Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) Member of Congress Member, House Agriculture Committee Washington, DC Office 1711 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4076 Fax: (202) 225-5602 A Time to Give Thanks This week, I was proud to see the Cache River logjam project finally be completed. This is an issue that has affected Jackson County residents for decades, and I am glad to have been able to lead along with local leaders to accomplish this important clearing. I am also proud to have been able to work together with our Arkansas delegation to ensure the critical mitigation hatcheries at Greers Ferry and Norfork will stay open. These facilities provide over $100 million in economic output and support hundreds of jobs in our state. I sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack protecting our poultry producers in Arkansas First District. The poultry industry is an important supporter of jobs in our community and I am committed to making sure they are given the flexibility to continue providing important jobs for Arkansans. On Wednesday, I spoke with Mark Smith at KASU on ObamaCare, the Farm Bill, and the critical A-State ROTC program. In case you missed it, listen in here. The Bayou Meto and Grand Prairie water projects are critical job supporters for agricultural producers in Arkansas First District. I sent a letter along with Senators Pryor and Boozman supporting these important projects. I also spoke with A-State on the importance of the ROTC program to the community and my work along with our two Arkansas Senators in preserving this program and protecting it from closure. Watch here. Yesterday, I was in Eudora for a groundbreaking even for the rail rehabilitation project. Great event! As tour season in Washington, DC gets ready to kick into high gear next spring, make sure you are contacting my office early to request tickets for tours. Please contact Dana at (202) 225-4076 now to make sure she can help! This week, my column is on the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and its historical significance to our country. Read A Time to Give Thanks below: A Time to Give Thanks The American Thanksgiving holiday has a rich and storied history full of lessons reminding us to give thanks for our many blessings. In school, we learn the story of a gathering between the Plymouth Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians in 1621, where both sides came together and offered their bounty in a sign of friendship. However, the first national celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday was declared by the Continental Congress in 1775 to mark the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga during the Revolutionary War. Eighty-eight years later, President Lincoln declared the day a national holiday in 1863, largely to celebrate the Union forces’ victory at the Battle of Gettysburg. These events tell a slightly different story – one of giving thanks to God for his providence during exceedingly difficult times where the fate of the nation was truly at stake. It was an opportunity to unite a divided nation and celebrate the bounty of liberty that our country has afforded its citizens for generations. This year, I was reminded of this heritage by my eight-year-old son. So often, our children unwittingly serve as instruments of instruction that help to remind us of blessings we may take for granted. Earlier this week, Will drew up a list of things he was thankful for as a homework project for his second-grade class. My wife Stacy and I expected to see items such as the Disney Channel or Pop Warner football top the list, but we were wrong. Number one on Will’s list? Freedom. This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for my two wonderful children – Will and Delaney – and the way they serve to humble and ground me as a parent and a public servant. 2 Corinthians 9:11 says: “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” As a nation, we have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday. We are truly and richly blessed. As Americans, there are many issues and debates that divide us. However, let’s remember the tradition of Thanksgiving in the spirit of Abraham Lincoln this year, who used the holiday as a way to unite a divided nation and drive us toward a common cause. Let’s be thankful for the things that unite us. Stacy and I wish you and your family a happy and memory-filled Thanksgiving this year – may we not forget our heritage and the true reason for this celebration. Please forward this message to friends or family members who might be interested. You can also direct them to my website to sign up for regular updates. Washington, DC Office 1711 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4076 Fax: (202) 225-5602 Cabot Office 112 S. 1st St. Cabot, AR 72023 Phone: (501) 843-3043 Fax: (501) 843-4955 Jonesboro Office 2400 Highland Drive, Ste 300 Jonesboro, AR 72401 Phone: (870) 203-0540 Fax: (870) 203-0542 Mountain Home Office 1001 Highway 62 E, Suite 9 Mountain Home, AR 72653 Phone: (870) 424-2075 Fax: (870) 424-3149 crawford.house.gov/news/email/show.aspx?ID=YQQ4PYFFFSH3OC4TNST4TWRJWE UPDATE SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS | PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT US
Posted on: Sun, 24 Nov 2013 23:56:58 +0000
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