Welcome to "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of April 20, 2025! This is Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives remain away from Washington, D.C., as part of a two-week break from legislative business.

When lawmakers return to Capitol Hill at the end of the month, they will not have much time to finalize plans for meeting congressional Republicans' goals of spending reductions and preserving the 2017 tax cuts.

Senate and House committees have received instructions to finalize their recommendations by May 9, with House leaders already eyeing a vote on a reconciliation bill before the Memorial Day holiday.

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Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., had a successful first quarter of fundraising in support of his reelection effort.

Cotton, of Little Rock, ended the first three months of the year with $8.4 million in his campaign's reserves.

Cotton and other candidates for federal office submitted reports to the Federal Election Committee last week detailing their campaign's fundraising efforts and expenses through 2025 so far.

STORY: Cotton starts reelection effort with $8.4 million on hand after first quarter

Thanks 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!

This is "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of April 13, 2025! I'm Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

This is "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of April 6, 2025! I'm Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.

The weekend began with a late night on Capitol Hill; the U.S. Senate worked until early Saturday morning on approving a budget plan with steps to cut spending and preserve the 2017 tax law.

Arkansas' two senators — Republicans John Boozman, of Rogers, and Tom Cotton, of Little Rock — supported the framework, which still needs the House of Representatives' approval.

Congressional Democrats oppose the plan, voicing concerns about the future of government services like Medicaid and food stamps if Republicans succeed in securing spending reductions.

STORY: U.S. Senate approves budget framework; Boozman, Cotton back plan

The Senate's consideration of the framework followed two chaotic days for U.S. stocks. Markets reacted negatively to the Trump administration's tariff plan affecting international goods imported into the United States.

During a telephone town hall, Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., acknowledged tariffs have been part of the country's "trade diplomacy" efforts, but he pushed back against the decision to enforce a sweeping tariff strategy affecting all foreign products.

STORY: Hill hosts telephone town hall event

The House Financial Services Committee advanced a bill to establish a regulatory framework for certain digital assets.

The STABLE Act would set federal oversight affecting payment stablecoins, which are digital assets whose value is pegged to traditional assets like the U.S. dollar.

Hill, of Little Rock, chairs the House Financial Services Committee.

STORY: House committee approves regulatory bill for stablecoin

Arkansas investment banker Warren Stephens faced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Stephens is the second Arkansan to receive a nomination from the Trump administration; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee appeared before senators in late March to discuss the possibility of serving as the next ambassador to Israel.

STORY: Stephens faces U.S. Senate panel in pursuit of U.K. ambassadorship

Thanks for supporting "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!