Hill urges filling of religious envoy job
U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., and U.S. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., sent a letter to President Joe Biden last week urging him to nominate an ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom at his "earliest opportunity."
The position was previously held by former U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas.
The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 created the Department of State's Office of International Religious Freedom, which is led by the ambassador-at-large.
In their letter, Hill and Lankford said support for religious freedom "has historically been an area of sincere bipartisan support and agreement in American foreign policy."
Attacks on the Rohingya in Burma, the Uyghurs in China and Christians and Yazidis in Syria and Iraq, "only underscore the importance of expanding and strengthening U.S. international religious freedom engagement," the letter stated.
"The United States is a beacon of hope and freedom, and we must continue to be a leader in calling attention and responding to religious persecution wherever it occurs," the letter stated.
Radio host talks up Cotton for '24 race
Radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt is listing U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., in the "top tier" of potential 2024 Republican presidential candidates.
"Cotton will be a serious, well-versed contender with high visibility in the Senate," Hewitt wrote last week.
Others he selected included Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
All five were scheduled to appear at an event with Republican donors Friday night in Austin, Texas.
On Thursday, Cotton spoke with students at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas, later engaging in a question-and-answer session that was attended by former Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr and Waco Mayor Dillon Meek.
2 lawmakers to get achievement award
The American Conservative Union Foundation is giving its Award for Conservative Achievement to two members of the Arkansas congressional delegation.
U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs received a score of 89% from the organization. U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford of Jonesboro obtained an 87%.
The complete ratings and a list of the votes are posted at: http://acuratings.conservative.org/.
Rather than looking at a lawmaker's entire voting record for the year, the organization singles out votes it deems particularly noteworthy.
Sometimes, the list includes non-voting conduct, as well.
Extra points were given this time to House members, including Westerman and Crawford, for backing an unsuccessful lawsuit challenging then-President-elect Joe Biden's victory in Pennsylvania.
House members who failed to sign a friend-of-the-court brief related to the case were penalized.
Ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Texas lacked standing to challenge the election results of a sister state.
Planning to visit the nation's capital? Know something happening in Washington, D.C.? Please contact Frank Lockwood at (501) 908-5204 or flockwood@adgnewsroom.com. Want to get the latest from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Washington bureau? It's available on Twitter, @LockwoodFrank.