Arkansas

Arkies in the Beltway | Week of May 11, 2025 | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Published

1 year ago

May 11, 2025

This is “Arkies in the Beltway” for the week of May 11, 2025! I’m Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

[Click here to listen to the podcast.]

House Republicans continue their work on Capitol Hill to finalize a budget package cutting the deficit and extending the 2017 tax cuts.

The House Natural Resources Committee — led by Arkansan Bruce Westerman — approved its portion of the proposal last week. The committee’s legislation seeks to generate $18.5 billion in savings and new revenue over the next 10 years.

STORY: Westerman, U.S. House committee approves energy-focused legislation aimed at boosting production and reducing deficit

Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., led the House Intelligence Committee on its release of a report assessing the FBI’s investigation into the June 2017 congressional baseball shooting outside of Washington.

Crawford, of Jonesboro, and the committee determined the FBI was incorrect in its assessment of the attack being a “suicide by cop,” noting the agency’s own evidence showing the shooting was an act of domestic terrorism.

STORY: Crawford, House Intelligence Committee blast FBI for assessment of 2017 baseball shooting

One Arkansas farmer is seeking a chance to challenge Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., in next year’s Senate race.

Hallie Shoffner has helped with managing her family’s farm near Newport since 2016, but following their decision to close the operation amid a tough agricultural economy, she says she wants to help Arkansans like her who feel their voices remain unheard.

STORY: Sixth-generation Arkansas farmer plans to challenge Cotton for U.S. Senate

Thank you for listening to “Arkies in the Beltway!” You can stay up to date with all Arkansas news at ArkansasOnline.com, or follow me on Bluesky for developments from the nation’s capital!

Alex Thomas

Alex Thomas has served as the Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette since November 2022. He also produces “Arkies in the Beltway,” a weekly podcast covering national politics and the Arkansans involved in public policy debates.

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Arkansas

Arkansas Governor joins national A.I. workforce initiative

Published

5 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Press Room

Arkansas Governor joins national A.I. workforce initiative

LITTLE ROCK, AR (KATV) — Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has joined a new national artificial intelligence initiative that launched Thursday, June 25.

RAISE US, started by former Governor Eric Holcomb of Indiana and Gina Raimondo, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce is a nonpartisan national organization that will partner with governors, employers, workers and training organizations to help the workforce transition to an AI economy.

“As artificial intelligence transforms America’s economy, we have one clear message: technology should empower people, not replace them. By leveraging our Arkansas LAUNCH initiative, and with the resources and expertise provided by RAISE US, Arkansas will turn that mission into reality. We want the Natural State to be a leader on education, workforce training, and up-skilling, and this new partnership gives us the tools we need to build a model for the entire nation.”

The organization will design and pilot incentives to retrain workers, new approaches to support job transitions, and training models tied to employer demand.

RAISE US launches with more than two dozen American companies and philanthropies and initial state partnerships in Connecticut, Maryland and Utah.

“America has a technology strategy for leading the global AI competition. It does not yet have a people strategy — and we cannot lead without one,” Raimondo, who will serve as CEO of RAISE US, said.

“If we build the best AI systems in the world and leave millions of Americans behind, we won’t have won anything; we’ll have automated our own decline. I believe AI will create new jobs and industries over time, but the transition could be disruptive, and it’s already underway. We shouldn’t fearmonger, but we can’t pretend our training and worker support systems are ready either. It’s time for innovative and practical solutions. This moment demands ambition, urgency, and creativity. We’ve assembled the country’s top companies, best economists, and bipartisan governors at a scale rarely seen — all to advance new ideas and incentives, pilot them with governors and business, and scale what works.”

Governor Sanders is partnering with RAISE US to support Arkansas LAUNCH, an AI-powered career navigation platform that connects students and jobseekers to personalized learning and employer-linked career pathways.

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