Dear Friends,

I am taking action to protect Arkansas workers and to help entrepreneurs keep dreams alive and businesses open.

I am joining my colleagues in action to force Speaker Pelosi to bring reasonable funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to the House Floor for a vote – something I have been calling for since July. Right now, though, Speaker Pelosi is holding the PPP – and with it your livelihood – hostage.

The PPP has helped keep 51 million Americans employed. In Arkansas alone, 43,000 small business owners have been able to keep tens of thousands of Arkansans on payroll and families supported thanks to the PPP.

Tomorrow, I will sign the discharge petition to force Speaker Pelosi to call a vote because I am committed to doing the right thing and standing up for people who are simply trying to make an honest living.

And I will continue to hammer this home – like I did with Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Tuesday and with OAN’s Stephanie Hamill Tuesday evening.

We should put politics aside, meet in the middle, and address the American people’s needs.

To learn more about the PPP and how it has helped central Arkansas, click HERE or on the image below.

doing our part to combat COVID-19

Following CDC Guidelines

I echo Governor Asa Hutchinson's call to continue precautions against the spread of COVID-19.

Just because you’re going back to work, now’s not the time to quit taking commonsense precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19, so the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus.

Although masks are not mandatory in Arkansas, Governor Asa Hutchinson has encouraged everyone to wear a face covering when it is not possible to maintain six feet of space between yourself and other people, like when you're at the grocery store.

It is important to remember that while a face mask can help prevent the spread, it is not a substitute for social distancing and washing your hands. Also, cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under the age of 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

If you have questions or concerns about COVID-19, you can contact the Arkansas Department of Health at 1-800-803-7847 or visit ar.gov/covid.

Now is the time to come together and protect each other. We will overcome this virus as Arkansans and as Americans.

honoring the little rock nine

Expanding the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site

Sixty-three years ago, the Little Rock Nine paved the way for the integration of our schools by walking through an angry mob and up the steps into Central High School.

This fight for integration and civil rights in Little Rock brought Central High School to national prominence in 1957.

For years, historic preservationists and neighborhood associations have worked to preserve the viewscape of Park Street, in front of the beautiful and historic Central High School.

Sen. Tom Cotton and I introduced legislation that extended the boundary of the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site to include the homes that were on Park Street at that time in the 1950s. We did this after meeting with residents around Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site. I appreciated hearing firsthand about why this streetscape is so important to them and history.

I sponsored the legislation in the House along with my friend, and civil rights icon, Representative John Lewis of Georgia.

During the debate on the House floor, John gave an emotional testimony that during that awful September week in 1957, it was the Little Rock Nine who inspired him to join the Civil Rights Movement, where he became an iconic leader one decade later.

Our important legislation was signed into law in January 2018

To learn more, click HERE or on the image below.

Putting Arkansans first

Voting to Keep the Federal Government Funded

Tuesday evening, I cast my vote to fund the federal government through December 11, 2020.

While we grapple with COVID-19, it is important that the government stay open, funded, and able to help struggling Arkansans and Americans.

As always, you are my priority.

While I am generally opposed to funding the government without a yearlong plan, right now this stable funding is critical to providing much needed aid to medical experts at the Department of Health and Human Services, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds, which lend critical relief and support for family-owned farms in Arkansas.

I am especially glad that support for Arkansas ranchers and farmers was included.

In December, Republicans and Democrats must come together to pass a full year budget and reign in unchecked spending. We can’t keep running our country on short-term, stop-gap bills.

Deadline extended for farm aid

Relief for Arkansas Farmers Impacted By COVID-19

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced an additional $14 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers and ranchers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Agriculture is an important part of Arkansas's economy and heritage, and I am pleased that our producers will be receiving this support. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on farmers, ranchers, and producers in Arkansas and across the country and this relief will help them to make it through this crisis.

I was proud to support funding for this program by voting for the CARES Act in March.

The Farm Service Agency recommends calling (877) 508-8364 to begin the application, or for general assistance before contacting local Farm Service Agency offices.

For more information on all eligible commodities, payment rates, and calculations visit the CFAP 2 website HERE.

OPERATION WARP SPEED

Working to Bring a Safe and Effective COVID-19 Vaccine to You

Our nation’s best scientists, doctors, and medical manufacturers are working around the clock through Operation Warp Speed to develop safe and effective vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 – the key to restoring our way of life and rebuilding our economy.

The U.S. is committed to producing a safe and effective vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in coordination with the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has already taken steps to prepare for the rapid distribution of a vaccine once it becomes available.

It is my honor to represent you in Congress.

Please contact me at (501) 324-5941 or Hill.House.Gov if I may be of service to you.

Sincerely,

Representative French Hill