Arkansas Sees Dramatic Rise in Drug Overdose Deaths
Arkansas has seen a dramatic increase in drug overdose deaths, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control.
Watch this video to learn more.
Biden Administration to Nominate Federal Judge for Western District of Arkansas
The Biden-Harris Administration will soon nominate a federal district judge to fill a vacancy in Arkansas’ Western District.
U.S. District Judge Paul Holmes, III, of Fort Smith took Senior Status effective November 10, 2021.
Senior Status is a form of semiretirement for federal judges. It means the president will need to nominate a new judge to fill the position full time.
There are currently some 77 judicial vacancy in America and more than two dozens nominees pending before congress.
As of last week, President Biden has not nominated anyone to fill Judge Holmes’ position on the court.
U.S. District Court nominations rarely receive very much attention, but they are critical judicial positions.
When a state law is challenged in federal court, district judges are the first to hear the case. Right now many of the district judges in Arkansas — including U.S. District Judges Paul Holmes, James Moody, and Kristine Baker — are Obama appointees.
Because our district courts lean to the left, Arkansas often loses court cases over abortion and other social issues at the lower level, but we get better rulings from the more conservative judges on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
It doesn’t look like those dynamics are going to change under President Biden. However, it will be interesting to see who he nominates to replace Judge Holmes in the coming weeks.
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton Introduces Measure to Expand Family Leave, Provide Tax Credit for Miscarriages and Stillbirths
On Thursday U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (R – AR) and U.S. Sen. Ashley Hinson (R – IA) filed the HEALING Mothers and Fathers Act.
The proposed legislation amends the federal 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Among other things, the measure adds “spontaneous loss of an unborn child” as a qualifying medical condition for leave under FMLA, and it establishes a $3,600 tax credit for any mother or couple that suffers the loss of a child in the womb.
The bill also prevents federal Title X funds from going to abortionists or to anyone who offers abortion referrals.
This would help stem the tide of taxpayer funds currently directed to organizations like Planned Parenthood.
Family Council has joined with Arkansas Right to Life, the National Right to Life Committee, and other pro-life organizations in endorsing this good measure.
Sen. Cotton issued multiple statements explaining the HEALING Mothers and Fathers Act , writing,
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows employees to take leave for serious health conditions. However, many miscarriages and still births fail to meet the definition for a ‘serious health condition’ under FMLA, meaning the mother and her spouse may not qualify for leave.
In the event of a still birth, parents are more likely to face unexpected financial costs. This is due to uninsured
expenses, costs associated with preparing for a baby, and in some cases, longer hospital stays, genetic testing
costs, and burial expenses.No amount of financial compensation can take away a family’s pain. However, Congress can ensure that
grieving parents can take time to mourn the loss of their unborn child and ease additional costs they may face
in the event of still birth.
The HEALING Mothers and Fathers Act is similar to Arkansas’ Act 935 of 2021 — also known as Paisley’s Law — which the Arkansas Legislature enacted earlier this year.
Act 935 provides Arkansans with a $500 income tax credit for the stillbirth of a child at or after 20 weeks gestation.
Arkansas also has enacted legislation over the years to de-fund abortionists.
You can read the HEALING Mothers and Fathers Act here.
Photo Credit: Michael Vadon, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.