Dear Friends,
Last week was productive in both Arkansas and in Washington. On Monday, I hosted a Community Empowerment Initiative (CEI) Roundtable in Little Rock. I regularly hold CEI events to hear from local community leaders on how we can work together to alleviate poverty, improve access to quality education and workforce skills, and boost opportunity for all our citizens.
By Tuesday afternoon, I was in Washington to begin the legislative week. The House voted on more than a dozen different bills, including important legislation from the House Homeland Security Committee that would require the Administration to conduct reviews for all known instances since 2011 in which a person traveled or attempted to travel from the United States to a conflict zone in Iraq or Syria to join or provide material support to a terrorist organization.
Last week, I introduced a bill, H.R. 4620, the Preserving Access to CRE Capital Act of 2016, which would modify Dodd-Frank’s risk retention requirements for prudently underwritten, low-risk commercial real estate (CRE) loans.
But, the highlight of last week for me was going to the House Floor to recognize Arkansas’s historic and pivotal role in advancing civil rights. At the end of the Civil War for recently freed African Americans, education—denied to them under slavery—was a critical component of their understanding of freedom. We all know of the courageous Little Rock Nine and their profound impact on advancing the idea that "education equals freedom."
However, another less heralded but equally important contribution to ensuring quality education for African Americans in the South was the historic Rosenwald schools. I invite you to take a moment to watch my speech about the "Rosenwald" schools and their contributions to the education of many outstanding influential African American leaders from the South, including Arkansas poet Maya Angelou, and my esteemed colleague and friend, Rep. John Lewis (D-GA).
It is important to recognize both how far we have come and how far we must still traverse to ensure an effective education for all Americans. Whether it is through my work with CEI or regularly taking time to meet with young school children and encouraging them to achieve their dreams, I remain committed to being a positive force in our never-ending mission to give all Americans the freedom that comes from a quality education.
Sincerely,
Representative French Hill |
News for the Week
Congressman’s visit
Log Cabin Democrat
On February 17th, Congressman French Hill and his staff met with district administration and then toured Greenbrier Middle School. The visit coincided with GMS’ participation in the national Digital Learning Day. The main focus of Congressman Hill’s tour and visit was on the high level of technology integration throughout GMS, and specifically through the new EAST Lab and classes. This is the first year for EAST at GMS, and facilitators Mrs. Sandy White and Mrs. Ann Harrod are facilitating unique, real world, student driven learning opportunities in this state of the art lab.
Read More |
Obama Offers Plan To Close Guantanamo Bay; Arkansas Delegates Critical
Arkansas News Bureau
U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, said Obama is risking national security to fulfill “a tired, eight-year-old campaign promise.”
“Last year, I had the opportunity to visit the state-of-the-art facilities at GTMO, and I saw first-hand a safe and secure facility for housing and adjudicating dangerous agents of terror,” he said. “GTMO is an essential part of our global war on terror, and through the annual National Defense Authorization Act — which the president signed into law — Congress has already made it illegal to close GTMO, and we will not tolerate the president’s plan to move these dangerous individuals to U.S. soil.”
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