Dear Friends,
Every night, men and women who have put their lives on the line by volunteering to serve our country go to sleep without a roof over their heads. More must be done to provide assistance to our Veterans who are homeless.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, my Veterans team visited St. Francis House every month to offer help to Veterans who need assistance. We have seen firsthand the excellent work that St. Francis House in Little Rock does to help Arkansas’s heroes get back on their feet and to show them our communities’ appreciation for their service.
I am pleased that St. Francis House has been awarded a $2,143,206 grant by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a part of their Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program. These funds will go a long way to support their mission of providing a means of addressing the diverse, critical needs of the underserved, which are not adequately addressed by others in the community.
I know that this grant will make a difference to the Veterans who are most in need here in central Arkansas.
If you or someone you know needs help with the VA, or simply more information on help for Veterans, please contact my office by calling (501) 324-591 or by visiting Hill.House.Gov.
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Congratulations to Ryan Christiansen
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Joining the Boy Scouts of America was one of the most important decisions of my life. As a member of Troop 27 in Little Rock, Arkansas, scouting gave me the opportunity to learn about leadership and responsibility. As a fellow scout, I am proud of the high standards our scouts in Arkansas are setting.
Congratulations to Ryan Christiansen on being presented the Scout of the Year Award by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Bald Knob and White County Judge Michael Lincoln. Members of my staff were on hand to give Ryan a U.S. flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol in his honor of this special occasion.
| BE VIGILANT FOR UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD |
Report Fraudulent Approval Letters to the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services
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As the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis continues to impact our families, communities, and businesses, criminals see this pandemic as an opportunity.
Unfortunately, some Economic Impact Payments (EIP) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims are on hold because they have been identified as potential fraudulent claims.
Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston is working to sort through to get legitimate claims paid and fraudulent claims turned over to law enforcement and FBI.
Across the state people have been receiving notices in the mail that they’ve been approved for PUA benefits – Governor Hutchinson and several cabinet secretaries have received one, but this does NOT mean that the approval is legitimate.
If you receive a notice in the mail, and you have not applied for benefits or are not eligible, do NOT sign and return these notices.
If you receive a fraudulent notice, you can report it by:
- Emailing ADWS.InternalAudit@arkansas.gov
- Calling (501) 682-1058. If the line is busy, leave a message
- Visiting www.DWS.arkansas.gov and filling out the secure fraud reporting form.
This scam is part of a national criminal enterprise. Across the country, there are currently 27,000 PUA claims on fraudulent hold status. The Arkansas Division of Workforce Services is working to set up verification stations around Arkansas.
| Information for students applying to service academies |
How to Obtain A Congressional Nomination |
As a member of Congress, I have the distinct honor of nominating candidates to our nation’s service academies. Every year, I am inspired by our students’ selflessness and dedication to our country.
I am proud to know that there are countless students representing Arkansas at our nation’s service academies. This is a testament to the impressive students graduating from our high schools.
Today, I held a virtual information session for parents, students, and educators who are interested in finding out how to apply to the U.S. Naval Academy, the United States Military Academy West Point, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, or the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
If you weren’t able to attend the session but would like to learn more, please visit HERE or reach out to my staff at (501) 324-5941.
| POOR MANAGEMENT OF ECONOMIC IMPACT PAYMENTS (EIP) BY THE IRS |
This week, I named the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as the latest recipient of the Golden Fleece Award for their poor management of the funds that Congress allocated in the CARES Act for direct payments to individuals to help overcome the financial hardship that this pandemic has caused for families across the country.
My office has dozens of cases open with the IRS for central Arkansans that have still not received their Economic Impact Payment. It is unacceptable that the IRS has sent these payments to non-U.S. citizens and deceased individuals while many Arkansans remain left out in the cold.
The IRS needs to right this mess and ensure that CARES Act payments are going to the right people."
To read my full letter to the IRS, click HERE.
If you or someone you know need help obtaining your EIP my office may be able to help. Please call us at (501) 324-5941 or visit my website at Hill.House.Gov.
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
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