J. Hill

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize John P. Gill of Little Rock, Arkansas, who is being honored with Preserve Arkansas' 2019 Parker Westbrook Award for Lifetime Achievement. This award recognizes significant individual achievement in historic preservation and is Preserve Arkansas' only award for achievement in preservation over a long period of time. Throughout his career, both as an attorney and as a historian, John's passion for preservation was evident by his service in a number of capacities throughout central Arkansas, including sitting on the board of Little Rock Visitor Information Center Foundation and leading the efforts to preserve and restore Curran Hall. He also was president of the board of Preserve Arkansas in 2010. John has demonstrated his passion for preservation through his commitment to service and leadership. I congratulate my friend John Gill on receiving this year's Parker Westbrook Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gonzalez), my good friend who supports this legislation.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, first of all, happy new year to our chairwoman of the full committee. I am glad to see the gentlewoman on the floor today on this good set of bills that she has worked hard to produce, a bipartisan solution to so many important topics. I rise in support of H.R. 4841 today, and I thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Loudermilk) for offering this legislation. If there is one key point that the Republicans and Democrats can agree on in the post-2008 crisis, it is that increased dialogue and transparency on safety and soundness of institutions, and monitoring emerging risks and potential threats to financial stability, can better promote understanding of the most concerning issues facing our American financial system, the broader economy, and how to make sure that America can keep its leadership in the world in competitive financial services. Certainly, an active Financial Stability Oversight Council is an example of that, and this measure, H.R. 4841, is a key tool as well. It will require Federal financial regulators to appear at least annually before the House Financial Services Committee and the Senate Banking Committee to provide testimony on their oversight of financial institutions, including regulatory, supervisory, and enforcement activities. Under this bill, the regulators will also be required to produce semiannual reports to Congress on these efforts. Although the Federal Reserve Chairman, the Federal Reserve Vice Chairman for Supervision, and the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau are required to testify before Congress semiannually, similar requirements do not exist for the Comptroller of the Currency, the Chair of the FDIC, or the Chair of the National Credit Union Administration. Last year, the principals from the prudential regulatory agencies, the OCC, the FDIC, and National Credit Union Administration, willingly and happily testified alongside the Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision during his statutorily required appearance. Committee Republicans recognize that it is good practice to have open and regular conversations with our prudential regulators on topics concerning the integrity of the U.S. and global financial systems. This practice is important, regardless of which party is in power. Merger and acquisition trends, BSA/AML exams, fintech, Bank Secrecy Act, anti-money-laundering exams and trends, the use of financial technology, cyber threats and planning for cyber protection and compliance issues, generally, all of these are important topics. I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for working in a bipartisan way to address some modest concerns the Republicans had with the initial draft. We were able to make simple changes that clarify the parameters for the release of information by Federal banking regulators. This result is a bill focused on good government and increased transparency. I thank the gentleman from Minnesota and his colleague, Mr. Loudermilk from Georgia. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4841, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I want to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4841. It is an excellent piece of bipartisan work that certainly speaks to the heart of Article I power, which is oversight over the executive. I congratulate Mr. Phillips and Mr. Loudermilk for their work. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend, the ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, for yielding to me. I, too, rise and thank John Cornyn, the Senator from Texas, and my good friend, small business man, auto dealer from Dallas, Texas, Roger Williams, for his leadership on this commemoration. What a treat to be here on the House floor and honor George and Barbara Bush right where he served as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee some 50-plus years ago. He loved the House. He loved an Arkansan named John Paul Hammerschmidt, a longtime member of the House Transportation Committee. They were best friends. They were freshmen together. He always spoke fondly of this House, and it served him well when he was Vice President, served him well when he was President of the United States. My wife, Martha, and I think about one thing when we think about George and Barbara Bush, whom we had the pleasure to know for over 40 years and work for for 4 years. When you are at school with your kids or filling out a form, there is a line that says, ``in case of emergency,'' and there is a blank, and you are supposed to put a friend's name, a neighbor's name, a colleague's name. Madam Speaker, when we think of George and Barbara Bush, we think of that form. In case of an emergency, call George Bush, call Barbara Bush. Because that is what they were. They were neighbors. In their soul, as the ranking member from North Carolina said, service was at the heart, whether it is pushing the cart across the Randalls' parking lot in Houston, serving cookies sitting on the floor of the vice president's mansion here in Washington, D.C., welcoming foreign leaders at the diplomatic entrance of the White House, service was at the heart. Being a neighbor was at the heart. That was George and Barbara Bush. You think about our kids and their striving for who to look up to, who to have as a hero on the sports field, on the hospital board of directors, on the city council, in this House, serving the people of America. Who do you think of? George and Barbara Bush. America, buy these $1 coins, hand them out to young people and say, if you are looking for a hero, you are looking for George Bush. Look no further than Barbara Bush. What the Bushes did pre-Presidency, in the Presidency, in the limelight for this country was lead and demonstrate service from the heart. I can tell you a million stories about what a decent person George Bush was and what a wonderful woman, biting, bossy, fabulous mom, grandmother, and First Lady Barbara Bush was. Don't ever be caught chewing gum around her because you will swallow it. She was tough. She set high standards. Her children were held to those high standards. And she has lifted our whole country up to high standards by being an outstanding First Lady. Tonight on this House floor it is an honor to be here and honor the memory of George and Barbara Bush by unanimously in this House supporting John Cornyn and Roger Williams' good bill to have the United States Treasury mint a coin to someone we look up to, we remember with reverence, we are grateful for, grateful for their service to this country. From being fished out of the Pacific Ocean onto the fish back all the way to the White House, what a story. As Chairwoman Waters said, even better was the story after the Presidency. George Bush shaving his head in symbolism, support and solidarity with the kids at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. George Bush wearing that goofy smile with his goofy socks to bring out heart and reverence for the good work of MD Anderson. Barbara Bush, for something that plagues every community in this country, every age in this country, the lack of literacy. How can you be a successful American and not be literate? And Barbara Bush from day one said, this is a fight I am in. And she fought for literacy for adults and for kids all over this country and had fun doing it. Her daughter-in-law, Laura Bush, our First Lady also, has carried that mantle forward. Thank you, Madam Speaker, for this opportunity to be on the floor to pay tribute again to Mr. and Mrs. Bush for their leadership in this country. I thank the Members of this House that come together on both sides of the aisle and recognize a leader when they see one. I appreciate the ranking member from North Carolina for the time. I am going to vote ``yes.''

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, this is a good bill. This is a bill that will help move more people to shelter, particularly our veterans, who are so in need. When I think about Jack Kemp and his inspiration for this so many years ago, he frequently quoted Theodore Roosevelt's great quote, which was: ``Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.'' Certainly, that is apropos here because Mr. Peters and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the members, both Republicans and Democrats, on the House Financial Services Committee care about solving this crisis. We care about working with our local partners to make our communities a better place. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Stivers for his work and my friend Mr. Peters. I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2398. I want to thank my friend, Mr. Peters from California, for his work on this legislation and my colleague on the House Financial Services Committee, Mr. Stivers of Ohio. We love working together to benefit our veterans in the Veterans' Affairs Committee and the House Financial Services Committee. As our chairwoman simply said, Congress should not rest until every homeless veteran has a roof over his or her head. Despite all of our efforts and all the leadership we have contributed for 3 decades, it is still shocking to hear Ms. Waters say that 37,000 veterans are reported homeless on any given night in our country. The idea of partnership between the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs dates back to the 1990s. It was a pleasure to serve then for President George H. W. Bush and to work with Secretary Jack Kemp at HUD when the partnership was envisioned. Jack Kemp of New York and of Vice Presidential candidate fame was a strong Member of this House and someone who worked hard for communities all over this country, particularly for communities that are struggling to make sure they have access to a better future. Jack Kemp demonstrated a lot of leadership in outlining this partnership between the VA and HUD for housing vouchers dedicated to homeless veterans. We combined that with the VA case management services to provide healthcare, mental health treatment, substance abuse counseling, job placement, and more. We know this works. This is why so many of us speak out so passionately about shared services and comprehensive case management for our homeless. We know that all of that is important for them to have a better future. I work with the Veterans' Affairs homeless coordinator in Little Rock, Arkansas, on a regular basis, Estella Morris, and I have seen her work so successfully within this program to benefit constituents in my hometown of Little Rock. This partnership on a national basis has proven to be very successful in all the States of our land, awarding almost 100,000 vouchers over the past 10 years to those who have honorably served their country. H.R. 2398 would build on that success by requiring annual reporting from the VA to disclose demographic information and how these vouchers are distributed. With several communities around the country having made great strides to effectively end veteran homelessness, it is crucial that we use this information to better target the HUD-VASH voucher program in those communities that need them the most. The bill would also expand the eligibility for the program, as Chairwoman Waters described, to veterans who were discharged other than honorably, helping that vulnerable population have access to this crucial resource. Since 2010, the number of homeless veterans has been cut in half. This Congress has made it a priority and the Obama administration and the Trump administration have made this a priority. These are positive signs, but there is more to do and this bill will help achieve the goal of ending veterans' homelessness. I, again, would like to thank Mr. Stivers, the ranking member of the Housing, Community Development and Insurance Subcommittee in the House and a cosponsor of the bill for his leadership on the issue and in working with Mr. Peters. Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close. Madam Speaker, again, I want to thank my friend from Ohio for her work on this bill, for calling attention to it and for suggesting that it is a great sense of partnership to have technical compliance and technical assistance that is available in so many of our larger institutions, those certainly $50 billion and up, and how they can help mentor a minority depository institution and try to create a better working environment for them to serve their communities and serve their households that are important in each of their towns and communities across this country. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5315, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support in H.R. 5315, the Expanding Opportunity for Minority Depository Institutions Act. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty) for offering this bill and for working to keep important institutions having access to the capital they need to support the communities that rely on them. H.R. 5315 would codify the U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Agent Mentor-Protege Program into law. Minority-owned depository institutions play a vital role in our communities across America. The significant decline in the number of banks and credit unions since the financial crisis is concerning. MDIs have a substantial impact on consumers and communities, in particular, those small businesses and families that reside in low- and moderate-income census tracts that depend on services, often from MDIs in order to prosper. MDIs are essential to promoting and expanding greater access to financial services in low- and moderate-income communities. As the number of minority depository institutions continues to decline, Congress should act to preserve these vital institutions. In a hearing earlier this year, the Financial Services Committee heard directly from a number of MDIs that post-crisis regulations have taken a serious financial toll on their ability to compete and provide low-cost services, thus, making it harder for them to survive. In this instance, MDIs have that in common with many, many community bank organizations across the country. Compliance costs have risen since the crisis; and the smaller the institution, the higher the burden of those costs. So what better way to try to overcome that than to try to create a mentorship program to provide the talent and extra resources necessary to cope with raising capital, having expertise, developing human resources, and developing alternative compliance procedures that will allow MDIs to thrive? The Financial Agent Mentor-Protege Program has a proven track record of success in doing just this. Codifying the Financial Agent Mentor- Protege Program into law signals Congress' intent to promote the program and increase mentor participation, potentially expanding the number of MDIs participating in the program. Committee Republicans support free-market solutions. The Financial Agent Mentor-Protege Program can encourage stronger partnerships between larger institutions and the financial sector with their minority depository institution partners, thereby benefiting more households and more consumers across our country. Madam Speaker, I would once again like to thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for her work on this bill and urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 5315. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 4302, the Homeless Assistance Act. Madam Speaker, homelessness is a very real problem across this country. In fact, more than half a million individuals are homeless on any given night in America. From cities like my own of Little Rock, Arkansas, to big metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, State and local governments have been unable to address this devastating human crisis fully. Last year, the committee held several hearings on homelessness. Throughout our hearings, the committee explored some of the root causes of homelessness, including restrictive local zoning policies, the harsh and punitive treatment of individuals who have no other place to turn, and the counterproductive Federal mandates on shelter providers that will close, not open, doors to people who are truly in need. The bill we have before us today, H.R. 4302, is designed to help prevent high-risk, vulnerable populations from ever becoming homeless. The bill allows local public housing agencies to share data and coordinate with other State and local government agencies and their local partnering service providers. Madam Speaker, I enjoyed working with the majority on this, and I thank my friends for helping protect that private data. The personally identifiable information was of concern to the minority, and I am grateful for the majority helping improve this bill to protect that private data of these Americans struggling with homelessness. But by sharing this data, these entities can help target and deliver supportive services to these vulnerable populations before they are displaced from their current housing situation. Sharing this data will, we hope, help localities better coordinate to prevent problems before they occur and keep more individuals in stable housing environments and off our streets. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from California, Mr. Sherman, the sponsor of this legislation, for his work in this area. I thank the chairwoman of the full committee, who has prioritized fighting homelessness since she was elected to Congress. I thank my friend from Guam for managing the time on this important bill. Madam Speaker, I recommend that my colleagues support H.R. 4302, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 4335, the 8-K Trading Gap Act of 2019. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentlewoman from New York, Congresswoman Maloney, and her staff for her efforts on this bill and for working with Republicans to make this a bipartisan bill. Madam Speaker, we all agree that fraud and abuse, such as illegal insider trading, have no place in our financial system. Bad actors damage the integrity, efficiency, and effectiveness of our markets, which in turn hurts everyday investors. When significant corporation events occur, such as the appointment of a new chief financial officer, public companies must disclose these events to shareholders and to the public on form 8-K. This form must be filed within 4 business days of that significant event. It is reasonable to believe that company insiders may have knowledge of the event or material, nonpublic information days before that same information is disclosed to the general public and shareholders. Most companies and their executives strive to operate within the law. Trading within that period is clearly illegal. However, there is no SEC rule that explicitly prohibits insiders from buying or selling company stock during this 4-business-day gap, which starts at the time the event occurred and ends with the filing of form 8-K in which information about the event is then disclosed to the public. Simply put, that is what this measure does. The bill before us today prohibits executive insiders from profitably trading in their company's stock while in possession of material, nonpublic information stemming from a yet-to-be-disclosed event. At the same time, the bill also provides appropriately tailored exemptions for companies not intended to be covered by the bill, such as registered funds or business development corporations. In addition, the bill provides flexibility to companies by allowing for announcements via press releases while not requiring the immediate filing of form 8-K. Again, I thank our chair of the Oversight and Reform Committee, a former loyal and longstanding member of the House Committee on Financial Services, and her staff for her diligent efforts in working across the aisle to draft and design this bipartisan bill that strikes the right balance of strengthening our securities laws while tailoring the bill to minimize unintended and unnecessary application. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this well-balanced piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close. I urge my colleagues to support Mrs. Maloney's good work. I thank my friend from Guam for his leadership, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, today I rise with my friend John Boozman, former Member of this House and now a Senator from Arkansas, to welcome today's guest chaplain, my dear friend, Rabbi Barry Block of Congregation B'nai Israel in Little Rock, Arkansas. Realizing his love for reformed Judaism at a young age, Rabbi Block earned his master of arts in Hebrew letters from Hebrew Union College- Jewish Institute of Religion before being ordained 3 years following completion of his degree. Having devoted much of his life to the church, Rabbi Block found his way to Congregation B'nai Israel in my hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas, in 2013, after serving over 20 years at Temple Beth-El in San Antonio, Texas. He has served Reform Judaism nationally and regionally as a member of the Board of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and chair of its resolutions and nominating committees and as president of the Southwest Association of Reform Rabbis. He is the loving father of his two sons, Robert and Daniel. I want to thank Rabbi Block for his gracing us with a wonderful opening prayer and wish him, his family, and his congregation continued success in our community of Little Rock.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, as a terror state, Iran is no friend of the United States or our allies. For three decades, Iran has been a leading state sponsor of terrorism and an eager empire builder. Its history of money laundering, terrorism, and murder of U.S. soldiers is undeniable. Last week, the President, as Commander in Chief, took the legal and decisive action when he eliminated terrorist combatant leader Qasem Soleimani from the battlefield. Across the years in the region, this man of murder has the blood of hundreds of thousands of innocents on his hands. To refer to this combat operation as an assassination or to offer moral equivalence between Soleimani and a state-sponsored terror organization with a rule-following nation actively engaged in the family of nations is laughable. In my view, Soleimani ranks up there with the worst exporters of terror in the region, including the likes of Osama bin Laden or al- Baghdadi, the most recent demised head of ISIS. Over these three decades, the United States and our allies have faced greater and more violent Iranian or Iranian proxy attacks orchestrated by the terror general Soleimani against the United States and our allies, dating as far back as 1983, when Iran's proxy Hezbollah committed the Beirut, Lebanon, bombing, killing 241 marines. Soleimani, Iran, Hezbollah, and their thirst for violence is well documented and undeniable. In the face of this record and their very aggressive actions of the last few weeks, including the killing of an American contractor, targeting of U.S. forces, attacking Saudi Arabian oil operations, disrupting shipping in the Persian Gulf, shooting down an American drone, and then blatantly and aggressively attacking our Embassy in Baghdad, President Trump has been quite restrained during the course of that record. However, the killing of an American contractor and orchestrating that storming and destruction at the American Embassy in Baghdad and the eminent planning of additional threats that this Congress learned the details of yesterday and attacks potentially on American troops or diplomats was the final straw. Mr. Speaker, the provocateur is Iran, not President Trump. The assassin is Soleimani, not President Trump. The destabilizing force in the region is Iran, not the United States. Yesterday, President Trump reiterated that the United States does not seek to start a war with Iran. His recent actions have sent an unambiguous signal to Iran and their proxies: Harm Americans, pay a price. President Trump's objectives are clear: End Iran's export of terror; end its advancing regional ballistic missile capabilities; and prohibit their obtaining a nuclear weapon. Instead, President Trump encourages the Iranian people to assert their own aspirations and form a more open and pluralistic future for their children and their children's children. This rich, historic land deserves to return to a time when the beautiful, intelligent Iranian people chart their own course for good, as citizens of a country eager to be part of the family of nations.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, one-hundred years ago, soldiers, returned from the European front in WWI were committed to benefitting from the opportunity and liberty they secured at great risk and sacrifice to themselves. Many took that commitment to autonomy and freedom home to the small towns, communities, and homesteads where families and livelihoods remained. One-hundred years ago, few eyes were turned toward a small agrarian community in Northeast Arkansas, where black sharecroppers, spurred in part by the tales of opportunity and liberty spun by these returning patriots, dared to discuss fair pay for their crops. To this day, the accounts of the tragic loss of life that took place during the Elaine Massacre, when white mobs killed more than 100 African Americans, remains widely unknown. In September, I had the opportunity to attend the dedication of a memorial to the victims of the 1919 Elaine Massacre. I also had the distinct pleasure of meeting the Honorable Brian Miller, U.S. District Judge and nephew of Leroy Johnston, WWI veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and murder victim during the Elaine Massacre. I would like to include in the Record Judge Miller's remarks from the ceremony. The Elaine Massacre Memorial Dedication Ceremony Court Square Park, 350 Perry Street, Helena, Arkansas, September 29, 2019. (By Judge Brian Miller) One-hundred years ago, on September the 30th of 1919, on this block, Phillips County's civic, political, and economic leaders settled in for a night at the Helena Opera House, which used to stand on this block. One-hundred years ago, on the same night, three men met at the Phillips County Courthouse and drove down to Hoop Spur Church. They went to Hoop Spur Church to check on a meeting of black sharecroppers who were attempting to unionize. And those people were unionizing so that they could be paid fairly. The three men left from that courthouse across the street from this block. While the black sharecroppers fought for fair pay, the black business class in Helena built movie theaters and cathedrals. They owned rental property. They ran small businesses. They practiced medicine on Walnut Street, which runs on the west side of this block. While the black business class ran their businesses on Walnut Street, the white business class owned banks, movie theaters, restaurants, and retail stores on Cherry Street, which is that street that runs on the east side of this block. Two sides of this block. And although there was a wide divide between the black and white business classes, there was an even greater divide between the black business class and the black sharecroppers meeting at Hoop Spur that night. The 30 miles that separated this block and Walnut Street from Hoop Spur might as well have been a million miles, because there was nothing holding together the black business class and the sharecroppers meeting at Hoop Spur that night, except for shared history and black skin. But what neither group could have imagined happened 100 years ago. The three men who left the courthouse across the street from this block fired shots into the Hoop Spur Church. And shots were fired out of the church, and a white man was killed. A posse formed in that courthouse across the street from this block, and mob violence ensued. When the dust settled, five white men were killed, and more than 100 black people were killed. Estimates have gone as much as 800, but most historians have settled on about 200. And the mob raged on. More than 100 black people were arrested and brought to the Phillips County Jail across the street from this block. Those men were brutally beaten and tortured in that jail across the street from this block. And the mob gathered. Right here on this block, right where you sit, the mob gathered and chanted and screamed for death. And 12 men were given sham trials in that courthouse across the street from this block and sentenced to die across the street from this block. But Judge Jacob Trieber stayed those executions in the old federal courthouse that once stood on that corner across the street from this block. Now, after 100 years, we return. And where do we return? We return to this block. We return not to relive 1919. We return to this block to remember and honor those who were killed. We return in hope. We return to this block with an earnest yearning for redemption. We return to this block with an earnest yearning for reconciliation. Those of us who failed to take up the cause of the sharecroppers seek redemption for failing to help those less fortunate than ourselves. And those of us who joined the mob or contributed to the slaughter of the sharecroppers seek redemption for doing the unthinkable. And all of us, whether we are the descendants of the mob, whether we are the descendants of those who were killed by the mob, or whether we are just people of good will, seek reconciliation with one another. We return to this block on this day and at this time to face the reality that we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors. We all love our ancestors and we all respect them. But we also accept the reality that they were not perfect. We understand that they were human beings. We understand that they were susceptible to human frailty. Because of this, we return to this block to announce that we will be vigilant not to repeat their mistakes. We return to this block to forgive one another, and to ask for forgiveness. We return to this block to accept that forgiveness and to allow ourselves to be redeemed. And this, the Elaine Massacre Memorial, forever stands as a reminder of why we have returned to this block. Every time we feel angry, every time we feel embittered, every time we feel slighted, every time we feel divisive, and every time we feel guilty, we will see that monument and we will remember the nightmare that all of those emotions will bring. And we will remember this day and how we feel at this moment, and we will recommit ourselves to loving and respecting one another, even when we disagree.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Lisa Willenberg for being selected as the new Chancellor of the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton (UACCM). The college was established in 1963 and Ms. Willenberg serves as the college's fourth Chancellor and the first woman in this position. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Central Arkansas and Master of Education at the University of Arkansas. Ms. Willenberg has served at Morrilton for 27 years, first as a general accountant and, in 2011, becoming Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations--handling the college's finances, human resources, information technology and physical plant. Under her leadership, the college has increased its fiscal reserves, improved the college's financial scoring and constructed new campus facilities to benefit the students. Congratulations to Chancellor Lisa Willenberg on being selected for this prestigious position, and I look forward to the school's success for years to come

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, Turkey's leader has threatened to shut down Incirlik Air Base in retaliation for possible U.S. sanctions related to the Syrian border incursion and the House's acknowledgment of the Armenian genocide a century ago. What a sad day for the Atlantic Alliance that has shouldered so many burdens and shared so much loss in blood and treasure. Since the end of World War II, America has backed Turkey and her independence and freedom from Soviet domination, culminating with Turkey joining the Alliance in 1952. I am an original cosponsor of Representative Kinzinger's United States-Turkey Relations Review Act. This bill would require us to carefully assess the options for relocating American personnel and assets from Incirlik Air Base. Given Turkey's purchase of the Russian air defense system, the incursion in northeast Syria, and now threatening to close Incirlik, Turkey is not acting like a true and reliable partner. Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's provocative behavior merits the U.S. and other NATO allies to consider our options in the region.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the USMCA, and I want to congratulate my friends, Mr. Brady from Texas and Mr. Neal, for their leadership in the House Ways and Means Committee. It is a great victory for their hard work and perseverance. As a member of the USMCA Republican House Whip Team, I was proud to advocate on behalf of this much-needed update to NAFTA. Twenty-seven years ago, I worked for President Bush 41 and worked on supporting his goal of North America becoming the world's premier economic market. How pleased he would be to be here today and see this bipartisan support to update the North American trade market for a new generation. Impressive, indeed. We will take converts to free trade every day, even if some of them are overnight converts. The Senate must act expeditiously now to convert this dream to a reality and benefit the 100,000 Arkansans who live and die by trade with Canada and Mexico. Congratulations to President Trump and Ambassador Lighthizer on this historic victory, and Happy New Year to the economic region in North America.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mr. William E. Bogan, who recently passed away at the young age of 74. Mr. Bogan, known as Earle to friends, was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1944 before moving to Higginson, Arkansas in 1993. He quickly joined the Higginson Fire Department and served for nearly 20 years until his retirement in 2011. Bogan served as Higginson Fire Chief and a City Council Member for numerous years. Higginson's Community Building is being renamed the William E. Bogan Community Center by the Higginson City Council in honor of Mr. Bogan's service and leadership in the community. His contributions to his community will not be forgotten. I extend my respect, affection and prayers to his wife Catherine, family, and friends.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of one of Arkansas' great outdoorsmen, Mr. Jerry McKinnis, who recently passed away at the age of 82. A longtime Little Rock, Arkansas, resident, Jerry was a pioneer in outdoor cable TV programming. He was best known for his television program ``The Fishin' Hole,'' which featured fishing trips with celebrity guests like Hall of Fame baseball player Ted Williams. Jerry created the show after playing baseball professionally for a short time. ``The Fishin' Hole'' aired for 44 years and was the longest running show on ESPN short of ``SportsCenter.'' Jerry has been inducted into the International Game Fish Hall of Fame, the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame, the National Fishing Hall of Fame, and the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. Jerry was an inspiration and friend to many across our State, and I extend my respect, affection, and prayers to his friends, family, and loved ones. Congratulating Rachelle Stewart

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Chief Deputy Rachelle Stewart for receiving the Lifesaving Award from Saline County Sheriff Rodney Wright. Stewart responded to an unknown medical emergency to assist EMS personnel with a patient who was unconscious and not breathing. Chief Deputy Stewart quickly recognized the patient was experiencing an opioid overdose and administered Narcan to save the patient's life. Chief Deputy Stewart's action marked the fifth life saved by Saline County sheriff deputies successfully using Narcan in the field. I extend my congratulations to Chief Deputy Rachelle Stewart and the Saline County Sheriff's Office for saving lives and continuing the hard work of protecting and serving central Arkansas.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today again to bring attention to the travesty happening in Idlib, Syria. A week ago, Syrian dictator Assad, his protector Putin, and his Iranian coconspirators continued to bomb civilians in the town of Idlib. The Wisdom House School, a school supported by my constituents in Arkansas, has had to close for the third time due to this bombing and the massive attacks. I recently watched a video posted on Twitter of the airstrikes hitting a civilian home in the same town where Wisdom House School is located. Many of the children attending the Wisdom House School are now orphans. There are no military targets in this area, which has been repeatedly bombed by the Assad regime. When we look back on this calamitous conflict, the United States and our allies in Europe will hang our heads in shame for ignoring red lines that gave a green light to Assad's slaughter of his own civilians by the hundreds of thousands. Fund NATO to Counter Russia

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, since its formation, NATO has served as the foundation for security between the United States and our allies in Europe. Years ago, the now-29 members agreed to a goal of spending at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense. When President Trump took office, only three countries met that objective. Now, it is nine. President Trump has done a good job urging NATO to meet its obligations among members. Russia, under Putin, is a threat to freedom that many in the post- Cold War world have fought and died for. For decades, Russia has engaged in propaganda and political meddling in the Western democracies. It has invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea and territories in Georgia. NATO members need to meet their defense spending guidelines now more than ever. Actions speak louder than words, and NATO must continue to counter Russia and Russia's political and military actions around the world. Honoring Life and Legacy of Jerry McKinnis

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Arkansas' efforts toward helping residents gain financial independence through the Bank On Arkansas Plus initiative. A statewide coalition of financial institutions has partnered to form Bank On Arkansas Plus to fight the unbanked individual, which are individuals, citizens that don't have access to affordable, local banking services. Madam Speaker, around 27 percent of Arkansans are considered underbanked, and 1 in 10 Arkansas households have no bank account. I want to thank my friend Darrin Williams, the chief executive officer of Southern Bancorp and a founding partner in Bank On Arkansas Plus. Darrin and other Bank On partners provide checking accounts with no overdraft fees, no minimum monthly balances, and access to a debit or ATM card for all participants. Financial security is a freedom that many people in the low-income areas of our country may not be able to afford or may not be able to have access to. And as a former community banker in Little Rock, I commend Darrin, his team, and all of the participating financial institutions for partnering to create Bank On. This is such a worthwhile strategy to help all Arkansans have access and opportunity to build savings and build wealth for themselves, and to have financial independence. Congratulating Harding University Librarian Jean Waldrop