Dear Friend,

I am committed to bringing Americans home and reuniting families.

Over two years ago, I learned about Majd Kamalmaz who was being held captive in Syria. A former Arkansas resident, he was arrested in Syria in 2017 while attending a family member’s funeral. I felt it was my duty to act on behalf of the Kamalmaz family to do what I could to bring Majd home. I have met with the Kamalmaz family on several occasions and, as reported by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, had the honor of hosting Majd’s son, Khalid, during President Trump’s 2019 State of the Union Speech.

According to the James Foley Legacy Foundation, there are more than 50 publicly known Americans wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad.

I continue to do everything I can to help bring Americans home, and I was inspired by the courage of families with loved ones held abroad, like the Kamalmaz family. That is why I launched the American Hostage Task Force - to bring our Americans home. I hosted a press conference with Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL) announcing the launch of the American Hostage Task Force and Americans Wrongfully Detained Abroad on Thursday, and I hope that the mission behind this task force will resonate through the halls of Congress.

CELEBRATING GREAT OUTDOORS MONTH IN ARKANSAS

Today, I had the honor of joining Governor Hutchinson and Stacy Hurst, Secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, to announce increased outdoor recreation opportunities in Arkansas through partnerships at Blue Mountain with The Nature Conservancy and at Lake Sylvia with the Ouachita National Forest. Currently, outdoor recreation in the Natural State supports around 96,000 jobs with an estimated combined wages or salaries of $2.5 billion.

This month is Great Outdoors Month, and I want to encourage Arkansans to get outside and explore all that the Natural State has to offer from Pinnacle Mountain State Park and Hot Springs National Park to the Buffalo National River. As a ninth generation Arkansan and lifelong outdoorsman, I have had the privilege of exploring our state for quite some time and want to preserve its natural beauty.

I am also proud to be a cosponsor of the Trillion Trees Act, a bill introduced by fellow Arkansan, Rep. Bruce Westerman, which aims to plant 1 trillion trees around the globe to aid in carbon sequestration. I am also a member of the International Conservation Caucus, Scouting Caucus, and Sportsman’s Caucus to protect and conserve our natural lands and promote outdoor recreational activities.

I have been dedicated to conserving the lands of our country throughout my time in Congress. In 2019, I hosted a tree planting ceremony at the U.S. Capitol honoring President Theodore Roosevelt and his remarkable contributions to conservation.

I have always said that being a conservationist is about protecting our environment through reasonable and realistic means, and I am proud to continue my work on behalf of central Arkansans. I hope you and your loved ones will disconnect from technology during Great Outdoors Month and join me in celebrating all the Natural State has to offer.

You can read more about my conservation efforts in the Log Cabin Democrat HERE.

ICYMI: TELE-TOWN HALL

Last Tuesday night, I hosted a telephone town hall to hear from you about what matters most to you and your family. I discussed a broad range of pressing topics such as the economy and the rising costs of common goods like gasoline and groceries, President Biden's budget proposal, the ongoing crisis at our southern border, and other key issues facing central Arkansans.

Thank you to everyone for tuning in and proposing great questions for me to field. If you missed the telephone town hall, click the image below to watch it in full.

WOUNDED WARRIOR FELLOWSHIP APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN

My Little Rock office is looking for veterans to serve in my office as part of the Wounded Warrior Fellowship Program. The two-year paid fellowship will provide veterans with experience and exposure to broaden their career opportunities. Those selected for the program will be given the opportunity to transition into full-time employment, as members of my current staff have previously.

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter along with your most recent DD214 and a letter from the VA indicating a 30% or greater disability rating to housewoundedwarriors@mail.house.gov. Fellows will help central Arkansans with matters before the federal government, including the Veterans Administration, and community organizations on behalf of central Arkansans.

To learn more about the Wounded Warrior Fellowship Program, please click HERE.

URGENT PASSPORT UPDATE

The Department of State just announced that passport processing time will now take 18 weeks from the day the passport is submitted for routine processing and ten weeks for expedited processing. The Department of State is asking people to apply six months ahead of their travel date.

Due to the volume of requests the State Department is currently receiving, there is no guarantee for an in-person service at a passport service. The passport centers around the country have extremely limited appointments for in-person appointments and are prioritizing those with life-or-death emergencies.

For more passport related information, please visit the Passport Renewal Page at the U.S. Consular Affairs Website or my website. If you need passport assistance, please reach out to my office at (501) 324-5941.

Sincerely,

Representative French Hill