assistance

A rainbow arcs over storm damage along Shackleford Road as employees of Summit Energy worked to turn off damaged gas lines. A tornado plowed through west Little Rock Friday, March 31, 2023, damaging hundreds of homes and businesses. (John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate)

Sanders adds $1 million in state money for June 25 disaster relief

BY: - November 20, 2023

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has authorized $1 million in state funds to provide additional disaster relief in Arkansas, Faulkner, Lonoke, Mississippi, Poinsett, Pope and Pulaski counties stemming from instances of severe weather on June 25. Sanders announced the availability of the money in a Nov. 17 amendment to her earlier disaster declaration. The funds come […]

Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023 with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (U.S. State Department photo)

With violence raging in Israel, U.S. citizens to be flown out on charters

BY: - October 12, 2023

As the death toll in Israel rises, the Biden administration will provide charter flights to help U.S. citizens leave the country and continued Thursday to pledge unconditional support for the Middle East ally in the aftermath of an attack by the militant group Hamas. The number of Americans killed in Hamas’ attack that began Saturday […]

Iowa farmland stretches to the horizon in 2019. (Lyle Muller / Investigate Midwest IowaWatch)

Agriculture leaders urge a stronger farm safety net at U.S. Senate farm bill hearing

BY: - May 2, 2023

WASHINGTON — Farm and commodity trade association leaders lobbied for updating commodity programs and strengthening crop insurance programs at a Tuesday hearing of the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry committee.  The industry officials said federal crop insurance and the Department of Agriculture’s Price Loss Coverage and Agriculture Risk Coverage programs are not serving as […]

Barbara Williams points out the damage to her home and said glass from the window behind her somehow missed her when the tornado struck on Friday, March 31, 2023. She was pulling belongings from her home on Cobble Hill Road Monday afternoon, April 3. (John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate)

Food benefits available to some Arkansans affected by tornadoes

BY: - April 24, 2023

Tornado-affected residents of Cross, Lonoke and Pulaski counties may be eligible for help obtaining food under the USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP), state and federal officials announced Monday. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said approximately 1,600 households that may not normally be eligible under regular Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rules may qualify for […]

COMMENTARY

Time is running out to get ACA health coverage; Jan. 15 is deadline

BY: - January 11, 2023

If you don’t have health insurance — or just want to explore your options — go to healthcare.gov on or before Jan. 15 to get covered with affordable health insurance now. Having and keeping good quality affordable health care is personal for me. The Affordable Care Act saved my life. In 2017, I walked into […]

The Biden administration is asking Congress for another $28 billion for aid to Ukraine. Shown here are rescue workers at the scene of a missile strike in Kyiv on Nov. 15, 2022. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

White House asks Congress for billions in Ukraine, COVID-19 funding during lame-duck session

BY: - November 15, 2022

WASHINGTON —  The Biden administration on Tuesday asked Congress for billions more in funding this year to address COVID-19 and the ongoing war in Ukraine, suggesting lawmakers attach it to a spending bill that must pass before Dec. 16.  The $9 billion request for COVID-19 operations and nearly $38 billion in additional relief for Ukraine […]