Dr. Boozman's Check-up
October is National Bullying Prevention Month
Oct 15 2014
Bullying has long been prevalent during adolescence, but the stories of bullying are more violent than ever before. We need to eliminate the thought that ‘kids will be kids’ and these acts are just a 'rite of passage.' The reality is that bullying has long lasting impacts for both the bullied and bully.
Children who are bullied may often underperform academically, develop self-esteem issues, and suffer from depression or anxiety - a result of being led to feel isolated from other kids. On the other hand, children who exhibit bullying behavior may engage in more risky behavior as they enter into teen and young adulthood. Some of these behaviors may include alcohol and drug abuse and aggressiveness toward others and others’ property, which could lead to criminal convictions. These behaviors lead both sets of children with an inability to reach their full potential.
The unfortunate reality is that bullying takes place every day at all grade levels. We all have a responsibility to eliminate bullying and help create an environment in which students feel safe and accepted all the time. To raise awareness, October is designated as National Bullying Prevention Month. This important campaign aims to bring awareness on how to assess, recognize, prevent, and educate school administrators, teachers, parents and students on combatting bullying in their schools and communities. It is a month to engage each other and build a safe environment for discussions on bullying prevention to occur.
It is important that we, as adults and parents, respond immediately to bullying when we recognize it – whether it be physical, social or cyber bullying. There are many warning signs that a child is being bullied or is bullying others. You can learn more about what bullying is, who is at risk, as well as response and prevention methods at this informative website.
As a former member of the Rogers School board, a father to three daughters, and grandfather to one granddaughter, I understand the importance of this on-going discussion and the need for schools to implement their own anti-bullying guidelines. We must change the culture of bullying and put a stop to it once and for all. While we spend this month raising awareness about this issue, preventing bullying is something we need to work on year-round, at school and at home.
Agency News & Notes: Ebola Clearinghouse, VA Claims, ISIL Updates & Social Security Statements
Oct 14 2014
Ebola Clearinghouse: This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs & Border Protection (CBP) put in place new layers of entry screening at five U.S. airports that receive over 94 percent of travelers from the Ebola-affected nations of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Stay up-to-date on CDC’s efforts to combat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and protect Americans at home at the new agency-created clearinghouse: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/index.html
VA Updates Disability Claims: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced that it is introducing a uniformed disability claims form to better serve veterans, families and survivors. VA believes that a standardized claim filing process will make it easier for veterans and their survivors to clearly state what benefits they are seeking and provide information that is necessary to process their claims and appeals.
Get the Latest on Fighting ISIL: The State Department launched www.state.gov/counteringisil where it will host the most up-to-date public information about the coalition, including the latest stats on members and their public support for coalition efforts. The Department of Defense (DOD) has also launched a website, www.defense.gov/counter-ISIL, which has up-to-the-minute information about the military line of this coalition effort against ISIL terrorists.
Mailing of Social Security Statements Resumes: The Social Security Administration announced it will resume the periodic mailing of Social Security Statements—once every five years for most workers—after it discontinued the practice in 2011. In addition, the agency is encouraging everyone to create a secure “My Social Security” account to immediately access their statement online 24 hours a day.
KASU Interview October 10, 2014
Oct 10 2014
In case you missed our interview with Jonesboro’s KASU radio, you can listen to the interview here. We covered a wide range of issues including the threats of ISIS and Ebola to our national security and discussed the disastrous critical habitat proposal.
From the Mailbag: ISIS Threat
Oct 06 2014
In a recent interview with "60 Minutes" President Obama said that U.S. intelligence agencies underestimated the threat from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). In this edition of 'From the Mailbag' Senator Boozman discusses the need to confront these terrorists and the threat they pose to our national security.
From the Mailbag: Ebola Epidemic
Sep 29 2014
Last week the World Health Organization (WHO) warned the number of Ebola cases could hit 21,000 by early November unless efforts to curb the outbreak are ramped up. I recently participated in a Senate committee hearing on the global challenge and public health threat of the Ebola crisis in West Africa and what our country can and is doing to help. In this edition of "From the Mailbag" I answer a question about the threat of Ebola.
Time is running out for Arkansas students interested in applying for an excellent opportunity to spend an educational week in our nation’s capital and earn money for college.
Established in 1962, the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) is a unique educational experience for outstanding high school students interested in pursuing careers in public service. The program gives an opportunity to two student leaders from each state to spend a week in Washington experiencing their national government in action.
USSYP’s next Washington Week will take place March 7 - 14, 2015 and each student delegate will receive a $5,000 undergraduate scholarship to the college or university of their choice.
During Washington Week, student delegates will hear major policy addresses by Senators, cabinet members, officials from the Departments of State and Defense and directors of other federal agencies, as well as participate in a meeting with a Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
All transportation, hotel and meal expenses will be provided by The Hearst Foundations.
The deadline for Arkansas students to apply for the program is October 3, 2014. Interested students should contact their high school principal. Arkansas’s USSYP delegates will be chosen by the state department of education.
For more information on USSYP, please visit www.ussenateyouth.org
Ground Broken for U.S. Marshals Museum
Sep 24 2014
Arkansas boasts a rich history and significant role in helping preserve law and order to our developing nation. Through the legacy of famous Hanging Judge Isaac Parker and great lawmen like Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, Fort Smith established itself as the center of the U.S. Marshals Service history. Today we celebrate the 225th anniversary of the creation of the Marshals Service. I can’t think of a better way to honor the men and women who served our nation’s oldest and most versatile federal law enforcement agency than with the groundbreaking of a national museum dedicated to the work they have done since 1789.
I’ve been proud to play a part in bringing the U.S. Marshals Museum home to Fort Smith and joining with other members of the Arkansas Congressional Delegation to honor the service of our Marshals with a commemorative coin. This has all been the result of the vision, hard work and dedication of Fort Smith residents. We should be proud of our history and I’m happy to see us embracing our past to provide opportunities for the future.
Read about the groundbreaking
Times Record - Ground Broken For $50 Million Marshals Museum In Fort Smith
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - Marshals Museum on its way to fruition
The City Wire - Large crowd gathers in Fort Smith for U.S. Marshals Museum groundbreaking
How the U.S. Can Help End the Ebola Crisis
Sep 24 2014
Last week, President Obama announced that a large-scale U.S. military-led response to the deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 2,800 people have died in the worst outbreak of Ebola virus in history. In total, over 5,800 people in West Africa have been infected in the outbreak.
On the same day of that announcement, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions and the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, Education and Related Agencies held a joint full committee hearing on “Ebola in West Africa: A Global Challenge and Public Health Threat.”
Among those testifying at the hearing was Dr. Kent Brantly, a U.S. missionary who put his medical expertise to use to help Liberians suffering from Ebola. Liberia is the West African nation hit hardest by the outbreak, with over 3,000 known cases and almost 1,600 deaths.
Along with running the treatment center in Liberia’s capital city, Dr. Brantly is also an Ebola survivor himself having contracted the disease while treating patients in Monrovia.
In his testimony, Dr. Brantly laid out why the U.S. needs to take a larger leadership role in West Africa, saying that the WHO’s efforts to stop the outbreak are “so bound up by bureaucracy that they have been painfully slow and ineffective in this response.”
He believes the U.S. needs to be in charge of the mission, saying that it “is imperative that the U.S. take the lead instead of relying on other agencies. The U.S. military is highly trained with a clear chain of command. They are experienced in responding to complex international crises such as what we are facing now. I believe they are the only force capable of mounting an immediate, large-scale offensive to defeat this virus before it lays waste to all of West Africa.”
I agree that U.S. assistance is necessary to quickly take charge of the situation as it continues to spiral out of control. The reality is we live in a small world and we need to eradicate this threat before it escalates to an even bigger crisis. While I believe the President’s proposed strategy can be successful, I do think more must be done to ensure that we do not fall into the same trap as the WHO’s operation.
One easy way to prevent our mission from becoming a bureaucratic failure is to appoint a central coordinator here in Washington. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is handling the public health aspects, the Defense Department and USAID have lead on logistics and materials, and the National Security Advisor is helping to coordinate. However, there isn’t a single individual in charge of the entire operation. That was one of the points I raised at the hearing.
We need a point person in charge to avoid ending up in the same bureaucratic quagmire that currently exists.
During the hearing, I also pushed officials to ensure the public that the proper steps we are being taken to prevent individuals infected with Ebola from bringing it into the US. Clearly that is a concern for the public and we must be able to reassure Americans that every precaution is being taken to protect public health at home.
You can watch my questions at the hearing by clicking the video below.
The following column was published in the Southwest Times Record on September 21, 2014.
As the son of a Master Sergeant in the Air Force, I grew up in a family that had values rooted in military tradition. My dad’s service was a source of pride for us and I knew that wearing our nation’s uniform made him proud too.
Military service ran in the family. A picture of my grandpa and great uncle as young soldiers in France during WWI overlooks my desk in Washington and reminds me of the service and sacrifice of all of our nation’s past and present servicemembers. Like my dad, my grandpa and great uncle were members of the 142nd Fires Brigade Charlie Battery during their military careers.
I know many Arkansans can trace the military service of members of their family to Charlie Battery and the 142nd Fires Brigade. Exploring the history of the 142nd is like reading a book of our country’s military operations. Having been created in 1917 from the former 2nd Arkansas Infantry, members of the 142nd have a long history of supporting military operations at home and abroad. The unit participated in nearly every war and conflict since the Mexican Expedition. Most recently Charlie Battery received the Meritorious Unit Commendation award for its service in Iraq.
Based in Ozark since 1963, Charlie Battery is part of community’s identity. To recognize its role in the community, and to honor the men and women who served and shaped our history, Ozark is bringing those whose lives have been touched by Charlie Battery together.
This unique reunion will bring together former commanders, members, family and descendants to reminisce and share memorabilia. I’m proud to join the community in celebrating the accomplishments of those, like my family, who served in Charlie Battery. I’ll be bringing some of my own keepsakes that have been passed down to me through the years.
Collecting and preserving these stories, memories and artifacts is important to recognizing the service and sacrifice of our veterans and their important role in our history. Providing future generations the opportunity to learn from their experiences is essential.
Arkansas has a rich history of service to our nation. Arkansans have always been willing to do their part to serve and protect. Our units stationed in the state are some of the best assets in our national defense made up of dedicated patriots. We have a proud tradition of honoring our state’s 250,000 veterans and we owe it to these men and women to ensure that their contributions to our country are preserved.
I’m looking forward to celebrating Charlie Battery, the role it’s played in my family and sharing stories with other Arkansans who have a connection to this unit.
For more on the reunion go to www.ozark142.org
From the Mailbag: EPA Carbon Emissions Mandate
Sep 22 2014
In June, EPA announced its plan to mandate states restrict the amount of carbon emissions from existing power plants and change how electricity is generated. These heavy-handed rules target Arkansas for cuts stricter than 44 other states. In this edition of “From the Mailbag,” Senator Boozman answers a question about what he's doing to fight this overreach.