Contact our Campaign:
479-858-8033
jcloudmd@gmail.com
Elect Dr. Joe Cloud for State Representative
PO Box 1441
Russellville, AR 72811
Committed and Conservative. Join our campaign today!
479-858-8033
jcloudmd@gmail.com
Elect Dr. Joe Cloud for State Representative
PO Box 1441
Russellville, AR 72811
The dedication of our doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals is nothing short of heroic. They are saving lives, easing pain, and creating a better future for Arkansas. These individuals continue to come into work every day, despite the risks they face.
During this season of thanksgiving, we want to send a special thank you to individuals on the front lines. More than 80,000 healthcare practitioners and technical healthcare workers call Arkansas home. And it continues to be a growing industry. The 2020 Arkansas Labor and Economic Report listed registered nurses, nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, and medical assistants as some of the state’s top in-demand occupations.
The Governor recently created the COVID-19 Winter Task Force and appointed 19 physicians, state officials, and health care executives to advise him as to the needs of the medical community during this time. One of the challenges hospitals face right now is sufficient staffing. In an effort to address that challenge, the state will be expediting the licensure process for more than 1,000 graduating nursing students.
While a state task force continues to find ways to meet the needs of frontline workers, there are ways all of us can help. If you have a friend or neighbor who works in healthcare, offer to pick up groceries or deliver a meal. Many healthcare workers are being asked to take on extra hours, so a little help at home could go a long way.
The best way we can support our healthcare workers now is to do our part. By staying home when possible, practicing social distancing, and wearing a mask in public, we can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep the virus from overwhelming our healthcare providers.
Good to see you posting again Dr Cloud hope and pray you are back to normal !!!,
My heartfelt and sincere thank you to everyone, literally worldwide, for your many expressions of concern and for the prayers on my behalf!!
THANK YOU!
So thankful you are doing better. Praying you continue to improve.😀
Continued prayers for you Dr. Cloud. 🙏🏻💙
Glad you’re continuing to improve. We’ll continue to pray.
Thank you for the update. I’m so happy you are doing better. Praying you to get better every day.
So thankful. We have been praying and will continue to pray. ❤🙏
Good to see you snd hear that you are improving. Continued prayers your lungs will clear up.
Thank you for the update. Praying.
So glad you are better my friend. May the Lord continue to bless you.
JUST FOUND THIS. HOPE YOU ARE BETTER! Cathy (Lee) Stokes...family friend from childhood.
So, so glad to see your face and hear your voice!!! We are still praying daily for all your strength to return.
You have certainly been in our constant prayers these last weeks. It is so good to see and hear that you are in treatment that is helping and making a difference. We continue to lift you up Dr. Joe Cloud.
SO very happy to see this and hear that you are improving! Looking forward to the day we can see you in person!
We are so thankful you are improving. Continued prayers for clear lungs.
Wonderful news!!! I praise God for you and your continued healing. Thank you for you service to our state during the difficult time.
Thanks so much for the update, so good to see you better! Continuing to pray for God's healing and his protection over you!
Great news Joe. Will keep you in my prayers. God bless.
Great news!!! Prayers answered!
I’m praying still! Complete healing🙏🏻. You are one of my hero’s in faith❣️ I love you and your family so much.
Continued prayers! So glad to hear you are better!!!
God Bless you, Joe! So good to see you and hear from you that you are improving. We will continue to pray for a complete healing!
Praying for you Joe❤️
Many prayers and good thoughts for you Dr. Cloud! 🙏🏼🙏🏼
You have been in our constant thoughts and prayers, Dr.Cloud! So grateful to see your face and hear your voice. Prayers continue.
Continued Prayers for your healing🙏🏻
Joe, it is so good to see your face and hear your voice! Bill and I are still praying for complete healing!🙏🏼
The 2021 Regular Session begins in less than two months. We want to take this week to update you on the ongoing budget hearings in preparation for the session.
Pre-session budget hearings have been extended. They began last month and will continue from now to November 19.
This week, members were presented with the General Revenue Forecast and the Governor's Balanced Budget Proposal.
The Governor's plan calls for a reduction of sales tax on vehicles priced less than $10,000. His proposal also calls for a reduction in the income tax rate for new residents moving into Arkansas.
The proposal includes recommendations for one-time funding from the $240 million expected budget surplus. Those recommendations include a transfer of $100 million to the Long Term Reserve Fund and a $30 million transfer to the Department of Commerce for rural broadband.
By law, the Governor is required to submit a balanced budget proposal. While we take the proposal from the executive branch into consideration, appropriation bills and the budget are ultimately drafted and voted on by the legislature.
The House and Senate Education Committees have recommended an increase of $99.7 million in funding for k-12 education for the next fiscal year. The committees recommended an increase of $86.9 million for Fiscal Year 2023.
Currently, state funding is $6,985 per student. The committees' recommendation increases the amount to $7,131 next year and to $7,281 in Fiscal Year 2023. The committees' proposal is also reflected in the Governor's proposed budget.
This week, the Department of Finance and Administration issued its economic forecast. For the next fiscal year, the department expects state revenue to increase by $172 million or 3% more than the current fiscal year. The short-term outlook for the Arkansas economy remains mixed. The forecast states there are noticeable lags in recovery by travel, conventions, and full-service restaurants.
As a reminder, members can begin filing bills for the upcoming legislative session on Monday, November 16. You will find a link to all recently filed legislation on our website, www.arkansashouse.org. We have also posted the General Revenue Forecast and the Governor's Balanced Budget.
The 2021 Regular Session begins on January 11.
LET THERE BE NO HATE CRIME BILLS IN ARKANSAS – They are unconstitutional, morally wrong, and are yet further steps toward communism. The US Constitution equal protection clause makes it illegal for any state to enact such laws: “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS” (Amendment 14, Article 1). There ought to be no specially-protected “classes.” Supporters of hate crime laws are the real-world equivalents to the pigs (Stalinist-Communists) in “Animal Farm” who changed the law from "All animals are equal" to "Some animals are more equal than others."
This year, returning House members and members-elect will make their committee selection for the 2021 Regular Session just days after the election.
A House caucus has been scheduled for November 6.
During the caucus, newly elected members will draw for seniority and all members will select their seats for the 93rd General Assembly. After seat selection, the committee selection process will begin.
The vast majority of legislation considered during a legislative session begins in a standing committee.
There are 10 standing committees in the House. These include 5 class “A” committees and 5 class “B” committees.
Each member serves on 1 “A” committee and 1 “B” committee.
Class “A” committees include:
· Education
· Judiciary
· Public Health, Welfare and Labor
· Public Transportation
· Revenue and Taxation
Class “B” Committees include:
· Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs
· Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development
· City, County and Local Affairs
· Insurance and Commerce
· State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
Each standing committee consist of 20 members which include 5 members from each of the 4 House district caucuses.
Pursuant to a House Rule adopted by the 92nd General Assembly, the most senior member of the House of Representatives will select first and will choose a position on a Class “A” standing committee. The seniority rotation procedure will continue until the member with the least seniority makes his or her selection. After the member with the least seniority makes his or her Class “A” standing committee selection, the most senior member will select his or her Class “B” standing committee. The seniority rotation will continue until the member with the least seniority selects his or her Class “B” standing committee.
Selection for the House Budget Committee, Arkansas Legislative Council, and Legislative Joint Auditing will take place after standing committee selection. The Speaker of the House has the authority to make adjustments to committee membership only for the purpose of adjusting the majority to minority party ratio on the standing committees. Final committee memberships will be announced during House Orientation held the first week of December.
You can watch the committee selection process live at arkansashouse.org.
October is breast cancer awareness month. This is an opportunity to remind Arkansans of the importance of mammograms for early detection and lifestyle changes that could help prevent cancer.
Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early when it is easier to treat, and before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms.
It is important to still get checked for breast cancer regularly, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. As long as you’re not feeling sick or having any COVID-19 symptoms, experts say it’s safe to get a mammogram.
In 2017, there were 2,163 new breast cancer cases and 414 cancer deaths in the state. However, Arkansas is ranked as one of the lowest states (37th) for breast cancer screening, according to the CDC Wonder (2018).
Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women.
In 2017, the General Assembly passed Act 708, which ensures that insurance policies cover annual mammograms for women over 40. It also ensures that 3D mammograms or ultrasounds are covered for women with dense breast tissue. While traditional mammograms are effective for many women, the ultrasound can detect changes in women with dense breast tissue.
Only about 5–10% of breast cancers are believed to be hereditary, meaning they’re caused by abnormal changes in certain genes passed from parent to child.
The vast majority of people who get breast cancer have no family history, suggesting that other factors must be at work, such as environment and lifestyle.
If you are uninsured or underinsured, you may qualify for a free or low-cost mammogram through the Arkansas BreastCare program.
BreastCare’s mission is to increase the rate of early detection of breast and cervical cancer and reduce the morbidity and mortality rates among women in Arkansas by lowering barriers to screening that result from lack of information, financial means, or access to quality services.
It is funded by the Arkansas Department of Health with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Arkansas Tobacco Excise Tax.
For more information, visit www.healthy.arkansas.gov.
