Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders told more than 400 people gathered Wednesday at the Hilton Garden Inn in Texarkana that the emerging lithium industry has the potential to change things not only in South Arkansas but the entire state, providing new jobs, strengthening the nation's supply chain and positioning Arkansas as a global leader in a critical industry.

Sanders delivered the keynote address opening the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce's State of Lithium Summit, where business leaders, elected officials, educators and industry representatives gathered to more precisely understand the opportunities presented by lithium development in South Arkansas.

Sanders began by noting that the event coincided with Texarkana serving as Arkansas' "Capital for a Day."

"That means a lot more than just signing a proclamation and making a declaration," Sanders said. "We bring our entire team down: cabinet secretaries, agency leads and my staff spend the entire day here meeting with people from the community, highlighting the key things and unique areas that make a town special, hearing directly from citizens on areas that we need to work on and how we can better support them."

She also reflected on her family's connection to Texarkana. "Today is the 30th anniversary of the day that my dad was sworn in as the governor of Arkansas," she said. "It's a very full-circle moment to be back in Texarkana, connecting with so many old friends who were there on the first days of him taking office."

She recalled growing up in the city before her family moved to Little Rock. "When my parents told us we were moving into the Governor's Mansion in Little Rock, I told them at the age of 13 I was old enough to take care of myself and I would be staying behind and living with my friends," Sanders said. "Obviously, that didn't happen."

Turning to the summit's subject, Sanders said Arkansas is positioned to become a major force in lithium production. "I really believe Arkansas is standing on the edge of a transformational change to our economy," she said. "We have the potential to supply up to 19 million tons of lithium, which is more than 20 percent of the global demand."

She said state leaders are looking beyond extraction alone. "Arkansas is ready to be a leader not just in lithium extraction, but in upstream and midstream manufacturing as well."

Sanders said Arkansas' greatest strength is its people. "I've always believed that Arkansas has a resource that we can count on above all others," she said. "You may be surprised to hear it's not timber or rice or steel or even lithium. It's the great men and women who call this state home."

She illustrated that point with the story of Angela Meadows who, she explained, went back to school for work in the lithium industry after seeing an online advertisement for South Arkansas College's Catalyst Program while waiting with her mother during surgery.

"It was completely out of character, but something compelled her to apply," Sanders said. "During the day, she continued to work as a custodian, and two nights a week, she drove to El Dorado to learn how to be a chemical operator in the lithium industry."

Sanders said it did not take long for Meadows to reap benefits from the program. "After just four months in class, she doubled her income, which was life-changing for her family. Now she's not just investing in her own household; she's contributing to a great industry and helping our whole state thrive."

She said stories like Meadows' illustrate the broader goal of workforce development. "The future … looks like Angela, someone who is retrained, given the tools to succeed, and is building up both her own life and the lives of those around her."

Sanders pointed to initiatives her administration has undertaken to prepare workers for emerging industries. "We created an employer and job seeker site called Arkansas Launch. Think of it kind of like a sophisticated LinkedIn that connects the workers you need with the jobs that they need to fill, and it also helps them identify training and certification and the funding to help get it."

Following up on the subject of education, she cited improvements in student performance following education reforms. "Thanks to the Arkansas Learns Act, a report came out just this last month that showed Arkansas students' achievement rose 20 percent across every single grade in every subject we test for. That is incredible. In just three years, our kids are making lightning moves forward."

Critics have said the improvements she cites are real but other causes could be responsible for the rise in test scores.

Sanders said lithium development also has implications for preserving the American way of life. "As much as lithium is a local economic issue, we also know it's a global national security issue as well."

She said the United States must reduce its dependence on China for lithium production. "In fact, China currently controls more than two thirds of the global lithium supply chain. The threat of Communist China is why I was the first governor in the country to kick them off of our farmland and out of our state. But now we need to replace their supply chains with our own, grown right here in Arkansas."

She closed by thanking those investing in the industry and pledging the state's support. "You're not just investing in our state; you're making America stronger and safer from our adversaries," Sanders said. "Under my leadership, the state of Arkansas will be a ready and capable partner every step of the way."

Stories on the panel discussions at the State of Lithium event and a tour of Energy X’s facility in Hooks, Texas will appear in the next few days