Cotton Blog
This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed a case of the Ebola virus in an individual who recently traveled to the United States from Africa. While I am confident there is no country better equipped to stop the spread of Ebola, we must be vigilant in protecting ourselves. But as more details emerge, I am becoming increasingly concerned about the way this situation has been handled. First, Mr. Duncan was able to leave Liberia just four days after coming in close contact with someone suffering from the Ebola virus by simply lying to airport officials—no steps were taken to investigate his background. Further, Mr. Duncan was initially discharged from a Texas hospital, despite repeatedly telling hospital officials he was from Liberia.
I applaud health officials’ actions to immediately quarantine the infected patient and closely monitor all individuals with whom he had direct contact, but it’s becoming evident current protocols are no longer sufficient to control this terrible disease. I urge the Obama administration to seriously address this issue and errors that allowed this disease to enter the United States. And I call on President Obama to consider instituting travel restrictions on countries in which the Ebola virus is prevalent. In the coming days, it is imperative we act swiftly and aggressively to ensure the Ebola virus in the United States remains contained.
I hope you will all join me in lifting up this individual and all those affected by Ebola in Africa and throughout the world in prayer as they battle this terrible disease.
Wednesday, I made the opening statement below on the brutality of ISIS against religious minorities during a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Genocidal Attacks Against Christian and Other Religious Minorities in Syria and Iraq”.
Full Text of Remarks
“The barbaric actions of the Islamic State have brought the persecution of Christians more immediately in front of the American people, crucifying Christians or even burying them alive, cleansing them from Mosul, the ancient biblical town of Nineveh. But this is not a new phenomenon; this is something that’s been happening for many years. When I served in Iraq in 2006, we saw the persecution of Christians in the neighborhoods in Bagdad, where my soldiers and I patrolled. It’s something that the United States cannot stand idly by and tolerate, especially when it’s perpetrated by enemies that mean to strike the United States here, in the United States’ homeland. As a reminder, they’re our enemies not because of anything we have done in the world but because of who we are and what we stand for. We are a country built on freedom and the first of those freedoms is the freedom of religion. And they want to strike us because of those freedoms. It’s important that we have the courage to stand up for our own national security and for the oppressed minorities in places like Iraq.”
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released a set of proposed ozone standards that will be the most stringent in history and will put our state’s ability to produce low-cost power in jeopardy. What’s worse, the EPA has done little to demonstrate any benefit these new regulations would have on our long-term environmental health. A study by the National Association of Manufacturers found that these new ozone regulations could cost Arkansas over $240 million in compliance costs, put further pressure on our state’s coal fired power plants, and result in the loss of more than 10,000 jobs—at a time when too many Arkansans are underemployed or out of work. But that’s not all, take a look at the list below for more information on what these regulations would mean for the Natural State.
- Arkansas could experience 10,489 lost jobs annually
- An across the board rise in energy costs that will ultimately cost consumers more—sometimes nearly $500 more annually.
- Arkansas would face a $19 million increase in costs for residents to own or operate their vehicles—including cars, trucks, and 18-wheelers.
- Three quarters of Arkansas’s coal-fired power plants would be forced to shutdown permanently.
Rest assured that I will continue to look for ways to fight back against EPA’s overregulation.
House Foreign Affairs Committee
Last week, the House Foreign Affairs Committee met to review the deteriorating security situation in Iraq. Specifically, we examined the threat posed by ISIS and Iranian involvement in the situation, as well as the U.S. response. Click here to learn more about this hearing. The committee also held a mark-up of two bills pertaining to the conflict in Israel. Click here to learn more about this markup.
Tuesday, I attended a subcommittee hearing on Malaysian Flight 17 and the escalating crisis in Ukraine. As you may know, on July 17, 2014, Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down by a surface to air missile killing all 298 people on board. Click here for more about this hearing. I also attended a full committee hearing on the Iran nuclear negotiations, which continued the committee’s oversight of the Administration’s decision to extend nuclear negotiations with Iran for an additional four months—including the prospects for and implications of a final agreement. Click here to learn more about this hearing. Wednesday, the committee held a mark-up on several pieces of legislation supporting Israel, human rights, and religious freedom. Click here to learn more about this markup.
House Financial Services Committee
Last week, the House Financial Services Committee held a hearing to assess the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act four years after it was enacted into law. Specifically, the committee examined how Dodd-Frank’s regulatory burdens are hurting our hometown small banks and credit unions. Local financial institutions are struggling as big banks have only gotten bigger and bureaucrats in Washington have become more powerful. As a result, Arkansans are finding it harder to get a loan or to have a relationship with their local banker as branches disappear. As we’ve seen with Obamacare, the Dodd-Frank Act is another 1,000-page, one-size-fits-all Washington solution that ended up hurting taxpayers and costing Arkansas jobs. Click here to learn more about this hearing.
This week, the committee considered legislation to rein in the excessively loose monetary policy of the Federal Reserve. Since late 2008 the Fed has been experimenting with monetary policy and interest rates under the guise of trying to lower the unemployment rate. Although the economy has started to recover, the effects of the Fed’s policies have resulted in no return on savings accounts that many seniors depend on and rising prices of everyday items such as food and gasoline. These trends cannot continue. The bill recently passed by the Financial Services Committee would direct the Federal Reserve to follow a clear monetary policy rule—not improvisation—in setting policy to better focus on price stability and transparency. Click here to learn more.
Meriam Ibrahim’s Departure From Sudan
Last week, Meriam Ibrahim, the Sudanese woman imprisoned for her marriage to a non-Muslim and her refusal to denounce Christianity was finally permitted to leave Sudan. Last month, I introduced a bill that would have given Meriam permanent legal status in the United States. The day before her release, I participated in a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing to further examine her case. I also had the opportunity to discuss Miriam’s situation and religious freedom more broadly on the Family Research Council Washington Watch Radio Show. It is a travesty that Meriam was imprisoned in the first place, but even more troubling that her situation is part of a growing pattern of persecution of Christians around the world that must be stopped. As a country founded by religious refugees, and for whom religious freedom is our very first freedom, the United States must always stand for religious liberty. Meriam’s struggle is a reminder of that duty and honor.
Christians United for Israel
Last week, I had the opportunity to meet with several Arkansas members of Christians United for Israel in my DC office. We discussed the ongoing challenges in Israel, Iran’s nuclear program, and the Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2014, which passed the House later that evening.
Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014
The problems at the VA are unconscionable. That’s why this week the House passed the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, legislation that implements a number of needed reforms to the VA. I was pleased the Senate followed suit and also passed this legislation and look forward to the President signing it into law. This bill is an important first step toward reforming the VA, but it cannot be our only step. We must remain vigilant and work to ensure this agency is worthy of the sacrifice and dedication of our veterans. Rest assured, I will continue to fight to protect our veterans. Click here to read my full statement.
The Student and Family Tax Simplification Act
Last week, I joined 226 of my colleagues in supporting the Student and Family Tax Simplification Act—legislation that simplifies current education tax benefits to ease the cost burden of a college education. This bill consolidates four current tax benefits for higher education into a reformed American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), a simplified and expanded credit. Click here to learn more about this important bill.
Honoring the Life of Mark Williams
Wednesday, I spoke on the House Floor in memory of Mark Williams, a longtime police officer and Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy instructor. Click here to watch the video and read the full text of my remarks.
Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act
Instead of protecting species that are truly at risk, the Obama administration has abused the Endangered Species Act to launch a regulatory assault on Arkansas landowners and sportsmen. That’s why this week the House passed the Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act, legislation that rightly reforms an outdated species-listing process, providing transparency and input from Arkansans during the Endangered Species List classification process. Click here to read my full statement.
Staff-led Veterans Assistance Session
Members of my staff will be holding Veterans Assistance Sessions in Hope, Arkadelphia, and Hot Springs on August 12, 2014 to provide information and answer any VA related questions. Please visit my website for more details.
Arkansans in the Capitol
Rep. Cotton with (from left to right) Jim Phillips and Ajay Malshe with NanoMech, Ken Wade with the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and Derek and Carlee Helms with the Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee of the American Farm Bureau Federation
Yesterday, I spoke on the House Floor in memory of Mark Williams, a longtime police officer and Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy instructor. The video of my speech and the full text of my remarks can be found below.
Full Text of Remarks
"Today, I want to honor the life of longtime Arkansas Police Officer and Law Enforcement Training Academy instructor Mark Williams.
"Born and raised in El Dorado, Mark began his law-enforcement career in his hometown with the El Dorado Police Department in 1977, serving as a Patrolman, Detective, and Sergeant.
"Mark also served as a supervisor in the Hope Police Department’s Patrol Division before joining the faculty of the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy in 1994, where he trained new police officers until his retirement in 2013.
"Mark’s commitment to Arkansas didn’t end there. He was also a gifted musician, who served as an “Artist in Education”—playing his guitar to entertain and educate children across South Arkansas.
"I extend my deepest condolences to Mark’s wife, children, and grandchildren on their loss. May they find comfort in knowing that Mark’s legacy live on with the thousands of Arkansas police officers he trained over nearly two decades at the Academy and in the countless children and Arkansans he inspired with his music."
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