From seed to sawmill, our trees play an integral role in our daily lives. In the ground, they provide clean air, clean water, and better ecosystems for our wildlife. After the sawmill, we use forest products every day, from the furniture we decorate our homes with to the paper towels in our kitchens and the boxes our deliveries arrive in. This week, we recognize National Forest Products Week and celebrate the economic, environmental, and social impact of our forest products industry. This week is an excellent reminder that a strong American forest products industry and healthy forests go hand-in-hand: when we support our domestic wood products markets, we’re also keeping our forests strong and healthy.

Arkansas truck drivers keep our supply chain rolling. This week, we recognize the men and women who hit the road to deliver the goods that drive our nation’s economy!

🇺🇸25 years later. We will never forget.

House Republicans understand that peace through strength begins right here in the homeland – in our nation’s factories, arsenals, and depots. By voting to pass the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, Congressman Westerman joins his colleagues in investing in our national defense to expand munitions capacity, restore depleted stockpiles, and grow our defense workforce. The House-passed FY27 NDAA: ✅Revitalizes the defense industrial base ✅Improves servicemember quality of life ✅Gives a well-earned 5% to 7% pay raise for service members ✅Restores lethal capability ✅Strengthens American deterrence ✅Eliminates waste, fraud, and abuse

The Gulf South region is the energy and mineral backbone of the United States. Representing just under 14% of the nation’s population, the Gulf South contributes a staggering $3.7 trillion to the U.S. GDP. As Chairman of the new Gulf South Business Caucus, Congressman Westerman had the opportunity to deliver the keynote address at this year’s @gulfsouthbiz Policy Conference. Through this newly formed caucus, the Congressman looks forward to leading the charge to focus on federal priorities that support our region’s workers, communities, and employers, while continuing to lead the nation in economic competitiveness, energy production, and industrial growth.

We are blessed to live in the greatest nation in the world. Happy Fourth of July and happy 250 years of independence, America!🇺🇸

Arkansas, and the United States, have an incredibly abundant source of timber. Unfortunately, we look to nations outside of our borders to supply us with a resource that we have right here in our own back yard. Healthy forest management is more than just taking care of our trees, in fact we have been loving our trees to death. Our forests are overstocked and unhealthy because we have no markets for the wood and rural communities are suffering because their resource and economic opportunity are tied directly to the forests. A nation with such an abundance of timber should never be reliant on other countries to import lumber and pulp products, but that’s where we find ourselves.  Recently, we’ve seen paper mills across the country closing – even a few here in the Fourth District. With a background in Forestry and Engineering, Congressman Westerman understands just how important our pulp and paper industry is and he remains heavily focused on legislation that will support such an important economic contributer for Arkansas. This week’s meeting with the Pulp & Paperworkers’ Resource Council to discuss just how important the forest products industry underscored the need for Congress to work diligently to provide its support.

Americans deserve real solutions to their health care issues that the Fair Care Act provides, not partisan talking points and inaction. The Fair Care Act takes politics out of the equation and introduces common sense and competition to the health care marketplace. It covers preexisting conditions, lowers costs, and increases consumer choice by incorporating bipartisan proposals, proven academic research, and scientific data. But most importantly, it is legislation that will give Americans fair coverage at a fair price.

Hot Springs National Park served as the perfect backdrop for last week’s @NatResources field hearing, demonstrating how the Great American Outdoors Act 250 investments can spur new public-private partnerships, create jobs, and sustain billions of dollars in spending within rural and gateway communities.

On this day in 1944, the largest seaborne invasion in history was conducted, ultimately changing the trajectory of the Second World War. Today, we honor the thousands of allied troops who fought boldly and bravely for something greater than themselves. May we continue to honor their legacy and remember that freedom is never free.

ICYMI: Congressman Westerman talked to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette about his health care bill, the Fair Care Act. His comprehensive health care reform plan would lower costs and expand coverage for all Americans. Read the full article at the link here: arkansasonline.com/news/2026…

Today we pause to honor the selfless sacrifice of our fallen heroes — the men and women in uniform who gave their lives so that we can be free. May we never forget the cost of liberty.

A major focus for Congressman Westerman this Congress has been cutting the burdensome red tape to streamline our federal permitting process so that America can get back to doing what it does best: building. The @TransportGOP BUILD America 250 Act makes great strides in cutting red tape so that building critical infrastructure projects can be done in a more cost-effective and timely manner.

JUST REINTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE: Fair Care Act! For a health care system that is the largest contributor to our federal debt and where Americans spend over $5 trillion annually, we cannot afford to let partisan politics stand in the way of common sense and quality care. That's why Congressman Westerman reintroduced the Fair Care Act. It's time to take politics out of the equation and inject common sense and competition into the health care marketplace to make health care more economical, straightforward, and accessible to all Americans. The Fair Care Act: ✔️Modernizes health savings accounts by merging health care accounts into one simple Health Savings Account. ✔️Creates changes to the insurance market to make it easier to access cheaper health plans, including short-term insurance. ✔️Promotes price transparency and competition to reduce the monopoly power of hospitals, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical industries for lower costs. ✔️Creates reforms to Medicare and Medicaid to offer greater help for those who may not qualify for Medicaid but still struggle to afford insurance, and allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices and compare insurance plans so senior citizens can get tailored care instead of getting stuck in a one-size-fits-all system.

In Arkansas and across the country, pulpwood mills are closing, leaving in their wake unemployed Americans and underutilized, valuable wood products that have gone to waste. This is neither benefiting our rural communities nor stewarding our natural resources well, and it leaves the forest industry in desperate need of new markets for residuals and low-value wood. On the House Floor, Congressman Westerman urged his colleagues to vote in favor of @RepBentz’s amendment to the Farm Bill that expands the definition of woody biomass that ultimately benefits our rural communities and unleashes greater opportunities for our timber products industry.

Today, Congressman Westerman launched the bipartisan Gulf South Business Caucus that will champion pro-growth policies and regional development across the Gulf states of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas for energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, and industrial growth. The Gulf South region is integral to America’s energy production, manufacturing, and workforce demand. When the Gulf South region succeeds, America succeeds!

Happy Earth Day! We observe this day as a reminder to be good stewards of the abundant resources we have been given.

National Work Zone Awareness week is an excellent reminder for all of us to stay alert, slow down, and be mindful of the men and women working to improve our roadways!