It was an honor to ask questions and hear testimony from General Scaparrotti during his visit to the House Armed Services Committee.

The District

I had a quick visit to the District last weekend as votes ran later in the day Friday, but I was able to spend some time with constituents. On Saturday, I met with high school students at the Service Academy Seminar who are interested in attending our military’s academies. Representatives from the United States Air Force Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy, United States Military Academy, United States Naval Academy, and the United States Coast Guard Academy were there. Students learned about educational opportunities and application information regarding these institutions.  

Later that evening, I served as the keynote speaker for the Papillion-LaVista South High School Navy JROTC Ball.  I spoke to them about leadership and the importance of continuing their service after graduation, and congratulated them on their program and leadership.

Another association who needs to be recognized for their leadership is the Black Family Health and Wellness Association Inc. I attended their health fair this weekend, which was held to provide health screening and education to increase awareness of issues affecting residents of the Omaha community with an emphasis on African American families. 

Finally, I met with businesses in the Gretna area who shared their concerns about government regulations and red tape. 

I look forward to meeting with more constituents in the coming weeks. 

Back in Washington

Despite not being able to agree on a repeal and replace healthcare plan, Congress did have a productive week here in Washington. I was proud to see the House pass H.R. 1430, the HONEST Act of 2017. This legislation mandates that the Environmental Protection Agency must make public all supporting science used to justify any new rules or regulations. I also proudly voted in favor of H.R. 1431, the EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2017, this week. This legislation will reshape the EPA's Science Advisory Board to ensure it remains unbiased, transparent, and inherently productive. These are two positive steps in holding our agencies accountable and ensuring that only necessary regulations are implemented.

I have also expanded my caucus memberships over the past few weeks. As a member of the Congressional Small Business Caucus, Congressional Coalition on Adoption, and multiple other caucuses, I hope to find bipartisan consensus on our common goals. To find a full list of caucuses please click here.

As always, thank you for reading. I encourage you all to remain engaged throughout this process. I truly appreciate hearing your thoughts, concerns, and ideas. Feel free to visit my website at any time: bacon.house.gov.