Washington news in brief

Arkansas delegation remembers Dickey

WASHINGTON -- The congressmen from each of Arkansas' four districts stood on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday and noted the April 20 death of their friend, former U.S. Rep. Jay Dickey.

U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs was the one who spoke, paying tribute to his predecessor in the 4th Congressional District.

Since it was carved out in the 1870s, the 4th District had never sent a Republican to Capitol Hill, so Dickey broke new ground with his election in 1992, Westerman said.

But party label wasn't a deal-breaker for the trailblazing Pine Bluff attorney and fast-food franchisee.

"Regardless of the political party, he was the representative of all Arkansans and he genuinely cared about people," Westerman said.

Members of the House also paused for a moment of silence in Dickey's memory before resuming their business.

In the other chamber, U.S. Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton offered their own speeches that paid Dickey homage.

Fort Smith pastor gives Senate prayer

Marty Sloan, the pastor at Harvest Time church in Fort Smith, gave the morning prayer Thursday in the U.S. Senate chambers.

U.S. Rep. John Boozman, R- Ark., had invited the minister and arranged for him to appear.

"It was a great experience," the minister said.

While in Washington, Sloan attended a Wednesday night prayer service on Capitol Hill and said he was encouraged by what he witnessed there.

Guest chaplains' prayers are reviewed and approved ahead of time, he said.

"I think they do that to keep prayers from being political agendas," he explained. "I had a written prayer that I submitted and stuck to it line to line the best I could."

He was allotted up to 90 seconds, but said his prayer was a lot shorter than that.

"That's the best way to get invited back, I think," he joked.

D.C. reception held for electric co-ops

Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc. held its big annual reception in Washington on Tuesday.

Co-op officials from Arkansas and across the country go to Washington each spring. For decades, one of the high points has been a gathering for fellow Arkansans.

People flocked to the top floor of the W Hotel, which overlooks the White House.

The food was fancy and the music was provided by U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford and his band, called Triple Nickel.

The Republican lawmaker from Jonesboro strummed a guitar. His play list included at least two John Mellencamp songs, "Little Pink Houses" and "Hurts So Good," plus Alan Jackson's hit, "She's Gone Country."

Arkansans in the crowd included former U.S. Sen. Tim Hutchinson and Colette Honorable, who sits on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Guests were given "Arkansocks" -- green and white argyle socks. Instead of diamond shapes, they were emblazoned with tiny maps of Arkansas.

The electric co-op officials were in town for a conference, joining roughly 2,000 of their colleagues from across the country.

"We usually have about 100-120 come every year from Arkansas, and it's a chance for us to go up on the Hill and meet with the members of our delegation and let them know about the issues that are important to us," said Kirkley Thomas, Arkansas Electric Cooperatives' vice president of government affairs.

The reception has become kind of an institution for Arkansans in the nation's capital and always draws a crowd.

"We've been doing this for, I would say, at least 40 years or longer," Thomas said.

Planning to visit the nation's capital? Know something happening in Washington, D.C.? Please contact Frank Lockwood at (202) 662-7690 or [email protected]. Want the latest from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Washington bureau? It's available on Twitter, @LockwoodFrank.

Metro on 04/30/2017

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