Arkansan keeping religious-panel post
WASHINGTON -- A former Harding University executive vice president and professor of business has been reappointed to serve on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, the organization announced Friday.
James Carr, who joined the commission early this year, is to serve through May 14, 2022.
U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., initially recommended Carr for the post.
The commission, established by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, describes itself as an "independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze and report on threats to religious freedom abroad."
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Carr, a member of the Churches of Christ, has called the free exercise of religion "a basic human right."
This isn't the Arkansan's first federal post.
During the presidency of George W. Bush, he was placed on the National Security Education Board.
Carr was one of six commissioners, including chairman Tony Perkins, reappointed.
"I look forward to serving another two years with my colleagues and continuing our work to promote freedom of religion or belief for all," Perkins said in a written statement.
The nine-member body works well together, Carr said in an email.
"I have enjoyed this immensely -- it's a very fine board supported by an incredible staff with a concern for those who are harassed, imprisoned and even executed because of their faith," he wrote. "There is as great a sense of bipartisanship as I have ever observed in a group that is split almost evenly between Democrat and Republican appointees."
Cotton aims to laud virus whistleblower
If U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has his way, an area near the Chinese Embassy in Washington will be named after a Chinese health care provider who tried to warn the world about the appearance of a new and deadly coronavirus that causes the covid-19 disease.
The lawmaker from Dardanelle filed legislation last month that would designate the space near the entranceway as Li Wenliang Plaza.
"Dr. Li Wenliang is one of the very first doctors in Wuhan trying to blow the whistle about the coronavirus, how contagious it was and how [deadly]," Cotton said in an interview after the filing.
Li's representations contradicted official Communist Party propaganda, Cotton said.
"As a result, Chinese secret police showed up at his home in the middle of the night to harass him into recanting his statements," Cotton said.
"Tragically, Dr. Li contracted the virus in the course of caring for others and died, leaving behind a pregnant wife and a young child. So he has become something of a symbol inside China and around the world for the corruption and dishonesty that the Chinese Communist Party displayed in allowing a local health challenge in Wuhan to become a global pandemic," Cotton said.
Co-sponsors for the legislation include Republican U.S. Sens. Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Marco Rubio of Florida.
Similar legislation has been introduced in the House by U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., is one of the House co-sponsors.
Congressional-app contest starting up
Middle-school and high school students from across Arkansas can now register for the 2020 Congressional App Challenge, which organizers describe as "the most prestigious prize in student computer science."
The yearly competition enables students to craft original apps and provide them to the nation.
U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., is one of the event's two 2020 co-chairmen.
Individuals or teams of up to four students can submit entries. Only one app per congressional district can win.
Each of Arkansas' four congressional districts were represented in last year's contest.
Students, traditionally, have been recognized at an event at the Capitol.
The deadline for entry is Oct. 19.
Information, complete rules and a registration form is available at congressionalappchallenge.us.
Planning to visit the nation's capital? Know something happening in Washington, D.C.? Please contact Frank Lockwood at (501) 908-5204 or flockwood@arkansasonline.com. Want the latest from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Washington bureau? It's available on Twitter, @LockwoodFrank.