“In just 155 days, tax relief for American families and small businesses is set to expire, resulting in the largest tax increase in our nation’s history–another blow to private sector job creation. We can’t afford for Congress to take a six week vacation while employers and families try to make fiscal decisions without knowing if their taxes will be going up at the end of the year. Speaker Pelosi and the House leadership need to provide certainty to Americans by extending all of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts before they leave on Friday for summer break. If they do not, I call on Speaker Pelosi to keep the House in session until the tax relief extension, which is critical for jobs, passes.”

 Lincoln and Lugar were joined by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Senator Bob Casey, (D-Pa.), and Senator Amy Klobuchar, (D-Minn.). Dr. Sandra Hassink, American Academy of Pediatrics, Obesity Committee Chairman; Chuck Saylors, National PTA President; and Courtney Chea Reeve, Executive Director, Greenbrier Learning Center, also spoke about the importance of passing the bill. The event was attended by numerous hunger and nutrition advocates.  

 “The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act will put us on a path to end childhood hunger and obesity and improve the health of the next generation of Americans. If we miss the opportunity to pass this bill and improve these programs, it will be our children who pay the price for our inaction.  This bill is bipartisan, completely paid for and provides common-sense solutions to addressing childhood hunger and obesity. Congress should pass this bill before August and make an investment in our children that will last a lifetime,” said Lincoln.

 “I compliment the leadership of Chairman Blanche Lincoln and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss in developing a bipartisan bill that improves child nutrition programs. As a former chairman of the Agriculture Committee, I know the difficulties in moving nutrition legislation. This bill was approved by the committee in March. There has been no significant opposition since then. For many children from low income homes, food from child nutrition programs may provide the bulk of the nutrition they receive during the day. Children have no choice in their family’s circumstances, and these meals are critical to their chance for success and better health. This is as close to a moment of significant progress and constructive consensus as can be achieved. Given our economic climate, we should seize this moment to pass the bill,” said Lugar.

 Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said, “With such little time left before these vital nutrition programs expire, we cannot afford to delay bringing this bill to the floor.  This bipartisan and fiscally responsible bill, approved unanimously by the Agriculture Committee in March, represents the largest investment ever in federal child nutrition programs.  I hope that the Senate will promptly consider and pass it, because hunger and poor nutrition are a reality for far too many children today in Vermont and across the country.”

 “The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is an important investment in our nation’s children and their future,” said Sen. Carper.  “Our kids need regular access to wholesome food and meals so they can lead healthy lives and learn to the best of their ability.  Unfortunately too many of our kids don’t have enough healthy food available to them, which is why nearly 40 percent of our children in Delaware are either obese or overweight.  This legislation tackles this problem and will ensure that all children, regardless of where they live, have access to nutritious and healthy meals while they are at school.”

 “Passing the bipartisan child nutrition bill is vital to children and families in Pennsylvania and across the country,” said Senator Casey.  “Especially because of the economy, more children depend on these programs so they don’t go hungry.  More than one million children participate in the school lunch program in Pennsylvania with nearly 200 million lunches served each year.”

 “As a parent, I know firsthand the importance of providing nutritious food for our children – in and out of school,” Klobuchar said. “The most common ‘vegetable’ many of our kids eat are French Fries, and that needs to change. The well-being of our kids and the long-term prosperity of our country depend on it.” 

“This bill makes important strides toward overhauling our nation’s child nutrition programs – cutting calories and fat, increasing fruits and vegetables, and serving appropriate portion sizes,” said Sandra Hassink, MD, FAAP, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Obesity Leadership Workgroup.  “As a pediatrician who specializes in treating overweight and obesity, I have a special plea for the Senate:  Please put me out of a job.  I would like nothing more than to have an empty clinic.  Passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is a critical step toward guaranteeing all of our children a healthy future.”

 “A parent cannot wait another year to address the needs of their child, particularly when that child’s health and academic success are on the line. By the same token, Congress must not wait another year to address the needs of our children,” said Chuck Saylors, President, National PTA.

“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act closes the gap in childhood hunger. Children have access to breakfast and lunch programs at school.  These are important but not enough.  Children who are properly nourished are, simply put, better able to learn.  This bill comes full-circle by providing children with access to three nutritious meals – including supper in their afterschool programs – so they do not have to go to bed hungry,” said Courtney Chea Reeve, Executive Director, Greenbrier Learning Center. 

 The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act passed the Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously on March 24. The bill provides the first non-inflationary increase in the Federal reimbursement rate for school lunch programs since 1973. The bill also takes a critical step to address the epidemic of childhood obesity with a provision to require the Secretary of Agriculture, through a transparent regulatory process, to establish national nutrition standards consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for all foods sold on school campuses throughout the school day.

Current child nutrition programs will expire on September 30^th.  Lincoln has delivered floor speeches this week on the need to pass reauthorization legislation. Her full remarks are available here: http://ag.senate.gov/site/news.html. Detailed summaries of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act are available here: http://ag.senate.gov/site/legislation.html.

 Nutrition and Hunger Advocates Weigh In:

Arkansas Center for Health Improvement

Joseph W. Thompson, MD, MPH, Arkansas Surgeon General,

 “For many children across Arkansas and the nation the school breakfast and lunch program keeps them from going hungry.  We must continue to meet this critical need, but equally important, we must bring better nutrition into our schools to prevent obesity. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 is critical to solving the childhood obesity epidemic and will help our children eat better and lead healthier, more productive lives,” said Joseph Thompson, MD, MPH, Arkansas Surgeon General; Director of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement; Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity

 American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Christopher W. Hansen, President

 “Addressing poor nutrition, physical inactivity and obesity through the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act will help to reduce our children’s risk of dying prematurely from cancer. We applaud the bipartisan effort to bring S. 3307, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, to the Senate floor for consideration soon. Overweight and obesity contribute to up to one-fifth of all cancer-related deaths in this country, and being overweight decreases the likelihood of survival for many cancers. Improving the nutritional quality of food available in schools is a critical step to addressing the national health crisis of obesity and physical inactivity,” said Christopher W. Hansen, President, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

 American Diabetes Association

Christine T. Tobin, RN, CDE, President Health Care & Education

 “The American Diabetes Association urges the Senate to swiftly consider the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.  The current authorization for child nutrition programs expires on September 30 and we do not want to lose all the progress that has been made so far.  If current trends continue, one in three children born today will develop diabetes in their lifetime. This overwhelming statistic is due in large part to the childhood obesity epidemic. Action is needed now to promote healthy lifestyles in school, where children spend a large portion of their day,” said Christine Tobin, RN, CDE, President Health Care & Education, American Diabetes Association.

 American Heart Association

Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association

 ”By improving school wellness policies, children will have a greater opportunity to build strong minds and bodies during the school day and reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke. The Healthy, Hungry-Free Kids Act will ensure that students learn healthy habits that will have long-lasting benefits well beyond their years in school,” said Nancy Brown, CEO, American Heart Association.

 American Public Health Association

George C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E), Executive Director, American Public Health Association

 “The public health community is counting on Congress to pass the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act before these important child nutrition programs expire at the end of September. The bill would take steps to dramatically improve nutrition and wellness among our nation’s youth by updating national nutrition standards that would remove junk food in schools and requiring local school-based wellness policies, and we urge all members of the Senate to join with Senator Lincoln in urging swift, positive action on this critical public health legislation before the August recess,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E), executive director of American Public Health Association.

 Center for Science in the Public Interest

Margo G. Wooten, D.Sc., Director, Nutrition Policy

 “Congress has a lot on its plate this legislative session, but it needs to address what’s on kids’ plates: now! Renewal of the Child Nutrition programs has been delayed for a year. Our children can’t wait any longer. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (S. 3307) is a much needed step to address child nutrition and obesity. It would remove junk food from school vending machines, increase school lunch reimbursements, and provide more training to help schools serve healthier meals. Unlike the many controversial issues in Washington, this bill is bipartisan, won’t add to the deficit, and is popular with voters. It should take no more than a day of the Senate’s time. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell need to bring the child nutrition bill to the Senate floor for a vote before they go home for summer recess, and kids go back to schools. A day is not much to ask for our kids’ health and well being,” said Margo Wooten, D.Sc., Director, Nutrition Policy, Center for Science in the Public Interest.

 The Child Nutrition Initiative

Erin Campbell, Campaign Manager

 “Senator Lincoln’s bipartisan bill is a critical step forward in ensuring that kids have access to the nutritious food they need to improve their health, succeed in school and grow up to be healthy, active adults. With nearly one-third of U.S. kids overweight or obese and many depending on school meals as their most reliable source of food, the Senate must act now to pass this important legislation. Our kids can’t afford to wait,” said Erin Campbell, Campaign Manager, The Child Nutrition Initiative.

 Feeding America

Vicki Escarra, President and CEO

 “The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (S. 3307) is a step forward in achieving an end to child hunger. Too many hungry children are not being reached by our current child nutrition programs. This bill would increase access to nutritious food for millions of low-income children – particularly afterschool, in the summer, and over weekends,” said Vicki Escarra, President and CEO, Feeding America

 Food Research and Action Center

James Weill, President, Food Research and Action Center

 “The Food Research and Action Center applauds Senate Agriculture Chairman Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) for continuing to push the Child Nutrition Reauthorization process forward. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 makes important investments that will make children’s meals healthier and will expand low-income children’s access to nutritious food, including an expansion of the Afterschool Meal Program to all 50 states and improvements in processes for certification for school meals. A strong and robustly-funded final Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill, with the right mix of funding, is a key step in reaching the President’s goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015 and in reducing childhood obesity. FRAC joins Senator Lincoln in urging the Senate to get the reauthorization process moving on the floor and passing the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Hungry children should not have to wait any longer,” said James Weill, President, Food Research and Action Center.

 Mission: Readiness

U.S. Army Major General Paul Monroe, a former head of the California Army National Guard and a member of the national nonprofit Mission: Readiness, composed of more than 150 retired generals and admirals.

 “On behalf of retired generals and admirals across the country, I urge the Senate to pass strong bipartisan school nutrition legislation before the August recess.  Research shows that up to 40 percent of children’s daily calorie intake occurs at school and that 80 percent of children who were overweight between the ages of 10 to 15 were obese by age 25. Improving school nutrition is a crucial area for reducing child obesity and helping expand the pool of young adults eligible for military service,” said U.S. Army Major General Paul Monroe, a former head of the California Army National Guard and a member of the national nonprofit Mission: Readiness, composed of more than 150 retired generals and admirals.

 The National WIC Association

Rev. Douglas A. Greenaway, President & CEO

 The National WIC Association (NWA) – the education arm and advocacy voice of the 9 million mothers and young children participating in WIC and WIC’s 12,200 service provider agencies – urges the Senate to act now in the interest of our nation’s children and proudly stands with Chairman Lincoln in support of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 and the significant steps it takes towards meeting the President’s goal to end hunger by 2015, addressing the nation’s epidemic of childhood overweight and obesity, improving access to WIC for young children, emphasizing the critical importance of breastfeeding promotion and support, providing adequate resources to support breastfeeding peer counseling, requiring regular review of the WIC food packages to meet current dietary science, emphasizing rigorous health outcomes evaluation, and moving WIC towards electronic benefit service delivery for WIC mothers and young children,” said Rev. Douglas Greenaway, President & CEO of The National WIC Association.

 Nemours Office of Policy and Advocacy

Debbie I. Chang, MPH Vice President of Policy and Prevention, Nemours

 ”Nemours applauds Chairman Lincoln and Ranking Member Chambliss for working together to move this reauthorization forward before these federal nutrition programs expire. We believe we must seize this opportunity to address hunger and nutrition on behalf of our nation’s children, especially our youngest children who increasingly spend time in child care,” said Nemours Office of Policy and Advocacy,” said Debbie I. Chang, MPH Vice President of Policy and Prevention, Nemours.

 School Nutrition Association

Nancy Rice, President

 “School nutrition programs desperately need additional funds from Congress to support ongoing efforts to offer more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products in the lunch line 

The First Lady, health professionals, school administrators, parents – everyone – has been talking about the importance of healthy eating to children’s well-being and academic achievement,” said Rice.  “After all, what is more important than nourishing the minds and bodies of America’s future generation?  Congress cannot afford to go on summer vacation without completing this assignment.  The School Nutrition Association and its members commend Chairman Lincoln for her commitment to passing Child Nutrition Reauthorization,” said Nancy Price, President, School Nutrition Association.

 United Fresh Produce Association

Lorelei DiSogra, EdD, RD, Vice President- Nutrition, United Fresh Produce Association.   

 “United Fresh Produce Association strongly supports “The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act” and urges the Senate to pass child nutrition reauthorization.“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act” will make a historic investment in child nutrition programs, including critical funding to increase the reimbursement rate for school lunch so that schools can serve healthier meals including more fresh fruits and vegetables,” Lorelei DiSogra, EdD, RD, Vice President- Nutrition, United Fresh Produce Association.   

 The Anti-Border Corruption Act will help prevent rogue border agents from being hired or retained.  It requires CBP to follow employment policies requiring polygraph tests of all applicants for law enforcement positions. The requirement would have to be met within two years, providing the agency adequate time to hire and train examiners.  The bill also requires the CBP to initiate background checks on all backlogged employees within six months.

 “Border patrol agents are on the front lines in the fight against drugs and terrorism. We cannot have Mexican drug cartels bribing and scheming their way into this agency,” Pryor said. “My legislation aims to seal the cracks, using all available tools to prevent and weed out corruption. It ensures that we hire and retain only those who are fully committed to protecting our country.” 

 In March of 2010, Pryor held a hearing investigating corruption of US border officials.  During the hearing, CBP officials revealed that less than 15 percent of job applicants receive a polygraph test during the hiring process, although standing policy calls for all to be examined.  Of those applicants who do receive a polygraph test, 60 percent are rendered unsuitable for hiring.  Officials at the hearing also said that while CBP employees were required to undergo a background check every five years, the agency has a backlog of 10,000 cases that is expected to rise to 19,000 by year’s end.

 In recent years, the CBP has experienced a spike in internal corruption cases as a result of the agency’s swift growth.  There have been 129 arrests of corrupt CBP officers and agents since 2003, and 576 allegations of corruption in 2009 alone. 

 “I’m pleased we have increased the number of agents patrolling our borders, but find it alarming that CPB has not thoroughly screened these hires.  If we don’t step up our tactics and fight this rising tide of corruption, we are wasting taxpayer dollars and creating a false sense of security,” Pryor said.

Arkansans for a Safer Arkansas, a non-profit corporation established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing gun violence and gang activity, will distribute DOJ funds to local law enforcement agencies on behalf of Arkansas’s U.S. Attorney’s Offices. The Project Safe Neighborhoods program supports gang prevention initiatives aimed at children in Northwest and Central Arkansas, and specifically works to enhance police efforts to crack down on gangs.

Arkansans for a Safer Arkansas will distribute $94,665 in funding to Pine Bluff and Little Rock law enforcement agencies for education and law enforcement efforts. DOJ funds will support a coordinator who will schedule and oversee gang prevention programs that focus on gun safety and anger management for elementary students in Pine Bluff and Jefferson County schools. In addition, the Little Rock Police Department will use its funds to help identify gang members and pay police officers overtime to perform extra patrols of areas known for gang activity.

Northwest Arkansas law enforcement agencies in Sebastian, Washington, and Benton counties will use $79,570 in DOJ funds to organize a community anti-gang task force to sponsor structured after-school activities for elementary and middle school students and give presentations to students on the consequences of gang participation. Funds will also be used to provide training for law enforcement officers to help them successfully prosecute gang-related crime.

“Teaching kids to stay away from gangs and providing safe after-school alternatives will ensure that more of our youth are on a path toward a bright future,” Lincoln said. “I support this funding that will give Arkansas’s law enforcement officers additional resources to crack down on gang violence and keep our children safe.”

“Gang violence can tear apart families and take lives,” Pryor said. “These funds will help schools and law enforcement agencies across Arkansas combat gang activity head on, providing education and prevention programs for children and resources for police officers to fight gang-related crime.”

“The funds not only train Arkansan officers to combat gang problems, but also how to prevent them,” Snyder said. “This proactive approach in crime prevention is a good thing for all of us – our young people, our neighborhoods, and our communities.”

“Our communities depend on local law enforcement having the resources they need to keep our families safe,” Ross said. “This important federal investment will help Arkansans for a Safer Arkansas partner with local law enforcement as they work to prevent children from falling victim to gang violence.  Their efforts help ensure our children have a safe and secure environment in which they can learn and grow.”

“The Project Safe Neighborhoods program has been instrumental in effectively prosecuting gun-related crime in Arkansas,” said Stevan Dalrymple, Director of Arkansans for a Safer Arkansas. “We are appreciative of this funding that will allow us to continue our efforts because they have had a dramatic effect on curbing crime in our communities.”

REMI offers a four-day course for rural law enforcement executives and senior managers who serve cities of 25,000 or less, counties of 50,000 or less and any tribal reservation. Courses are held in five cities throughout the country and focus on management, budgeting, grant writing, technology, and other topics important to rural law enforcement managers. Funds will be used to support instructors and cover travel expenses for those who attend.

The University of Arkansas System employs four instructors to administer the program and all materials used to teach the courses are purchased in Arkansas. The program has had more than 700 total participants in its history and 72 from Arkansas.

“This funding will provide important training for Arkansas’s sheriffs and police chiefs, and I am pleased that the University of Arkansas System is leading this initiative for rural law enforcement throughout the country,” Lincoln said. “Rural Arkansans rely on strong local police forces to keep them safe, and I’ll continue to fight to ensure that we have the federal resources and support we need to stay safe and strong.”

“Rural law enforcement officers face unique challenges when serving their communities.  This grant will allow rural sheriffs and police chiefs across Arkansas to learn valuable skills to help them improve operations throughout their departments and better protect their residents,” Pryor said.

“This is a great opportunity for our police chiefs and sheriffs to advance their training and skills, and continue to protect the local communities that rely on their brave work,” Berry said. “Any investment in our local law enforcement is also an investment in the communities they serve.”

“Through continuing education and collaborative learning programs such as REMI, federal state and local law enforcement agencies can advance their skills to prevent and better control crime in rural areas,” Snyder said. “I am pleased to help secure this funding that will support a program to enhance the efforts of our hardworking law enforcement officers.”

“Our communities depend on local law enforcement having the resources they need to keep our families safe,” Ross said. “I am pleased to announce this federal investment in CJI’s REMI project because we should continually work to ensure our first responders have the necessary tools to quickly answer the needs of their citizens.”

“Since its inception, the Criminal Justice Institute has been committed to providing rural law enforcement agencies in Arkansas with the educational programs and services they need to better serve and protect their communities. I am confident that the framework we have developed in our state will enable us to effectively extend these programs and services to also benefit rural communities across the United States,” said Dr. Cheryl May, Director of the Criminal Justice Institute, University of Arkansas System and National Center for Rural Law Enforcement.

 With this funding, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs will be able to accomplish its mission of providing quality medical care to over 6 million veterans in 2011, including more than 439,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

 Some specific provisions of the bill are focused on funding for veterans’ medical care needs, including improvements of care for veterans suffering from mental health problems, expanding and modernizing rural health care facilities to provide better access for veterans living in rural areas, and grant programs and housing for low-income and homeless veterans.

 The bill also looks to address improving the living conditions of active duty military and trainees by modernizing National Guard and Reserve facilities and replacing many of the barracks.

 “The continued support of our troops, veterans and their families should be a top priority in Congress, and the passage of this bill is a reminder of the bipartisan commitment and respect we hold for those who have served our country. This bill puts our veterans first by ensuring the VA has funding for the critical staff they need so they can process disability claims more effectively and efficiently. I am also pleased to see we are working hard to make the living conditions for our troops as safe and as comfortable as possible. For those that have not served in the military, it is often hard to show our gratitude and thanks for the continued courage and selfless efforts of our men and women in uniform. Ensuring our veterans have the benefits they earned when they return home is the best thing we can do.”

The Officer Evaluation Reports detail Griffin’s duties and performance reviews from superior and commanding officers since receiving his direct commission in the U.S. Army Reserve as a First Lieutenant in June 1996.

To read Griffin’s Officer Evaluation Reports (some information redacted for privacy), please click here.

 “As a farmer’s daughter from Helena, Arkansas, who grew up in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, I’ve been surrounded by the unique traditions of gospel music all my life and am appreciative of its importance to the faith community in my state. I am proud to introduce this resolution designating September as ‘Gospel Music Heritage Month,’ to honor the lasting legacy of gospel music in the U.S. and around the world,” said Lincoln.

 Lincoln also today submitted remarks in the Congressional Record in support of her resolution:

 TO RECOGNIZE SEPTEMBER AS “GOSPEL MUSIC HERITAGE MONTH”

 “M. President, I am proud to introduce this bipartisan resolution in the U.S. Senate along with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison designating September as “Gospel Music Heritage Month,” to honor the lasting legacy of gospel music in the U.S. and around the world.

             “My state of Arkansas has served as home and inspiration to countless musical styles and influences, including gospel music.         

 “As a farmer’s daughter from Helena, Arkansas, who grew up in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, I’ve been surrounded by the unique traditions of gospel music all my life and am appreciative of its importance to the faith community in my state.

 “With its roots in African-American culture, gospel music has grown beyond the church walls and is now firmly rooted in the American music tradition.

 “Gospel music is a beloved art form of our country and has spread beyond geographic origins in the United States to touch audiences around the world. It is a testament to the universal appeal of gospel music, which both inspires and entertains across racial, ethnic, religious, and geographical boundaries.

 “In the weeks and months ahead, I look forward to shining the spotlight on gospel music so that our children and students – and all Americans – can understand the full impact it has made on our great nation.

 “In closing, I would like to thank Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee for her leadership on this effort and for her tireless work in the U.S. House of Representative to designate September as Gospel Music Heritage Month.

 “Gospel music is an integral part of our nation’s history and heritage. Along with all Arkansans and all Americans, I celebrate gospel music as an art form that brings a message of hope and inspiration to all people.

             “I now yield my time.”

The full text of the Senate resolution is included below:

 RESOLUTION

 “Designating September 2010 as ‘‘Gospel Music Heritage Month’’ and honoring gospel music for its valuable contributions to the culture of the United States.

 “Whereas gospel music is a beloved art form of the United States;

 “Whereas gospel music is a cornerstone of the musical traditions of the United States and has spread beyond origins in African-American spirituals to achieve popular cultural and historical relevance;

 “Whereas gospel music has spread beyond geographic origins in the United States to touch audiences around the world; and

 “Whereas gospel music is a testament to the universal appeal of a historical art form of the United States that both inspires and entertains across racial, ethnic, religious, and geographical boundaries:

 “Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Senate—

“(1) designates September 2010 as ‘‘Gospel Music Heritage Month’’; and

 “(2) recognizes the valuable contributions to the culture of the United States derived from the rich heritage of gospel music and gospel music artists.”

 The legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas).

LITTLE ROCK – Second District Congressional candidate, U.S. Army Reservist and former U.S. Attorney Tim Griffin today released the following statement on the death of 1SG Nick Bacon (USA, Ret.), Arkansas’s last living Medal of Honor recipient, following a lengthy illness:

“Arkansas has lost a hero today. As the recipient of our nation’s highest military decoration for rescuing fellow soldiers in Vietnam, Nick Bacon had already given so much to his country and tried to volunteer for a third tour but was refused. After retiring from the Army he continued his service as an advocate for veterans. I join my fellow Americans, Arkansans and veterans in remembering his service, courage and heroism.”

 “President Barack Obama has made some great appointments in his administration, among them Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense and Ben Bernanke to lead the Federal Reserve.  Jack Lew will turn out to be another great asset in the group of leaders helping our country meet the extraordinary challenges we now face.  Lew has a proven record of success. His tenure at the OMB during the Clinton administration helped create jobs and change our budget deficits into surpluses.  I am confident that Lew’s knowledge and determination exhibited in the Clinton years will be exhibited now in his new role, and he will be a leader in the Obama administration as it moves our country forward towards innovation, fiscal responsibility, and economic opportunity.”