Cotton Op-Ed: Building a Safer America is Arkansas’ Future

It's no secret that America's defense production has lagged for the last few decades. From Ukraine to Iran, even modest demands on our military have exposed cracks in America's ability to manufacture the weapons we need and to source materials for their production at sufficient scale.

 We have no choice: America must rebuild our arsenal of democracy. And Arkansas has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to become one of the best places to build that arsenal.

 Arkansas--with its business-friendly policies, talented workforce, abundant natural resources, training facilities, military bases, logistics companies, and production sites--already has the necessary components to succeed in the industry. In fact, The Wall Street Journal recently recognized Arkansas as a defense hub that attracts investment and economic growth.

 A prime example is Camden, which produces many of the missiles, rockets, and other munitions our nation desperately needs. Just last year, General Dynamics invested $110 million in a new facility for 155-mm rounds, which is expected to create nearly 200 jobs. L3Harris also broke ground on its new $400 million solid rocket-motor production campus. Notably, L3Harris will invest almost $200 million alongside Arkansas businesses as part of this expansion.

 Building on this momentum will require close cooperation between federal, state, and local officials, in addition to new partnerships with private industry. Thankfully, Arkansas leaders have a proven track record of such cooperation at the Pine Bluff Arsenal.

 For years, Pine Bluff Arsenal's proud World War II legacy had declined, a loss to both Arkansas and our nation. Last year, I worked with Secretary Pete Hegseth, Gov. Sarah Sanders, and my colleagues in Congress to reverse plans to downsize the arsenal and instead expand its capacity.

 But the call to save the arsenal started at the local level.

 White Hall Mayor Noel Foster has long led the charge to save the facility, and now, thanks to his leadership, Pine Bluff Arsenal is an essential part of the effort to rebuild America's munitions stockpiles. Using the type of public-private partnership I have long encouraged, the U.S. Army and Hanwha Defense USA just announced a new energetics facility at the arsenal.

 Pine Bluff is a prime example of what can happen when local leaders identify existing opportunities, state leaders rally behind it, Congress removes obstacles, and private industry supplies the capital and expertise.

 Beyond manufacturing, Arkansas has other defense assets that, if deployed in conjunction with our manufacturing strength, will contribute to a defense ecosystem that promotes further investment and economic growth.

 Take Ebbing Air National Guard Base. Working closely with Governor Sanders and the local community, our congressional delegation brought a new flying mission to Ebbing, and Arkansas now proudly trains our allies' pilots on the F-35 stealth fighter. Not only does this military mission bring billions of dollars to the surrounding community in the long term, but it also proves our state's ability to host similar missions in the future.

 The Natural State also has unique resources to secure strategic defense supply chains. For instance, Communist China dominates the global lithium trade, but south Arkansas' Smackover Formation has the potential to anchor our entire domestic production. Tapping into this natural resource will reduce our dependence on Communist China and bring hundreds of construction jobs, more than 100 long-term operating jobs, and nearly $1.5 billion in capital investment to Arkansas.

 Taken together, Camden, Pine Bluff, Ebbing, Little Rock Air Force Base, as well as our natural resources, are all drivers for defense investment in Arkansas. But more can be done.

 In Washington, I'm working hard to pass this year's defense bill, which includes my legislation to expand manufacturing at Camden, drive future growth at Pine Bluff Arsenal, and further develop the F-35 mission at Ebbing Air National Guard Base. And I'll continue to work with local officials and business leaders to do more.

 At the state and local level, we can work with our trade schools to expand training tailored to the needs of defense employers. We should accelerate permitting and site development for both manufacturing and natural resource extraction. And we should continue investing in our already strong transportation and energy infrastructure.

 For generations, America's security rested on its ability to outbuild its enemies, and now it must again. The question is where that rebuilding will happen. Arkansas has the workers, resources, installations, and businesses to do it.

 For our state, these investments don't merely mean hundreds of new jobs. They can mean a new generation of Arkansans who don't leave communities like Camden, Pine Bluff, or Fort Smith to find highly skilled, well-paying careers elsewhere. As these towns succeed in their efforts to build the arsenal of freedom, more opportunities will come to Arkansas communities.

 Let's get it done.