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Your browser does not support the audio element. This is "Arkies in the Beltway" for the week of Nov. 9, 2025! I'm Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions. [Click here to listen to the podcast.] Arkansas will deploy around 100 Arkansas National Guard members to Washington, D.C., after Thanksgiving to assist with the Trump administration's efforts to address crime in the nation's capital. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office described the deployment as "part of a routine rotational relief" of other National Guard units already in Washington. The assignment will be supported through federal funding. STORY: Sanders announces deployment of roughly 100 Arkansas National Guardsmen to Washington D.C. STORY: Cost of Arkansas National Guard’s deployment to D.C. gets ‘very loose estimate’ of $24,000 per day The federal government shutdown continues, leaving many government employees without paychecks for another week. The U.S. Constitution mandates senators and House members receive "compensation for their services," but three members of the Arkansas congressional delegation — Republican Reps. French Hill, Steve Womack and Bruce Westerman — have asked for their pay to be withheld amid the ongoing funding lapse. STORY: Hill, Womack, Westerman oppose paychecks during government shutdown STORY: Womack acknowledges ‘clerical error’ in receiving paycheck during shutdown
