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ROSS AWARDS MEDAL, DISCUSSES POLITICS

By Erin France/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Tuesday, April 7, 2009 11:40 AM CDT

There’s a two-week break for the U.S. Congress and Arkansas’ 4th Congressional District Rep. Mike Ross said he plans to use the time well.

Rep. Mike Ross presents to Betty Bradshaw a Purple Heart, posthumously awarded to her brother, U.S. Army Private First Class Ivey G. Barnett. Pine Bluff Commercial/Erin France

“Not all of us are on the beach or on vacation,” he said.

Ross hosted a town hall forum Monday afternoon and awarded a Purple Heart posthumously to U.S. Army Private First Class Ivey G. Barnett.

Barnett’s sister, Betty Bradshaw, received the medal on behalf of her brother who died in Korea while he was a prisoner of war in 1951.

Ross also spoke about national matters and the federal government’s actions as a part of 35 Arkansas town hall meetings planned over the next two weeks.

“It’s time America restore pay-as-you-go spending rules,” Ross said.

He talked about stimulus funds which will go to Arkansas and their effect on the 4th Congressional District, which includes Southeast Arkansas.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes an estimated $500 million to modernize Arkansas’ transportation infrastructure.

“We’ve got the biggest share of the highway money,” Ross said of his district.

The stimulus funding will create or save about 7,300 jobs in the district and include public investments throughout the state, Ross said.

He answered questions from the audience which included concerns about energy, health care and earmarks.

One audience member berated congressional earmarks and their use.

“Greed starts in Washington, not Wall Street,” she said. “I think they should be outlawed.”

Ross said Congress has not done a good job of explaining the usefulness of earmarks. He provided examples to illustrate the good the recently much-aligned congressional technique has garnered.

“If we don’t earmark it ... then rural America will never be funded again.”

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