Hill awards agency
his Golden Fleece
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. French Hill has given his latest Golden Fleece Award to the Social Security Administration, criticizing the agency for overpaying beneficiaries of Social Security Disability Insurance and for opting, in many cases, not to seek repayment of the excess funds.
The Republican from Little Rock cited a 2016 report by the Government Accountability Office, which noted nearly $20 billion in overpayments between 2005 and 2014. The agency ultimately waived more than $2.4 billion of the amount it was due, rather than continuing to seek repayment, Hill said, citing the GAO reports.
In a letter to Nancy Berryhill, the administration's acting commissioner, Hill noted that the national debt is more than $20 trillion.
"Our federal agencies must be good stewards of our federal tax dollars, and I am committed to ensuring effective practices at our nation's federal agencies," Hill wrote.
The late U.S. Sen. William Proxmire, D-Wis., was the creator of the Golden Fleece Award, using it to highlight government spending that he considered wasteful.
After Hill's election to Congress in 2014, he resurrected the award.
State's 2011 speller
takes in year's bee
Jacob Elser, Arkansas' representative at the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee, was on hand for this year's competition as well in National Harbor, Md., just outside Washington, D.C.
The University of Notre Dame student from Fayetteville was a member of the bee's College Crew, a team of young workers who attend the event each year.
The 91st annual bee wrapped up Thursday.
Elser won the Arkansas tournament seven years ago by correctly spelling psalm, which the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines as "a sacred song or poem used in worship."
(His favorite, he later told the Arkansas Catholic, is Psalm 34, which declares: "I will bless the Lord at all times.")
"Psalm" was one of the words at this year's national spelling bee as well; the contestant exited the stage after getting it wrong.
Asked what it's like competing at the national bee, Elser said, "It's very nerve-racking."
"You have the stage lights just right on you. You have all the photographers ... in front of you snapping photos. You're onstage with some of the best spellers in the nation. The crowd is huge. It's a totally different experience than a local spelling bee," he added.
Bryant new aide in
Westerman's office
One year after interning for U.S. Sen. John Boozman, Madeline Bryant has returned to Capitol Hill, this time as a staff assistant for U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman.
Bryant started working for the Hot Springs Republican two weeks ago, shortly after graduating from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
The daughter of Phillip and Jennifer Bryant of Fort Smith, she attended Southside High School in Fort Smith. In Fayetteville, she majored in political science and minored in journalism.
Bryant, 22, said she's pleased to be back in Washington.
"I really enjoy the environment of the city and my office," she said.
Westerman also recently hired Melinda Boyer to work as a constituent representative at his office in El Dorado. Boyer, who earned her master's degree in human and social services from Walden University earlier this year, previously worked as an intern for U.S. Rep. Steve Womack in his Harrison office.
Other additions include Will Layden, a legislative assistant who specializes in natural resources and agriculture. Formerly a staff member at the House Natural Resources Committee, Layden replaces Cody Burkham, who is now executive vice president of the Arkansas Cattlemen's Association.
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.
SundayMonday on 06/03/2018