Friends,
Many experts say that America is short as many as 5.5 million homes. The typical first-time homebuyer is now 40 years old. The cost of a home has increased by nearly 45 percent since 2020. Those three facts alone should tell you everything about how long Washington has been asleep on housing, and how much ground there is to make up.
This did not happen overnight. For decades, federal housing policy failed to keep pace with a changing country. Outdated zoning rules, slow permitting, regulatory burdens on the community banks that finance local construction, and a federal bureaucracy that moved at its own pace while families waited, all of it compounded into the shortage we are living with today. The Biden years accelerated the damage: excessive regulation, reckless spending, and a 40-year high spike in inflation from 2021 to 2023 drove construction costs higher and pushed homeownership further out of reach for working families. |
On Wednesday, the House voted 396 to 13 to pass the House amendment to the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. That margin does not happen by accident. It reflects something rare in Washington right now: broad agreement that the problem is real, the stakes are high, and it’s time to work together to pass a bipartisan, bicameral bill to tackle the challenges facing people from Seattle to Miami, Chicago to Little Rock, and everywhere between.
As Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, I was proud to lead this legislation. What the House passed this past week cuts red tape that slows construction, modernizes HUD programs that have not been updated in a generation, expands access to manufactured and modular housing, and restores community and rural banks' ability to lend locally.
It also delivers on one of President Trump’s promises. It puts real limits on large institutional investors from buying up single-family homes, so that a mom and dad trying to buy their first home aren’t bidding against some big New York investor.
President Trump has indicated that if the Senate passes the bill, he will sign it into law. I’m working every day to move it through the Senate and to get it to the President’s desk. |
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Chairman Hill joined Special Report with Bret Baier alongside Financial Services Committee colleague Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05) to discuss the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which passed the House on Wednesday with overwhelming bipartisan support. |
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It is Memorial Day weekend, and I am glad to be home in central Arkansas.
This weekend means cookouts with family and friends and the unofficial start of summer. But above all, it is time to remember the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country, the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who made the ultimate sacrifice to secure and defend our liberty and way of life. They answered the call and never came home.
We owe it to those who did to keep faith with them every day. I have made it a top priority to ensure our veterans receive the care, recognition, and benefits they have earned.
If you are a veteran or you know one who needs help navigating VA benefits, accessing health care, or cutting through red tape, my office is here to help. Please reach out by calling my Little Rock office at (501) 324-5941 or clicking HERE. |
This weekend we not only honor the fallen, but we remember the Gold Star families across the country who carry the weight of that sacrifice every day.
This week, the House passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act, and I was proud to co-sponsor and vote for it. When our servicemembers are killed or badly injured, their families are left to carry the burden, often for decades. This bill gives surviving spouses and catastrophically injured veterans their first meaningful increase in benefits in over twenty years. It also expands VA home loan eligibility requirements for National Guard and Reserve servicemembers.
My friend Sharri Briley is an Arkansas Gold Star widow whose husband, CW3 Donovan Briley, was an Army Special Operations pilot killed in Mogadishu in 1993.
Sharri has fought tirelessly for this moment. It is only fitting that it carries her name. |
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Rep. Hill talks with Sharri Briley, the Little Rock Gold Star widow, in his Washington, D.C. office on Friday. |
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Veterans fought to defend the Constitution and the rights it guarantees. This week, House Republicans fought for theirs by passing the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act. |
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Calvary Academy is preparing the next generation of Arkansans with a foundation rooted in faith, integrity, and academic excellence. This week, their students visited the Capitol for a night tour with Arkansas Senator Boozman, and Rep. Hill was glad to join in welcoming them, sharing the history of a building that belongs to every American, especially as we approach America's 250th birthday. |
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Students from Baptist Preparatory School in Little Rock stopped by this week for a night tour with Rep. Hill. The students were curious, full of spirit, and held their own on the Congressman's pop quiz. We’re always thankful for students making the Capitol building one of the stops on their visits to our nation's capital. |
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Throughout the year, students gathered on Saturday mornings to hear from distinguished guest speakers and engage in discussions about government, leadership, and civic responsibility. I created the Future Leaders Council to encourage young Arkansans to grow as informed citizens and future leaders while gaining a greater appreciation for America's founding principles.
This month, the 2025-2026 class officially graduated. Family and friends gathered at the Arkansas State Capitol for a ceremony in the former Supreme Court Chamber. The students walked away with a sense of accomplishment and a deeper understanding of public service, along with the hand-crafted bills they worked so hard on.
Special thanks to this year's guests: Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Nick Bronni, Chief of Taxpayer Services with the Arkansas Secretary of State's Office Stephen Bright, and Arkansas State Senator Mark Johnson.
If you know any incoming 5th-grade students hungry to learn in next year’s FLC, we are extending the application deadline to May 29th. Click HERE for details or contact my Little Rock office at 501-324-5941. |
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Last week's newsletter listed the wrong day for the Beebe mobile office. It is Thursday, June 11, not Tuesday. |
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How many steps does the sentinel walk during each pass at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?
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Last week’s Trivia: What is the nickname for baby bison, named for their distinctive orange-red coat at birth? D) Red Dogs
32.7% of respondents answered correctly. (39.2% answered "Rusties") |
FEMA announced $648 million in grant funding for firefighters and emergency response agencies nationwide, including support for staffing, protective equipment, emergency vehicles, and firefighter wellness programs.
As Congress continues to consider funding and oversight measures related to homeland security and disaster preparedness, I remain focused on ensuring Arkansas first responders have the resources necessary to keep families safe.
Please help my team get the message out by sharing with loved ones and contacting your local fire department.
There will be webinars taking place through May 28. The full schedule may be found on FEMA.gov here – FEMA.gov | Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program Workshops |
Kids born between January 2025 and December 2028 are eligible for a federal contribution into a “Trump Account.” More than 4 million Americans have already opened accounts, which will begin receiving funding starting the Fourth of July this year, so don’t delay.
This is also an opportunity for philanthropists to invest directly in the next generation, with leaders like Michael and Susan Dell and Ray and Barbara Dalio already stepping up to help fund these accounts. Through Treasury’s “50 State Challenge,” more private-sector leaders are being encouraged to get involved and support children and families across the country.
Families can sign their kids up for a Trump Account using the IRS Form 4547 as they file their taxes. To learn more, click HERE or call my Little Rock office at (501) 324-5941. |
My office can arrange tours of the Capitol and many other sights in Washington, D.C., on behalf of you and your family during your stay. Please note: White House tours require Real IDs or other accepted forms of ID, such as a valid passport or U.S. military ID.
If you and your loved ones are planning on visiting Washington, D.C. in the coming months, I recommend you reach out to my office to request tours as soon as possible HERE.
If you have any questions about your visit to Washington, D.C., please call my D.C. office at (202) 225-2506. |
Sincerely,
Representative French Hill
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