Congressman Steve Womack has proudly represented the Third District of Arkansas since his election in 2010. He is currently a senior member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, where he is the Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Subcommittee and also sits on the Defense and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Subcommittees. He formerly served as the Chairman of the House Budget Committee and has been on the Republican Whip Team since his arrival in Congress.
I believe that life begins at conception. As your congressman, I promise to support policies that protect life and human dignity and oppose any attempts to use taxpayer funds for abortion.
Agriculture is an economic engine for our state. It accounts for hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in wages and salaries in Arkansas. As a member of Congress from a state that relies heavily on the agricultural industry, I will work tirelessly with the representatives and senators in our delegation to ensure that the state’s farmers are represented in Washington.
I made a commitment to the people of the Third District of Arkansas to cut spending and to make the necessary reforms to put our budget on a sustainable path. During my time in Congress, I have voted for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. I have voted for budgets that actually balance. And, as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have worked closely with my colleagues on the committee to closely evaluate – and reduce – discretionary spending. This Congress, I have furthered this push toward the mandatory side of spending with an additional role on the House Budget Committee. As your representative, I will continue to fight for fiscal sanity.
As a 30-year veteran of the United States Army National Guard, I understand the importance of ensuring our nation is protected from those who want to harm us. I will do my best to ensure our military has what they need to keep us safe and protect our way of life, as well as thoroughly examine all legislation to ensure our national defense community is able to build upon its proud history.
In February 2012, I was selected by Speaker of the House John Boehner to serve on the United States Military Academy (West Point) Board of Visitors. In this role, I hope to make a positive impact on the future leaders of our military. I will work with my colleagues on the board to ensure our West Point cadets are ready to enter their active service with the best preparation possible.
I am also proud to serve on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, where I have worked to make sure our defense budget provides for our warfighters and protects our interests both in the homeland and abroad. As budgets shrink and threats grow daily, we must protect our military and give them the tools they need to complete their mission.
The education of our nation’s children is the foundation for our success. While I agree that we must make sure our teachers have the tools to adequately provide quality education, we need to make sure they are not burdened by disconnected bureaucratic mandates. Our federal policies should offer limited standards for schools, not detailed policy directives. Basic education policies are best decided by those in our local communities.
During my three terms as mayor of Rogers, I saw firsthand how our communities are challenged to adequately prepare our students for their futures. By handing down one-size-fits-all directives, we reduce the ability of our kids to think critically and solve the problems our nation is facing. As your representative in Congress, I will work to strike the balance between federal involvement and local control to ensure our children are receiving the best possible education.
Domestic energy production is essential to the growth of our economy and to the security of our nation. We must take an all-of-the-above approach to our energy policy and allow all American energy sources – oil, gas, coal, nuclear, and renewables – to compete on a level playing field. While I support research and development of new energy technologies, I do not believe the government should be in the business of picking winners and losers.
The production of affordable American energy supplies is driving job creation and fueling the growth of other major sectors of economy. I will continue to support policies to remove barriers to domestic energy production and stop harmful regulations from driving up energy costs. With the right policies in place, I believe we can achieve the goal of American energy independence.
The United States is a global leader, and with growing uncertainty in the world, now is no time to vacate our seat. Historically, the U.S. has played an important role in supporting freedom and democracy throughout the world, allowing us to help others while gaining strong allies. Although some argue against the merits of foreign aid, it is important to note that it accounts for less than one percent of the federal budget. As your representative, I will continue to support our interests abroad, while ensuring that tax payer dollars are used to increase security and expand economic growth.
Spending on health care has outpaced economic growth for years. In 1960, national health care expenditures made up 4.7 percent of our gross domestic product (GDP). In 2013, that percentage had risen to 17.4, and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) anticipates that will only continue to rise.
The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was an unprecedented expansion of government that put tens of millions of Americans at risk of losing their current health insurance coverage and drives up the cost of insurance and care. In June 2012, the Supreme Court upheld PPACA’s constitutionality, and we must accept the reality that it is unfortunately the law of the land.
Congress must continue to focus on repealing and amending the most troublesome aspects of the law and pass real reforms – such as tort reforms and health insurance portability – that will bend health care’s exploding cost curve.
Illegal immigration continues to be a serious problem in Arkansas and across our country. Our system is broken, and now is the time for Congress to act. Any solution must secure our border and encourage lawful behavior.
Over the past couple of years, we have only seen the issue worsen as evidenced by sanctuary cities deliberately disregarding the rule of law. I continue to believe that we must secure the border and develop a long-term immigration policy that encourages lawful behavior.
I will continue to support programs like Section 287(G) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act which allows police officers to receive specialized training from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. As the mayor of Rogers, I saw firsthand how valuable this tool was in ensuring the safety of citizens in the community.
It would be difficult to overstate the impact of small businesses in America. They are the backbone of our economy and the heart of Main Street.
According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses employ more than half of the employees in the private sector and pay over 40 percent of the total private payroll in the United States. What’s more, small businesses are also responsible for over 60 percent of the new jobs created in the past 15 years.
We must put pro-growth policies in place and ease regulatory burdens on small businesses so they can expand their businesses and continue to create jobs.
Putting America back on track starts with growing small business and the job creation that’s sure to come with it.
For too long, Washington has failed to address the problems presented by entitlement programs – the driving force behind our debt. When I was elected, I made a promise to represent the people of the Third District, and I refuse to stand by and continue to allow these programs to run inefficiently.
Social Security has long been considered a political “don’t.” However, I believe it is time for Congress to come to the table and have an adult conversation about reforming Social Security. If we act now, we can save benefits for current recipients and fix it so that it will be around for future generations.
For the first time in over three decades, Congress voted to fundamentally reform our tax code in December of 2017. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act allows hardworking Americans keep more of their paycheck, creates jobs and increases wages by making American businesses competitive again, and simplifies a code that has become riddled with loopholes.
Congress must do its work to ensure our nation’s highways, railways, and waterways are properly maintained. America’s transportation system facilitates commerce, and it is essential to the economic prosperity of the country. I will continue to work to ensure we are making the necessary long-term investments while curbing waste, fraud, and abuse.
There is no better barometer for a country than the brave men and women who have risked their lives to defend its freedom. As a 30-year veteran of the United States Army National Guard, I understand the challenges these men and women face when returning home and believe our nation owes no greater debt of gratitude than the one we owe our veterans. They and their families should be commended, and I will work hard to support the very people who have made America what it is today.