Friends,
Each year, roughly 40,000 young Americans apply for a spot at some of America's most prestigious institutions: the United States Military Academy, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, the Coast Guard Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy.
The competition to earn an appointment to a military academy is fierce and the process is unrelenting. Candidates spend years building their academic records, then face fitness tests, panel interviews, medical exams, and a congressional nomination just to be considered.
That is why last Saturday was so special, why my annual academy cadet sendoff is one of my favorite events of the year. This year's class of nine is the most appointments this district has ever sent in a single year.
The room was packed as we celebrated these young men and women in front of the parents, families, and communities that helped get them there. The pride the filled that room is something you have to see to really understand.
This fall, all nine head to academies that have been molding young Americans into successful officers for generations, some since before the Civil War. Four years of pre-dawn formations, rigorous academics, and leadership exercises await them. Making it through to the other side is an honor that can only be earned through hard work, discipline, and perseverance.
Congratulations to the nine cadets and midshipmen from Arkansas's Second Congressional District who have accepted appointments to our nation's military academies: - United States Air Force Academy: Addison Hilliard, Michael Kittell II
- United States Military Academy: Audrey Bishop, John Mark Charette, Eva Orr, Katie Reynolds, Nathaniel Thomas
- United States Naval Academy: Malik Coleman, Parker Howard
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Scipio Jones is one of the most important figures in American civil rights history and a proud Arkansas native. Born to an enslaved person in 1863, he taught himself the law, argued before the U.S. Supreme Court, and became one of the most formidable attorneys in Arkansas history. He saved 12 men from death row, took their case all the way to the Supreme Court, won, and changed constitutional law for every American who has ever stood accused.
Unfortunately, his house in Little Rock has fallen into disrepair, sitting vacant and continuing to deteriorate. That is why I am proud to have recently introduced the Scipio Jones House Assessment Act. The bill would direct the Department of the Interior to study the property and help lay the groundwork for preservation and consideration for inclusion as a National Historic Site. |
Congress passed and sent to the President a nearly $70 billion reconciliation bill to fund ICE and Customs and Border Protection through the end of this term, giving our border enforcement agencies the resources they need to do their jobs.
The process to get this bill to the President's desk was, quite frankly, ridiculous. Democrats spent months refusing to fund ICE and CBP, triggering a 76-day partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. The President took steps to address their concerns, including removing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and agreeing to operational reforms, and still they refused to work through regular order on a funding bill both parties had already agreed to months earlier.
Regardless of those obstacles, Republicans kept our promise to ensure these critical law enforcement agencies have the resources they need to carry out responsible enforcement operations and keep our border secure. |
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Camp Robinson Demolition Exercise
On the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, the Arkansas National Guard welcomed Rep. Hill to Camp Robinson. “FIRE IN THE HOLE” was the phrase of the weekend after Rep. Hill conducted engineer demolition training with the 875th Engineer Battalion. Thanks to BG Chad Bridges, CMSgt Scott Manamon, COL Brian Wheeler, CSM Crawford, SGM Farmer, and Captain Ashlyn Garrett for the opportunity to blow stuff up.
You can watch the video here. |
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Coptic Solidarity Policy Day
Rep. Hill spoke at Coptic Solidarity's annual policy day in the Capitol on Monday. He highlighted his continuous fight for Coptic Christians in Egypt, including reintroducing bipartisan resolutions session after session demanding the Egyptian government end persecution and guarantee equal rights. His most recent resolution, introduced in 2025, condemns systemic discrimination against an indigenous Christian people with 2,000 years of history in Egypt. |
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MAPDA’s 6th Annual Humanitarian Awards Reception
On Tuesday, Mothers for Awareness and Prevention of Drug Abuse held their 6th Annual Humanitarian Awards Reception in Washington, where they presented Rep. Hill with their humanitarian award for his years of work advancing policies that support prevention, treatment, and recovery for those impacted by substance use disorders. Rep. Hill has championed this cause for years, sponsoring the Preventing Overdoses and Saving Lives Act and the Fentanyl Sanctions Act, both of which were signed into law, and co-authoring bipartisan legislation and op-eds calling for stronger action on the opioid crisis. |
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HomeFree-USA
HomeFree-USA, a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency and Intermediary, provides financial education, homeownership guidance, credit improvement, and foreclosure prevention support to help consumers reach their housing goals. Founder Marcia Griffin, co-founders James Griffin and Simone Griffin Taylor joined Rep. Hill for a productive conversation on housing as his bill, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, awaits a Senate vote, with a blessing already secured from the White House. HomeFree-USA also discussed their interest in Congressman Hill’s HBCU work as Co-Chair of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus. They are especially looking forward to seeing how workforce development and job placement for HBCU students and graduates improves once it passes the Senate. |
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This week in 1776, the Continental Congress appointed a committee comprised of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston to draft a declaration of independence from Britain.
Jefferson, just 33 years old, did most of the writing. Adams later called him the best writer in the room and stepped aside. Seventeen days later, their work became the document that changed the world.
With America's 250th birthday just weeks away, it is worth taking a moment to remember the brilliance of those men who distilled the case for human freedom into a single sentence: that all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. The ideals that remain the very foundation of our nation to this day.
Watch Congressman Hill’s talk about the Committee and the editing of Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration of Independence here. |
John Trumbull's Declaration of Independence Oil on Canvas. One of four revolutionary period scenes in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. |
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What was the name of the committee appointed by the Continental Congress to draft the Declaration of Independence?
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Last week’s Trivia: What did General Eisenhower call the D-Day invasion in his message to Allied troops on the morning of June 6, 1944? C) The Great Crusade
53% of respondents answered correctly. |
The Trump Accounts app officially launched this week. Now every family has a simple, direct way to get involved and start building their child's future. Download it today and make sure your family is ready for the official July 4th launch.
Kids born between January 2025 and December 2028 are eligible for a federal contribution into a “Trump Account.” More than 6 million Americans have already opened accounts, which will begin receiving funding starting the Fourth of July this year, so don’t delay.
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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