Week of Feb. 2, 2025

This is "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of February 2, 2025! I'm Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions. As members of the U.S. House of Representatives spent time away from the nation's capital, the Senate remained busy considering President Donald Trump's picks for his administration. Tulsi Gabbard, a former congresswoman representing Hawaii, appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee to discuss her nomination as director of national intelligence. Republican and Democratic senators pressed Gabbard on her past actions and comments, including a 2017 meeting with then-Syrian President Bashar Assad amid his country's civil war. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee. He sought answers from Gabbard regarding possible changes impacting bureaucracy within the intelligence community. STORY: Tom Cotton hopes Tulsi Gabbard can be ally in confronting intelligence bureaucracy Thanks for checking out this week's episode of "Arkies in the Beltway!" You can stay up to date with all Arkansas news at ArkansasOnline.com, or follow me on BlueSky for developments from the nation's capital!