Press Releases

Congressman French Hill (R-AR) and Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) have called upon Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) to assist in lifting the hold placed on their bill that would expand the historic site at Little Rock Central High School, the site of integration by the Little Rock Nine 60 years ago.

Their bill, the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act, H.R. 2611, would extend the historic site’s boundaries to include seven homes along South Park Street, preserving the streetscape that provided the backdrop to this significant event in Arkansas history. Doing so would allow visitors to the site to site to picture the tranquil street and architecturally significant façade as it looked in 1957. H.R. 2611 passed the House unanimously by a vote of 390-0 on September 12, 2017, and it is languishing in the U.S. Senate.

“I’m calling on the leadership of Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to lift the hold on our bill and allow it to pass the Senate and go to the President’s desk for signature,” said Rep. Hill. “Preserving the streetscape on South Park Street as close to what it was in 1957 will serve as a historic reminder for all modern-day travelers retracing the steps of the civil rights movement. It’s vitally important that together with the high school, these historical homes are able to stand as living monuments to the civil rights movement in Arkansas and the United States.”

Additional Information:

H.R. 2611 was placed on the Senate “Hotline” calendar after passing in the U.S. House, but it has been delayed due to a hold being placed on the bill. Without the hold, it would be able to pass the Senate by unanimous consent to be sent to the President for signature.

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