While the President requested emergency funding to help control the illegal immigrant crisis at the Southwest border, I have concerns with approving money without reforms to our immigration policy. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I asked administration officials about the plans for this request. Watch the administration's response in the video below.

It seems Congress isn’t alone in the struggle to get a straight answer out of the Obama Administration on the true extent of the crisis at our southwest border.

The Administration also continues to dodge press questions on the number of Unaccompanied Children (UACs) from Central America who crossed the Mexican border, were detained and then released into the U.S.

According to the Associated Press (AP), on seven separate occasions in the past two weeks, senior U.S. officials declined to say how many immigrant families the Obama Administration has released in recent months. The Administration knows the exact number, but it refuses to share it with Congress or the American people.

In avoiding Congressional and public scrutiny, the President has found a strong ally in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid who blocks Republican oversight amendments, dismisses calls to investigate Administration stonewalling and, at times, even chastises the American people for caring about accountability in Washington.  

This is yet another serious matter where instead of exercising oversight, Majority Leader Reid covers for the President’s team as it stalls, delays and pleads ignorance on this, and virtually every other matter upon which the Administration is challenged.

The AP reports that the UACs crisis has significant ramifications on our justice system, border patrol resources and our national security:

“The mystery figure is significant because the number of families caught crossing from Central America represents a large share of new immigration cases that will further strain the overwhelmed U.S. immigration courts system. It also affects federal enforcement strategy, such as where to deploy the border patrol, and political calculations about whether Congress or the White House will relax American immigration laws or regulations before upcoming congressional elections in November.” 

The reality is we do have an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, but it is a crisis that has been shaped and exasperated by the President’s failure to enforce the law. The Administration’s misguided policies create the idea that if children make it to the U.S. illegally, they won’t be turned away.  This is a far cry from the laws on the book—the very laws that many of my colleagues and I have demanded time and time again that the President respect. 

The Administration denies any wrongdoing and claims to be working to change this “misconception,” but the heads of the relevant agencies don’t have the necessary answers to Congressional inquiries and the Senate Majority refuses to ensure this is indeed happening. Not once has Majority Leader Reid questioned the Administration’s account, much less asked the Department of Homeland Security or the White House to provide accurate, detailed information

While the Senate Majority plays defense for the President, the House held a hearing yesterday on this crisis, an additional hearing today, and more likely on the way. I support as many hearings as necessary to get straight answers from the Administration. If Majority Leader Reid would follow the House’s lead, we might actually get them. Better yet, he could follow House Speaker John Boehner’s lead and create a working group to develop solutions to the crisis. The fact is the records show that the Administration knew the surge at the border was coming and did nothing to stop it. This is why a Senate hearing on the crisis is unlikely as Majority Leader Reid will continue to walk lock step with the President.

Majority Leader Reid’s actions are not an accident. His strategy is designed to protect the President and allow his actions to continue unfettered. This needs to change. The American people are demanding accountability. They want the government to adhere to the laws on the books and quickly and legally repatriate anyone here illegally. Majority Leader Reid needs to stop blocking Republican efforts to answer their calls.

June Dairy Month isn’t just a great excuse to enjoy some ice cream, it is also a wonderful time to reflect on the importance the dairy industry has on our great state.

Traditionally, milk has been a prominent source of dietary needs for all Arkansans, yet has also been crucial to the development of rural communities in Arkansas.  As the decades have passed, the capability and progression of modern milk-processing practices have secured the importance of dairy industry in Arkansas.  Today, the dairy industry is the second largest segment of American agriculture and an integral part of Arkansas’ farm sector.  Arkansas farm families who derive their income from the sale of milk contribute over $100 million to the state’s economy; and hundreds of other Arkansas are employed to process a vast array of dairy foods.

Just like many Arkansans, I feel it is clear that we should celebrate dairy not just in June, but all year long.  So while you’re enjoying Arkansas’ official state drink, milk, or a refreshing ice cream cone this summer be sure to remember the contributions the dairy industry has made to Arkansas and the United States. 

Arkansas Dairy Facts:

• Arkansas dairy farms produced approximately 12 million gallons of milk last year
• Arkansas farms generate approximately $24 million in milk sales annually
• In Arkansas, the average dairy cow produces about 3.7 gallons of milk per day. That’s more than 1,356 gallons of milk over the course of a typical year
• It takes about 48 hours for milk to travel from the farm to the dairy case

Our veterans deserve reliable, timely, and highest-quality health care services. Unfortunately, VA is struggling to meet the demand and that has cost our veterans timely medical care they need and earned. I am committed to ensuring that VA uses every available option it has to deliver on its mission for all Arkansas veterans who have earned this care. 

The VA launched an audit of its medical facilities in mid-May after allegations that veterans faced long wait times and data was manipulated in some facilities to hide the length of time for health appointments. 

The audit shows a clear need for immediate improvement. Our veterans who have been made less than whole as the result of their service have earned the right to the world-class care that VA is capable of providing, both in the VA system and in our local communities. We need to continue to strive for and implement reasonable solutions for all patients, especially for first-time patients an area where VA is really struggling, by eliminating the hurdles to being seen by a doctor. In some cases, the care they cannot access is for the treatment of conditions they incurred because of their service. To me, this is unacceptable and must be remedied. 

Arkansas facilities fared around the national average, but we can and need to do better. Read more about our state’s facilities in this AP story.