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Why I’m Running

My name is Bruce Westerman, and it is an honor to be serving as your Member of Congress from the Fourth District of Arkansas. It is a privilege to fight to make government more fair to you, the hardworking Arkansas taxpayer, and create an environment where we can grow good-paying jobs for Arkansas workers.

I am asking for your continued support as I fight to move Arkansas forward by pushing for lower taxes, reforming our healthcare system and advocating for conservative values. I hope you’ll join our campaign by liking our page and signing up to volunteer.

As a lifelong resident of Garland County, it is a privilege to be raising my family here. I ran for Congress to ensure that my children and your children have a brighter future as well as a federal government that treats them fairly. It is why I ran and why I serve in Congress today.

By continuing to work together, we will make a difference for Arkansas.

Meet Bruce

Deep-rooted in Arkansas, Bruce Westerman was born and raised in Garland County. He graduated from Fountain Lake High School in Hot Springs before attending the University of Arkansas where he played football for the Razorbacks.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological and Agricultural Engineering, he received his Master’s degree in forestry from Yale University.

For more than 22 years, Bruce worked in engineering and forestry at Mid-South Engineering in Hot Springs. Developing a passion for public service, Bruce served as a board member on the Fountain Lake School District.

That dedication to public service grew, and in 2010, he was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives. In 2012, Bruce was elected by his peers as the House Minority Leader, and in 2013 he became the first Republican House Majority Leader since Reconstruction. In the Arkansas legislature, Bruce championed conservative principles: lower taxes, limited government, and strong family values.

When the 4th Congressional District seat opened up in late 2013, Bruce was encouraged to take his conservative leadership to Congress. He won single-handedly, defeating both primary and general election opponents. In Washington, Congressman Westerman currently serves as Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, and is on the House Transportation Committee.

Issues

Less Hassle, More Freedom!

Reducing Regulations

As a member of Congress, I have helped roll back more than a dozen job-killing Obama-era regulations and stood up for Main Street in the face of an overreaching federal bureaucracy. As a result, we have not only seen record low unemployment, but real, inflation adjusted, economic growth and increases in the median household income that benefits families right here in Arkansas.

Lower Taxes & Fiscal Responsibility

The last thing we need to do is take more money from taxpayers to fund Washington, D.C. In order to create jobs and grow prosperity, we must keep taxes lower, so that individuals can invest into their small businesses and families can make ends meet. During my years as a Member of Congress, I was a part of the historic tax cuts that now allow Americans to keep more of their hard earned dollars in their own pockets.

Environmental Stewardship

As the only forester in the House of Representatives, I have been dedicated to restoring the health of our national forests. Arkansas is home to some of the most productive forests in the South, and we have to manage them properly. For several years in a row, the House of Representatives passed the Resilient Federal Forests Act, legislation I introduced to address forestry management issues throughout the country. I am proud that several pieces of this large forestry reform package have been signed into law. My policies promote science based management practices to care for our national forests. There are multiple success stories of science based forest management right here in Arkansas and our federal land managers need the freedom to create successes all across our beautiful country. Healthy forests mean both cleaner air and cleaner water…the two very indicators we use to measure environmental stewardship. Taking care of our forests should never be a partisan issue.

Healthcare

While unemployment is down, income is up, and our economy grows, Americans have been strapped with rising healthcare costs that are significantly outpacing inflation. Not only are citizens being burdened with higher healthcare costs, the federal deficit and debt continue to grow with healthcare being the largest driver of those costs. There is a better way and that is why I introduced the Fair Care Act in 2019 and will release an updated version in 2020. The goal of the Fair Care Act is simple; cover more Americans and lower the costs they pay for healthcare both through their private plans and the public health insurance they fund through their tax dollars. This can be done while ensuring that pre-existing conditions are covered. The Fair Care Act focuses on five areas:

  • Private insurance
  • Public insurance
  • Prescription drugs
  • Provider competition
  • Innovation

You can find full legislative text of the Fair Care Act and a section by section summary of the Fair Care Act.

Many of the policies contained in the Fair Care Act are bipartisan, and when the United States Congress gets serious about fixing healthcare and making it work for American citizens then I’m confident many, if not all, the ideas contained in the Fair Care Act will become the law of the land.