District Update | June 24, 2016
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U.S. Congressman French Hill
Dear Friends,

On Monday night, I went on “Lou Dobbs Tonight” to recap my findings from my recent trip to the U.S.-Mexico Border in San Diego, California. This was my third border trip, having visited El Paso, Texas, in April of last year and Laredo, Texas, last October.

I made each of these visits with an open mind and a desire to hear from the experts on the ground where the lapses in our border security are and to explore ideas that will make America safer from external threats.

I walked away from my first two visits to the border with a better understanding of the incredibly difficult job of the men and women on the ground. Laredo is one of our Nation's largest ports, with 25,000 trucks and 17,000 pedestrians legally crossing the border there every day for commerce. Coordinating that effort requires a lot of man power and a lot of resources, and I am committed to working with my colleagues in Congress to ensure Customs and Border Patrol Agents have what they need to do their jobs effectively.

But all the resources in the world won't offset bad policy. I saw firsthand the dangers of bad policy being carried out by an administration that does not appear to understand the perils of significant gaps in border security.

As I discussed in my interview with Lou Dobbs, people from all over the world are traveling to Mexico, throwing away their travel documents, arriving at our border, and taking advantage of American goodwill and laws by claiming "credible fear" of persecution in their home country.

America needs to remain a beacon of hope for those who want to flee a life of persecution in another country. However, that process must be carried out in a way that protects those who are already living here from those who want to abuse our laws and cause harm to the American people.

Congressman Jason Chaffetz of Utah has introduced HR 1153, the Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act, which would tighten the “credible fear” standard asylum seekers must meet in an effort to reduce fraud and abuse. This is good legislation that would address the critical security risks that currently exist because of the weakness of the vetting process for those claiming credible fear.



I invite you to go to my Facebook page and leave your thoughts on this troubling situation that is happening at our Southwest Border.

Sincerely,


Representative French Hill

Photos for the Week


Rep. Hill visits with constituents at the Juneteenth Celebration at Bigelow Rosenwald Community Cultural Center.

Rep. Hill speaking at the academy send-off ceremony for those heading off to service academies this fall.

News for the Week

Little Rock VA solar panels still off; delayed for fourth time
KATV
Little Rock VA hospital officials say they will not meet the July deadline to turn on solar panels, marking yet another delay in the project. The VA now tells Channel 7 News the panels are not expected to be turned on until the end of 2016. The more than 7,000 solar panels were constructed in 2013 and have been sitting there turned off since being built. The solar panels were built for $8 million dollars to eventually save the VA money in energy costs.
Read More

Hill introduces bill to modernize, protect Social Security Disability Insurance
Ripon Advance
Legislation recently introduced by U.S. Rep. French Hill (R-AR) would modernize disability classifications under Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) to incentivize recovered beneficiaries in returning to work. The SSDI Return to Work Act, H.R. 5409, would direct the Social Security Administration (SSA) commissioner to develop a system...
Read More
 


Restoring the Constitution

Last Thursday, Rep. Hill joined Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers for a press conference on the House's plan to restore the Congressional powers enumerated by the Constitution and to stop the administration's reckless executive overreach.

Click the image below to watch Rep. Hill's speech:

Here Rep. Hill's full remarks from the event:

"Good morning. I am French Hill and I represent the Second Congressional District in Arkansas. And this is a day we get to remind ourselves that 50 percent of the words in the Constitution relate to Article 1. Clearly the Founders considered the Legislative Branch the preeminent branch, the First Branch.

"And as James Madison said in Federalist 51, all three branches are in competition, and when one gets a little too ambitious, the others need to counter that ambition. And today’s project is all about countering the ambition of the Executive Branch.

"As a businessman for over three decades from Arkansas, I’ve seen first hand the negative effects of an Executive Branch that bypasses Congress to either propose their own rules or enforce laws in ways that were not intended, all without input of the American people.

"One example I’ve seen recently is dumbfounding to me and that’s the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule. In Arkansas, it was enjoined with nine other states from being implemented.

"But implemented it is being, by the coercive effect of federal representatives to make private land owners incorporate the WOTUS rule into everything they do now, even though it is not the law of the land. That is federal overreach.

"In his final State of the Union address, the President made a point to characterize that too much regulation out of Washington is too burdensome on the American people. Well Mr. President, the WOTUS rule is a prime example of over regulation.

"The law never intended for federal micromanaging of streams and ponds on private lands and farms in Arkansas. These are the types of situations we need to tackle in this Congress, and as Congress follows our proposals today for a Better Way, we will successfully reassert our authority under Article 1.

"I congratulate Cathy Morris Rodgers, I am proud to work on this project, and wish all the best for its success."
Hill Votes for the Iranian Leadership Transparency Act

On Thursday, the House Financial Services Committee voted to pass H.R. 5461, the Iranian Leadership Transparency Act. The bill would require the Treasury Secretary to develop and post online a list estimating the “funds and assets” held by senior Iranian political and military leaders, along with a description of how they acquired the assets and how those assets are employed.

Click the image below to watch Rep. Hill's speech in favor of H.R. 5461:
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