COVID-19 Update | August 23, 2020 |
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During my time in Congress, I have listened closely to Arkansans as they have shared their good ideas with me. I recently started a video series called “Your Ideas” where I highlight just some of the ideas that started right here in Arkansas and were put into action in Congress. In 2015, personnel at the Little Rock Air Force Base informed me that the U.S. Air Force was electing to close the intelligence unit at the base and move it and the personnel to Fort Smith where the unit would be engaged in an unmanned aerial command center. This would leave a 10,000 square foot state-of-the-art, Sensitive Compartmentalized Information Facility (SCIF), worth more than $10 million, empty at Little Rock Air Force Base, and at risk of losing its classified certification. The former Adjutant General of the Arkansas National Guard, General Mark Berry, and our delegation invited Air Force Sec. Deborah Lee James to visit Little Rock Air Force Base. We worked to convince Secretary James that this was an outstanding opportunity for a new mission at Little Rock Air Force Base, a mission that could take advantage of our outstanding information technology and cyber expertise in central Arkansas and our academic leadership at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Central Arkansas. Thanks to our efforts, she agreed, and the Little Rock Air Force Base has kept its SCIF active and is now home to the 223rd Cyberspace Operations Squadron. To watch, click HERE or on the image below. It takes only one person to make a difference. If you have an idea, contact me.
I appreciate U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan visiting Arkansas and Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce President Randy Zook for hosting a roundtable to connect federal officials with key hospital and healthcare providers around our state on Thursday. Listening to the concerns of our healthcare professionals regarding PPE, medical technology, and demand for testing, the need for diagnostic testing, and the increase in demand for telemedicine during this time helps the federal government to effectively address these challenges and find solutions that will work on the ground. Thank you to everyone who participated in this informative discussion, including the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary Kenneth Callahan; Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary Christopher Kotwicki; the President/CEO of CARTI, Adam Head; the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Chancellor, Cam Patterson; the President/CEO of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Curtis Barnet; the EVP/CFO, of Arkansas Children's, Gena Wingfield; the President/CEO of the Washington Regional, Larry Shackleford; the CEO of Saline Memorial Hospital, Michael Stewart; the President/CEO of Baptist Health, Troy Wells; and the Deputy General Counsel of ARcare, Will Moore.
One of my top priorities as your representative in Congress is to ensure that your hard-earned tax dollars are being spent the way that they are intended. That is why as the House Republican Representative on the Congressional Oversight Commission, I am committed to ensuring that the CARES Act funds are being utilized to help families and businesses become financially stable in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commission released its fourth report Friday on how the Federal Reserve and the Department of the Treasury have allocated the CARES Act funding given to them by Congress. This report was based on the hearing held on August 7th, in which I served as the Acting Chair of the Commission, which examined the Federal Reserve's Main Street Lending Program. To watch the full hearing, click HERE or on the image below.
I am pleased that the City of Little Rock has been awarded two U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants to help fight homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Combined, these grants total almost $775,000 that will be used to help those in need who are, or may become, homeless. Helping those who are most vulnerable to medical conditions is especially vital as we continue to combat this virus. These funds will be used by Little Rock to help homeless people be quickly moved to permanent housing, prevent families and individuals from moving into an emergency shelter by providing financial assistance, and by reaching out to homeless individuals to provide emergency shelter or critical health services. 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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