El Dorado News-Times

Federal spending package includes millions slated for Arkansas projects

WASHINGTON — When the U.S. Congress voted Friday on a $460 billion spending package, lawmakers were not just considerin­g whether to fund federal agencies through the remainder of the fiscal year.

Much of the attention on the measure focused on the pressing need to avoid a partial government shutdown by midnight Friday, but the Senate and House of Representa­tives also approved more than $12 billion for community projects across the country.

Arkansas’ congressio­nal delegates were among the lawmakers who secured funding projects ranging from highway improvemen­ts to river navigation work.

“What we try to do is work with our communitie­s to see what they need, and they all have various needs,” said Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark. “We’re very careful about the type of projects we select.”

Boozman, of Rogers, submitted requests to the Senate Appropriat­ions Committee. Three of Arkansas’ House members — Republican Reps. Rick Crawford of Jonesboro, Steve Womack of Rogers and Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs — also sought money through the House Appropriat­ions Committee’s process.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., have opposed these requests. During the Senate’s Friday vote series, Cotton, of Little Rock, voted for an amendment stripping the spending package of its earmarks. The Senate rejected the matter; 32 senators supported the change compared to 64 members in opposition.

The House approved the spending package last Wednesday with all four Arkansas House members backing the legislatio­n. Boozman and Cotton joined a majority of their Senate colleagues in passing the measure Friday evening, hours before the shutdown deadline.

Federal lawmakers submitted requests last year to their respective chamber’s Appropriat­ions Committee in pursuit of federal support for local projects. Senate and House appropriat­ors have rules regarding the total allocation for spending; the Senate Appropriat­ions Committee limits funding to 1% of discretion­ary spending, while the House Appropriat­ions Committee caps total spending at one-half percent.

Supporters argue these projects — commonly described as earmarks — have little effect on overall federal spending, noting the congressio­nal processes grant lawmakers with opportunit­ies to target federal funds for local and state needs.

“My taxpayers pay a hell of a lot of money to the federal government,” Womack told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “I think it’s important that I advocate to bring some of that money home, knowing that if I don’t, it will be spent somewhere else.”

Womack, a senior House appropriat­or, secured more than $24.6 million for seven projects, ranging from $263,000 for a water resource management study at White River Basin to around $7.2 million for expanding Gravette’s existing sanitary sewer system to meet growing municipal needs.

Womack referenced his background in municipal government in supporting earmarks. As mayor of Rogers, he sought federal funding for multiple projects, including a new interchang­e creating access to the Pinnacle Hills Promenade retail area from the interstate.

“There will be arguments that say, ‘Don’t worry. That stuff will happen eventually,’” he said. “Maybe so, maybe not. If it doesn’t happen right away, then look at the lost opportunit­ies you have.”

Boozman, a Senate appropriat­or, got around $215.5 million for 27 projects. The senator’s largest amount — $67 million — will fund constructi­on of Interstate 49 near Fort Smith. Other projects include $11.5 million for the Little Rock Port Authority and $10 million for supporting the Arkansas State University’s Center for Advanced Materials and Steel Manufactur­ing.

The senator additional­ly touted language separate from the project requests, including funding for Fort Smith’s Ebbing Air National Guard Base. The top Republican on the Military Constructi­onVeterans Affairs Subcommitt­ee, Boozman noted the measure includes $83 million for projects, including a new three-bay hangar supporting the pilot training mission.

“These aren’t crazy projects or whatever. These are projects that are desperatel­y needed,” Boozman said. “The military, what they do in those cases, is ask us.”

A majority of Crawford’s requested amount concerns the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas Navigation System, a 445-mile channel connecting the Mississipp­i River to the Port of Catoosa near Tulsa. Congressio­nal appropriat­ors noted $187.5 million for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects involving the navigation system, but they considered $107.2 million as congressio­nally directed spending.

The remaining $80.3 million is listed as spending from the presidenti­al budget request.

The navigation system serves as a significan­t economic channel connecting states to the Mississipp­i River. Vessels moved $3.1 billion worth of goods through the system during 2022.

According to Crawford, the system needs operation and maintenanc­e work. The Jonesboro congressma­n specifical­ly mentioned the confluence of the Arkansas and White rivers with concerns about a possible merger.

“What we’re trying to do there is to prevent a flood scenario where it might shut down the Arkansas River, which could ultimately lead to $300 million in loss economic impact if it were to be blocked for 100 days, for example,” he said. “That affects the whole [navigation system].”

Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin and Rep. Stephanie Bice, both Republican­s, got nearly $25 million for additional maintenanc­e.

Crawford’s remaining six requests total $14 million and involve issues such as water infrastruc­ture improvemen­ts at Craighead Technology Park and demolition work at the former Eaker Air Force Base in Blythevill­e.

Westerman submitted the fewest requests among the four lawmakers. The congressma­n succeeded in getting $26.1 million for four projects, including work extending the runway at Texarkana Regional Airport and improvemen­ts to U.S. 82.

“I have a personal rule that any project I do has to be a broad public project,” he said.

One portion of the spending package has Westerman’s figurative fingerprin­ts on it; the measure includes renewed Compacts of Free Associatio­n with the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau. Congress delayed approving the agreements during 2023 despite U.S. officials and Pacific Island leaders finalizing terms.

The compacts allow the United States to maintain a military presence in these areas in exchange for economic and security assistance. Residents of the Freely Associated States can reside in the United States as lawful non-immigrants through the compacts.

Arkansas has the largest Marshalles­e population in the United States with around 8,300 people living in the Natural State. Northwest Arkansas has the largest concentrat­ion of Marshalles­e people.

The House Natural Resources Committee unanimousl­y approved legislatio­n in November to extend the agreements. Westerman serves as the committee’s chairman.

Congressio­nal appropriat­ions included the House committee’s bill in the final spending package.

“This was a good inclusion in the bill that will be very important to our national security and our relations in the IndoPacifi­c going forward,” the Hot Springs congressma­n said.

The package extends the three compacts through September 2043.

Congress additional­ly agreed to increase Medicare payments to physicians, partially reversing a 3.37% reduction that went into effect at the start of the year. Boozman and Vermont Democrat Peter Welch led a bipartisan Feb. 23 letter to Senate leadership urging action addressing the initial cut.

Congress now faces a March 22 deadline for passing the remaining six appropriat­ions bills, including the measure addressing defense spending. The package will include funding for financial services and general government operations, such as the judiciary and certain independen­t agencies.