Congressman Arrington discusses Olney & reelection in one-on-one interview
As U.S. Congressman Jodey Arrington (R-TX 19th District) was gearing up to make an official announcement to let constituents know that he is running for reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives, he took time for a one-on-one interview Friday, Nov. 22. The discussion began with his thoughts about his visit to Olney in August. Congressman Arrington’s visit to Olney was relative to his participation in the “Small Business Challenge” for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) hosted by Tower Extrusions.
“I had the privilege of spending time with Mark McClelland and the good people at Tower in Olney. I got more involved with what they do than I had initially anticipated,” said Arrington referring to the opportunity he had to work with the CNC machine at his assigned workstation. “The people I met are the salt of the earth, and I left Olney inspired by the people at Tower. They are why I get up every day and do what I do.”
Arrington began his term in the 19th Congressional District in 2016, and he has served on multiple committees involved with issues relevant to Olney residents, including; the House Agriculture Committee and the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, among others. He is currently serving on the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has jurisdiction over programs like Social Security and Medicare. Arrington shares his thoughts on his role in Congress during his third term.
“It is an honor to be a strong voice for rural America in our nation’s capital. The biggest job is to communicate the importance of rural America to my colleagues. Hundreds of people come to us every year to help with various issues, and that is the rewarding part of the job. At least I feel like we are still helping folks back home,” said Arrington.
Arrington said he could relate to Olney residents because he grew up in a small town in West Texas, and it comes naturally to talk about all things rural. “We have to fight and speak up to ensure our interests are heard in our nation’s capital and the values of the folks in small-town USA,” Arrington said. “If I am sent back to D.C., I will continue to fight for our values.”
Since Arrington’s tenure in Congress, he has introduced “35 pieces of legislation and co-sponsored 246 bills, passed eight pieces of legislation through the House of Representatives—three of which have become law, passed the Bill Mulder Transition Improvement Act to ease Veterans’ transition to civilian life and the workforce, passed the Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act and the ShopRx Act to reduce the price of drugs for Medicare recipients, and passed a budget to reduce federal spending.”
In addition to his passion for rural America, Arrington is an advocate for men and women in the military. While serving in Congress, Arrington lists accomplishments such as his writing letters on behalf of the military, resolving 1,272 fundamental issues with 69% of those issues related to veterans and senior citizens, and making the most substantial investment in more than a decade to rebuild America’s military. Considering Arrington’s advocacy efforts for the military, coupled with President Trump’s recent decision to pardon three U.S. soldiers, it was a natural progression to discuss the Raven 23 project that has impacted an Olney family. Arrington said he was aware of President Trump’s recent pardon but does not have an in-depth knowledge of Raven 23.
“I was not familiar with the case when I was first approached. I’m aware that President Trump just pardoned soldiers; he understands that sometimes decisions in battle are mistakes that don’t make you criminal. We ask the soldiers to do different tasks in an almost impossible environment. We have an obligation to support our troops, and I agree with that principle. I love our troops, and I want that principle applied to all troops whether they are from our District or not,” said Arrington.
Arrington will be listed on the March 3, 2020, Republican Primary ballot in Texas’ 19th Congressional District. Arrington said in a press release related to his reelection, “Thanks to the prayers and tremendous support back home, we are successfully advancing freedom and diminishing Washington’s influence, but more work remains to secure the blessings of liberty and opportunity for our children,” said Arrington. West Texans want and deserve real solutions. I am confident that I will continue to have their support as we work to strengthen trade deals for our producers, put patients – not government – back at the center of our health care system, remove burdensome regulations for our energy producers, and promote freedom and prosperity for the next generation of West Texans and Americans.”