Arkansans included in forum on poverty
Several Arkansans participated Wednesday and Thursday in a Capitol Hill conference on economic inequality.
The event included Delta Grassroots Caucus members, but also activists from Appalachia and other areas of the country where poverty is especially pronounced.
Caucus Executive Director Lee Powell said 115 people participated.
Among the highlights was a telephone call from former President Bill Clinton and lawmakers from several economically disadvantaged sections of the country.
U.S. Sen. John Boozman spoke about his efforts to fight childhood hunger and efforts to remove barriers to trade with Cuba. Second District U.S. Rep. French Hill, 1st District U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford and 4th District U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman also appeared.
The presumptive presidential nominees also had high-profile surrogates on hand.
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., spoke for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., represented New York businessman Donald Trump on Thursday. Ten members of Congress participated, including Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland.
Many of the speakers, including former President Clinton and Clyburn, praised the "10-20-30 plan for persistent poverty counties, which requires that at least 10 percent of federal funding goes to areas that have had 20 percent poverty [rates] for 30 years. This will be very helpful for areas like the Delta," Powell wrote. "This plan will not increase overall spending but just assures that substantial funds go to those counties where it is most needed. It's terrible that some areas in Delta, Appalachia, the [communities] on the Southwest Border have been so poor for so long, and this would take some effective action on this issue."
Womack hosts new Arms Center leader
Brig. Gen. Troy Galloway, the new deputy commanding general at the Combined Arms Center, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., visited 3rd District U.S. Rep. Steve Womack last week on Capitol Hill.
Galloway assumed his new post earlier this month. He previously served as commander of the Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center near Fort Smith.
Womack, a Rogers Republican, also met with representatives of the ALS Association of Arkansas and with a group of Arkansas Realtors who were in town last week.
Westerman meets future Army leaders
Fourth District U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman spent time with the U.S. Army War College Class of 2016. "These are future three- and four-star generals who were on the Hill to meet with legislators and learn their way around," a spokesman for the congressman said.
The Hot Springs Republican also delivered a short speech on the floor of the House honoring two longtime Arkansas educators who have left their mark on FFA -- formerly known as Future Farmers of America.
Troy Buck built the largest FFA chapter in the state while teaching in Hope. He later served in Amity and at the Centerpoint School District, helping FFA to flourish there as well.
Westerman also paid tribute to another Arkansan, longtime FFA national treasurer Marion Fletcher.
Decades before going to Congress, Westerman served as state president of FFA.
Once the House wrapped up business, Westerman raced home to give the commencement address at South Arkansas Community College in El Dorado.
Food scarcity focus of Crawford meeting
First District U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford met Monday with hospital CEOs in Batesville and with mortgage bankers in Jonesboro.
He also attended an agriculture committee meeting focusing on "food deserts," communities where nutritional food is not readily available.
The Jonesboro Republican spoke at the economic inequality conference and met with Realtors, plus other constituents who had traveled to Washington.
Hill schedules visit to IndiaFest in LR
Second District U.S. Rep. French Hill is scheduled to attend IndiaFest this morning at the River Market Pavilion in Little Rock. The gathering seeks to "bridge cultures, generations and communities through one-day of togetherness," organizers said on the festival's website. "It is a day when visitors will be encouraged to participate in a thematic display of the rich culture and diversity of two of the greatest nations on earth -- India and the USA."
Cotton says Russia cheated at Olympics
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton accused the Kremlin of cheating, saying the Russians are trying to grab Olympic glory and they're using banned substances to do so.
"Confirmation from Russia's former top doping expert that Vladimir Putin put intelligence operatives to work on a massive Olympic doping scheme makes clear once again that Russia is a KGB state led by a KGB spy. This brazen fraud cheated true Olympians out of their lifelong dreams and undermined the integrity of the Games," the Dardanelle Republican said.
Putin's cheating "also reveals the insecurity of the Russian autocrat. He feels he needs to steal gold medals to divert his people's attention away from Russia's failing economy and his corrupt and repressive rule. The International Olympic Committee should strip these Russian dopers of their medals and award them to the rightful winners," Cotton added.
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 05/15/2016