LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, April 19 -- The Arkansas Department of Commerce issued the following news release on April 18, 2025: * * * Arkansas' Unemployment Rate Increases to 3.7% in March LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (April 18, 2025) -- Today, the Arkansas Department of Commerce, in conjunction with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, announced Arkansas' seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point, from 3.6% in February to 3.7% in March. The United States jobless rate also i  more

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, April 18 -- Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release: * * * Bills Signed: HCR1010, HB1185, SB539, SB183, SB352, SB402, SB425, SB484, SB504, SB547, SB559, SB604, SB618, SB624, HB1672, HB1580, HB1085, HB1756, HB1793, HB1805, HB1833, HB1874, HB1938, HB1939, HB1941, HB1810, SB343, SB367, SB420, SB439, SB478, SB480, SB560, SB563, SB574, SB598, SB599, SB610, SB627, HB1525, HB1680, HB1681, HB1735, HB1739, HB1768, HB1834, HB1827, HB1855, HB1893,  more

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, April 18 -- Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release: * * * Bills Signed: SB241, SB32, SB33, SB34, SB35, SB36, SB40, SB41, SB51, SB52, SB55, SB71, SB81, SB106, SB124 LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- On Friday, April 18th, 2025, the Governor signed into law: SB241 - To amend the uniform attendance and leave policy act; and to grant paid leave to public employees in the event of the death of a public employee's family member or child. SB32 - An a  more

WASHINGTON, April 18 -- Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Carbajal, Crawford Introduce Legislation to Make Transporting Dry Goods More Efficient This week, Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) and Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR-01) introduced the VARIANCE Act, which allows for a 10 percent shift in weight variance along the axles of tank trucks carrying dry goods, without any increase in the overall federal gross vehicle weight (GVW) limit. Under c  more

WASHINGTON, April 19 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has released the following public communication dated Jan. 17, 2025, from the Arkansas Department of Transportation: * * * To: Docket Management Facility U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140 Washington, DC 20590-0001 Docket No. FMCSA-2024-0121-0012 * * * The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) appreciates this o  more

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, April 18 -- Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Sanders Appeals Denial of Arkansas' Major Disaster Declaration Relief Request LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders appealed FEMA's decision to deny Arkansas' Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance and the request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance. The severe storms and tornadoes that occurred on March 14 and 15, 2025,   more

WASHINGTON, April 19 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-25) on the Aligning SEC Regulations for the World Bank's International Development Association Act (H.R. 1764), which aims to accord securities issued by the International Development Association the same exemption from the securities laws that applies to the securities of other multilateral development banks in which the U.S. is a member. The report was advanced by Rep. French Hill, R-Arkansas, on March 2  more

WASHINGTON, April 19 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-21) on the China Financial Threat Mitigation Act (H.R. 1549), which aims to require the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct a study and report on the exposure of the U.S. to the financial sector of China. The report was advanced by Rep. French Hill, R-Arkansas, on March 21, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * PURPOSE AND SUMMARY Introduced on February 24, 2025, by Representative Rogers Williams, H.R. 1549,  more

WASHINGTON, April 19 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-24) on the Financial Privacy Act (H.R 1602), which aims to require the Secretary of the Treasury to provide for greater transparency and protections with regard to Bank Secrecy Act reports. The report was advanced by Rep. French Hill, R-Arkansas, on March 21, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * Purpose and Summary Introduced on February 26, 2025, by Representative Warren Davidson, H.R. 1602, the Financial P  more

WASHINGTON, April 19 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-23) on the International Nuclear Energy Financing Act (H.R. 1474), which aims to provide for advocation of support for nuclear energy and establish a nuclear energy assistance trust fund at the World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other international financial institutions. The report was advanced by Rep. French Hill, R-Arkansas, on March 21, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * Pu  more

WASHINGTON, April 19 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-26) on a joint resolution (H.J.Res. 59) disapproving the rule submitted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau relating to "Overdraft Lending: Very Large Financial Institutions". The report was advanced by Rep. French Hill, R-Arkansas, on March 21, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * PURPOSE AND SUMMARY Introduced on February 13, 2025, by Representative French Hill, H.J. Res. 59, a joint resolution pro  more

WASHINGTON, April 19 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-19) on the Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act (H.R. 747), which aims to impose sanctions with respect to Chinese producers of synthetic opioids and opioid precursors, to hold Chinese officials accountable for the spread of illicit fentanyl. The report was advanced by Rep. French Hill, R-Arkansas, on March 21, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * Purpose and Summary Introduced on January 28, 2025, by Representative An  more

WASHINGTON, April 19 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-22) on the Stop Fentanyl Money Laundering Act (H.R. 1577), which aims to provide authority to the Secretary of the Treasury to take special measures against entities outside of the U.S. of primary money laundering concern in connection with illicit fentanyl and narcotics financing. The report was advanced by Rep. French Hill, R-Arkansas, on March 21, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * PURPOSE AND SUMMARY I  more

WASHINGTON, April 19 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-20) on the Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 910), which aims to require the Secretary of the Treasury to pursue more equitable treatment of Taiwan at the international financial institutions. The report was advanced by Rep. French Hill, R-Arkansas, on March 21, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * PURPOSE AND SUMMARY Introduced on February 4, 2025 by Representative Young Kim, H.R. 910, the Taiwan Non-Disc  more

WASHINGTON, April 19 -- The White House issued the following news on April 18, 2025: * * * Trump Administration Advances First Wave of Critical Mineral Production Projects Today, the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) announced increased transparency, accountability, and predictability for the permitting review process for the first wave of critical mineral production projects--with many more projects on the way--in response to President Trump's Executive Or  more