Dear Friends,

Arkansas’s Second Congressional District is home to many of our brave veterans and service members at the Little Rock Air Force Base and Camp Robinson. I believe it is absolutely imperative that we ensure that our veterans, service members, and their families receive the care and benefits they have earned and deserve.

I am proud to have combat veterans serving on my district staff. All of them work extremely hard to make sure their fellow veterans get the benefits they have earned serving our country.

Sincerely,

Representative French Hill

Congressman Hill speaking to guests for the State of the Union. Joseph Reilly (seated, 97 years old) was a paratrooper who landed on Normandy’s Utah Beach at 3:30 AM on D-Day. Steve Melnikoff (99 years old) stormed the beaches of Normandy and despite suffering multiple gunshot wounds, continued to serve all the way until the end of the war.

My team of combat veterans are directly helping Arkansas’s veterans get the benefits that they have earned and deserve. Since 2015, my team and I have closed 3,218 cases and recovered more than $20 million in back pay and benefits for Arkansas's veterans.

April 10, 2019: I introduced H.R. 2249, the World War I Valor Medals Review Act. This bipartisan legislation would review the military records of minority service members of the Armed Forces during WWI to determine if they should be awarded the Medal of Honor. It was included in H.R. 2500, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY2020.

April 2, 2019: I introduced H.R. 2033 to transfer nearly 140 acres of land at Camp Robinson to the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to facilitate the expansion of the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in North Little Rock. A version of this legislation was also included in H.R. 2500, the House passed NDAA for FY2020.

June 25, 2019: President Trump signed into law H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act. On May 14, 2019, with my support, it passed the House. It extends presumptive coverage for Agent Orange exposure to “blue water” Vietnam veterans, who served up to 12 miles off-shore in Vietnam.

January 29, 2019: With my support, the House passed H.R. 840, the Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act. It makes permanent the VA Child Care Pilot Program and expands it nationwide.

July 31, 2019: President Trump signed into law H.R. 2196. On June 24, 2019, with my support, it passed the House. This legislation expands access to a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) scholarship program for student veterans.

September 26, 2018: President Trump signed into law the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Department of Education for fiscal year 2019. It gave our troops a 2.6% pay increase, the largest in 9 years.

September 26, 2018: President Trump signed into law the first funding bill on time for our military in 10 years.

June 6, 2018: President Trump signed into law S. 2372, the VA MISSION Act. On May 16, 2018, with my support, it passed the House 347-70. It builds upon the VA Accountability Act the House passed in 2017. It also funds the Veterans Choice Program, which helps veterans get medical care in their community – all paid for by the VA.

Solar Panels: In 2015, I presented the VA my first Golden Fleece Award for its mishandling of an $8 million solar panel project. I also worked with Senator John Boozman and requested a report from the VA Office of the Inspector General to investigate cost overruns for the Little Rock VA Hospital construction project. The report found rampant and widespread project mismanagement, delays, and VA financial mismanagement of taxpayer dollars—a $1.5 million dollar cost overrun for the implementation of $8 million of solar panels at the Little Rock VA.

VA in Fayetteville: On June 14, 2018, I met with the VA Inspector General for Healthcare Inspections, Dr. John Daigh, and the VA Executive in charge, Dr. Carolyn Clancy, along with the rest of the Arkansas delegation, to discuss the egregious misconduct by a former VA pathologist at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center. As soon we were was made aware of these allegations, we responded by making sure everyone was aware of what occurred and if they had any questions or concerns to call the call center that is staffed by VA nurses specifically to answer questions about this incident. My staff and I continue to meet with the VA to ensure the review process is as timely and efficient as possible.

Meeting with Secretary of the VA: On June 19, 2017, I met with then-U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin in Northwest Arkansas to discuss two of the biggest issues facing the VA – its lack of accountability and inability to adapt to the ever-changing needs of veterans.

My Veterans Advisory Council, established in May 2015, allows me to interact with a large number of veterans while facilitating a constructive dialog to discuss the issues they are facing in their communities. These quarterly meetings are designed to be an open forum for central Arkansas veterans to discuss veteran’s related issues. The council meetings ensure that the veterans in Arkansas’s Second District are having their voices heard.

Congressman Hill speaking to his Veterans Advisory Council on October 3, 2019.

My team stands at the ready to help. If you or someone you know needs help with the VA, contact my office at Hill.House.gov or call my Little Rock office at (501) 324-5941.