at the capitol
February 3, 2016
Weekly Publication
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Celebrating Arkansans
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26 African-Americans to serve in the United States Marine Corps. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Brown vs. Board of Education, schools in the south were slow to abide by the court’s decision. However, former Senator Dale Bumpers, who was a small-town lawyer in Charleston, encouraged the Charleston School Board to comply with the ruling, making it the first school district in the South to desegregate its schools. He was also credited with providing opportunities for African-Americans in state government during his time as the Governor of Arkansas. We can and should be proud of the role these Arkansans played in shaping our nation. Recognizing their efforts to achieve equality is important as we continue to advance equal rights for all people.
Cotton Recognizes National School Choice Week
CONTRIBUTED BY U.S. SENATOR TOM COTTON
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ashington, D.C.- Senator Tom Cotton (R- Arkansas) today recognized National School Choice Week by submitting a statement to the Congressional Record. The text of his statement is below. As National School Choice Week comes to a close, I want to highlight the important role school choice plays in our education system in Arkansas and across the country. I am the proud graduate of Arkansas’s public schools and the son of a public-school teacher and principal. Throughout my life, I was blessed with wonderful parents, teachers, and coaches who taught the skills, knowledge, and values needed for success in the workforce. Unfortunately, not all children have the same experience. Dardanelle High School was the right choice for me, but the local public school isn’t always the right fit for everyone. Too many children aren’t receiving the attention or education they deserve. This is especially true in areas with poor performing schools. But it’s not always about the quality of education, sometimes local schools can not make adequate accommodations for a child’s religious beliefs or personal needs. Quite simply, one size fits all isn’t the key to success for education. That’s why I believe in school choice. Parents, not politicians and bureaucrats, know what is best for their children. We should empower them and ensure they have access to alternatives to the traditional public system. This includes home schooling, charter schools, and private and religious schools. That way, every child will receive the type of education that best fits their learning style. To countless families across America, school choice means accessing the best possible education for their children. By providing school choice, we can promote innovation in our schools, provide more personalized education for our children, and improve racial and economic disparities in educational outcomes. I am pleased to celebrate School Choice Week and the improvements that school choice has brought to our country.
Westerman, Congressional Colleagues Demand Answers Potential Federal Liability Resulting from Forest Fire CONTRIBUTED BY U.S. REPRESENTATIVE BRUCE WESTERMAN
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January 6, 2016
OT SPRINGS, Ark. – Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) joined nine House colleagues Wednesday (Jan. 20) in demanding answers from the United States Department of Justice and Attorney General Loretta Lynch regarding potential federal liability resulting from a prescribed burn conducted on April 14, 2010. The U.S. Forest Service conducted a controlled burn in Logan County, Ark., which “allegedly spread onto private land owned by Deltic Timber Corporation (Deltic), damaging 174 acres of 2-3 year old pine trees” and $49,519.28 in property damage, according to Deltic. “On October 1, 2010, Deltic submitted Standard Form 95-108, as required under the Federal Tort Claims Act to receive compensation. More than five years later, Deltic has yet to receive a response from DOJ, and DOJ now allegedly refuses to even speak with Deltic about this matter,” Westerman wrote. “It is puzzling that DOJ can find the time and man5 key facts about Prostate Cancer: power to appeal a prison sentence for two individuals who damaged federal land when a prescribed burn crossed onto public land, but refuses to respond to my constituents over a 1. Affects 1 in every 6 men five-year period when a similar federal liability is in question.” 2. Deadlier than breast cancer Westerman went on to say the Justice Department “must meet its responsibilities, including paying3.back damages caused Detectable in early stages by federal actions, if liable. This is a glaring example of a slow federal response to the needs of the American people. We simply ask that DOJ give Deltic a4. prompt to whether the federal government owes them any comNOT an answer old man’sas disease 5. Does NOT go away if you avoid pensation.” testing. Wetoencourage you toPrincipal get The Department of Justice refused to comment in response to a previous letter dated Oct. 29, 2015, fromGentlemen: Westerman Civil Division Deputy Assistant Attorney Genera PSA blood test. al Benjamin C. Mizer. Members who signed the Jan. 20 letter include U.S. Reps. Paul Gosar (AZ-04), Rick Crawford (AR-01), French Hill (AR-02), Steve Womack (AR-03), Tom McClintock (CA-04), Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48), Steve Pearce (NM-02), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), and Cynthia Lummis (WY-At Large).
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