WASHINGTON NEWS IN BRIEF

D.C. think tank signs up Beebe

He’s 1 of 5 ex-governors set to advise on policy matters

WASHINGTON -- Former Gov. Mike Beebe has joined the Bipartisan Policy Center's Governors' Council.

The Washington-based think tank announced Friday that Beebe and former Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire will work with the five-member council, which studies and makes recommendations on workforce development, education and health care, according to a news release. The other members are former Govs. Jim Douglas, R-Vt., Linda Lingle, R-Hawaii, and Sonny Perdue, R-Ga.

The center was founded in 2007 by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker of Tennessee, Tom Daschle of South Dakota, Bob Dole of Kansas and George Mitchell of Maine.

BACK AT HOME

Members of Arkansas' delegation were home last week. The House and Senate return this week.

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Dardanelle, visited Oaklawn racing and gaming in Hot Springs and the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Hot Springs on Wednesday. On Thursday, he toured the Millard Henry Clinic in Russellville and the Remington ammunition plant. He also met with CHI St. Vincent Hospital executives and staff and spoke at the Fed-Ex groundbreaking in Little Rock.

He held a discussion about tourism Friday and visited Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville.

On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. French Hill, a Republican from Little Rock, visited the Arkansas Rice Depot and the Arkansas Foodbank and had an open house in Conway for constituents. Thursday he held an open house at his Little Rock office.

On Saturday, Hill was scheduled to attend the funeral of Army Cpl. C.G. Bolden, who died in 1951 while a prisoner of war in Korea. His remains were identified last month.

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, a Republican from Rogers, visited South Coast Baking Co., Cross Church Compassion Center and the Springdale School of Innovation on Wednesday. On Thursday he toured the Gerdau Steel Mill, attended the Fort Smith Chamber monthly lunch and spoke to the Van Buren High School student council and Junior ROTC members. Friday he visited Bella Vista businesses with Mayor Peter Christie.

U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, a Republican from Hot Springs, toured the University of Arkansas at Monticello and visited with Monticello Mayor Zackery Tucker and Drew County Judge Robert Akin on Tuesday. He also toured SEArk Boats and spoke at the Drew County Chamber of Commerce dinner in Monticello.

On Thursday, he visited second-grade school students and toured De Queen public schools before attending the opening of his Hot Springs office.

HILLARY CLINTON

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will give the keynote speech March 10 at the United Nations' Women's Empowerment Principles gathering in New York. The event marks 20 years since the Beijing Platform for Action, which came from the first major conference on women she attended as first lady and where she spoke on the treatment of women around the world.

According to Bloomberg Politics, Clinton will present the findings of a study by the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation scheduled to be released the day before titled "No Ceilings: The Full Participation Report."

INTERNS

Westerman is seek unpaid summer interns for his Hot Springs and Washington offices.

Applications are available at westerman.house.gov/services/internships/internship-form or by calling (202) 225-3772. The deadline is March 2.

HOME VISITS

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell on Thursday announced the agency had awarded $9.2 million to Arkansas to support the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. The funds will help expand the voluntary program which involves a health worker visiting pregnant women and parents with young children to teach them about nutrition, child abuse and preparing children for school.

Nationally, states, territories and nonprofits received $386 million.

4TH DISTRICT

Westerman's staff will answer constituents' questions Friday at 8 a.m. at Mansfield City Hall, 200 N. Seba Scott Ave.; at 10 a.m. at the Scott County Courthouse, 190 W. 1st St. in Waldron; at noon at the Polk County Courthouse, 507 Church Ave. in Mena; and at 2 p.m. at the Montgomery County Courthouse, 105 Hwy. 270 East in Mount Ida.

Westerman's staff members also are scheduled to hold information sessions for high school students interested in applying to military academies at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Ozark High School library, 1631 Hillbilly Drive and at 6 p.m. Thursday at Pine Bluff High School's little theater, 711 W. 11th Ave.

Planning to visit the nation's capital? Know something happening in Washington, D.C.? Contact us at (202) 662-7690 or ­swire­@arkansasonline.com.

Metro on 02/22/2015

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