well as so many others," Boozman said.

Womack: U.S. must amply fund military

Third District U.S. Rep. Steve Womack stressed the need for sufficient military funding during a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives.

"In a world that is more dangerous and more complex than ever before, it's critically important that we ensure our military remains the best trained, the best equipped and the best supported on the planet," the Rogers Republican said.

"After years of budget cuts and sequestration, we are at a point now where we can no longer ask our military to keep meeting the needs of our nation without providing the right amount of resources," he said.

The House last week voted to approve the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017. Womack said the legislation would help "our military return to full-spectrum readiness in order to properly meet the challenges our nation is facing on all fronts and across the globe."

National Guardsmen present state report

Roughly two dozen top Arkansas National Guard officials, including the adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Mark Berry, visited Washington earlier this month to meet with military officials and members of the Arkansas congressional delegation.

The National Guardsmen presented their annual State of the State Briefs to the federal National Guard Bureau.

The Army National Guard brief was delivered in Arlington, Va. The Air Force National Guard brief occurred at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

During their time in Washington, the officials also hosted the annual Arkansas Congressional Delegation Dinner.

Senator's honoree from Hot Springs

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton named Marion Fletcher of Hot Springs as his "Arkansan of the Week." The Dardanelle Republican praised Fletcher for his decades as an educator.

"Since 1997 Marion has worked as the State Supervisor and Program Manager of Agricultural Education at the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education, and before that thirty years spent in numerous roles with the Arkansas Department of Education, Vocational and Technical Education Division. He also had a three-year stint as an ag instructor at Desha Central Schools," Cotton said.

Cotton's Arkansan of the Week initiative is "designed to honor Arkansans who have gone above and beyond in their commitment to their communities, and to the state," his office said in a press release.

Westerman meets with travel leaders

U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman met Friday with members of the Arkansas Hospitality Association in Hot Springs. The meeting, at Oaklawn Racing & Gaming, was designed to "highlight stories of local travel leaders and offer an opportunity for participants to share their thoughts on sustaining and growing this vital industry for the State of Arkansas," according to a press release.

Cotton bumps into Spc. Ray in Virginia

Sen. Tom Cotton of Dardanelle bumped into Spc. Ethan Ray of Nashville, Ark., on Friday morning during the Army Staff Birthday run at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va. The event was held in conjunction with the 241st birthday of the U.S. Army.

Planning to visit the nation's capital? Know something happening in Washington, D.C.? Please contact Frank Lockwood at (202) 662-7690 or flockwood@arkansasonline.com. Want the latest from the Democrat-Gazette's Washington bureau? It's available on Twitter @LockwoodFrank.

SundayMonday on 06/19/2016

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