Womack seeks Appropriations Committee post

U.S. Rep.-elect Steve Womack, R-Rogers, is seeking a post on the powerful U.S. House Appropriations Committee, but is more interested in helping to cut spending than in delivering “pork” back to Arkansas and the 3rd Congressional District.

Womack, during a speech to about 200 gathered at the First Friday Breakfast organized by the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, said his goal is to go to Washington as the 3rd District Congressman “to be a difference maker in a troubled nation.”

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is Womack’s second choice, and the Armed Services Committee is his third choice.

Typically, freshmen members of the U.S. House are assigned to B committees and move up to A committees after being re-elected and gaining seniority in the House.

“Is it a long shot? Yes, it is,” Womack told the crowd.

Womack said the freshman class of Republicans “will change Washington more than any other class has ever been able to do,” and he wants on the Appropriations committee to help “shrink government and cut spending.”

“Most people get on that committee to bring pork back to their district, but my goal is 180 from that,” Womack explained.

Committee assignments are expected prior to Christmas, Womack said.

With 84 of the 93 House freshmen being Republicans and a possible change in the political dynamic, David Olive says it’s no longer impossible for a freshman House member from a “safe” Congressional district to be placed on the Appropriations Committee.

Olive is the founder of Catalyst Partners, a Washington D.C.-based government relations and public affairs firm. He previously served as chief of staff for then-U.S. Rep. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., in the 106th Congress.

Olive explained that prior to 2010, the party in power would place Members from unsafe Congressional districts — in terms of the chance of being re-elected — on the powerful committees so they could deliver earmarks back home “and use them to campaign on as a measure of effectiveness.” Now, the thinking is that Members from safe Congressional districts may be placed on the powerful committees to they can make the tough decisions with less political risk.

“In a pre-2010 world, it would have been almost impossible for a freshmen member from what is viewed as a relatively safe seat … for that freshmen to get an A committee,” Olive explained. “Fast forward to 2010, where the ability to deliver earmarks is now out of political favor, and where the prevailing wisdom for an Appropriation Committee member is not how much money they can take home to their district, but is literally how much can we cut the budget.”

Continuing, Olive noted: “So now, you can make an argument that the people you want on those committees are not in the endangered seats but are in the very safe seats … to withstand the political headwinds and the political pushback you are going to get.”

Womack said it is more likely he will be assigned to the Transportation & Infrastructure committee, where he will work to secure funding for Interstate 49.

I-49, when completed, would stretch from Texarkana, up through Dequeen, Mena and Waldron, into Fort Smith. All that stands in the way of this interstate reality is several small segments at the Arkansas-Louisiana and Arkansas Missouri borders and a large 185-mile segment between Texarkana and Fort Smith that posts a price tag of around $3 billion.

However, Womack said the country’s deficit and the Republican focus on getting the “financial house in order,” means I-49 funding will be tough to obtain.

“You’re going to have to be patient,” Womack told the Fort Smith crowd about getting significant dollars for I-49.

Womack also told the crowd that Beau Walker will be his chief of staff and Keri Wilkinson will be the 3rd District director and will be based in Rogers.