J. Hill

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to honor ``We Are The 22'', an Arkansas-based veteran suicide intervention group. ``We Are The 22'' was founded in 2017 by Mikel Brooks, a Little Rock resident and decorated Army veteran with two tours in Afghanistan. Brooks, who had become addicted to pain medications in 2009 while recovering from injuries sustained in combat, founded the group following his own suicide attempt. In just six years, ``We Are The 22'' has successfully responded to more than 430 calls from troubled veterans, has over 130 highly trained volunteers, and has become a trusted resource for local and state authorities. I am proud to recognize the work of this dedicated organization and hope that they continue to serve as a symbol of hope for all veterans who may be struggling. I thank Mr. Brooks for his service to our Nation and state.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker pro tempore, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 11 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker pro tempore, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker pro tempore, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today it adjourn to meet at 6 p.m. Monday, October 16, 2023.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker pro tempore, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker pro tempore, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker pro tempore, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker pro tempore, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at noon tomorrow.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my good friend, Heide Harrell, on being a recipient of the Public Relations Society of America, Arkansas Chapter's 2023 Crystal Award. Heide and I worked together at Arkansas-based Delta Trust and Banking Corporation, a Little Rock-based banking, trust, and investment company, where she was the communications and marketing officer. Today, she serves as the vice president and communications director at Stephens, one of the largest privately held independent investment firms off Wall Street. Just a few years ago, Heide was selected as an honoree in the 27th class of Arkansas Business 40 Under 40. Heide is truly an inspiration to all through her hard work and leadership. Mr. Speaker, I thank Heide for being a great friend and a creative force for good across our community. Recognizing Madison Murphy

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a longtime friend and a terrific civic leader in our State, Madison Murphy, on the occasion of Highway 167 from El Dorado to Little Rock being dedicated in his honor. Madison has been an inspiration to all Arkansans for many years and has received numerous awards and recognition for his work throughout the State. He has been named to the Arkansas Business 40 Under 40 list and named Arkansas' Tourism Person of the Year for his financial support and inspiration in the creation of the Murphy Arts District in El Dorado. Madison has also served as chairman of the Arkansas Highway Commission from 2003 to 2013, where he championed the widening of the Highway 167 corridor to provide a four-lane connection between south and central Arkansas, improving roadway safety, mobility, and transit. Throughout his leadership as chairman, a temporary half-cent sales tax was implemented that funded 31 highway widening projects to improve connectivity across the State. I applaud Mr. Murphy for his leadership and service to the State of Arkansas and congratulate him on this recognition. Control Deficits and Spending

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the firefighters of Station 9 in west Little Rock, Arkansas, for their selfless service during the horrific tornado that struck our city and region in March. The firefighters of Station 9 were standing in their building when it was directly hit by the tornado, completely destroying it. Despite their fire station being in ruins, they immediately got to work clearing debris, providing emergency assistance, and serving as an important beacon of hope for those in need in that neighborhood. Their tremendous efforts were a critical component in helping my hometown recover from one of the worst storms in recent history. I am proud to honor the brave firefighters for their dedicated work in the face of destruction and ruin. Their service stands as a model of resilience and strength for our entire State and Nation. Recognizing Heide Harrell

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, last Saturday, this House--all the Democrats and 31 Republicans--rejected a stopgap spending measure, which would have lowered spending for the 4 weeks of the continuing resolution period; secured the border with important needs, a critical element that every day we see and hear from our constituents; and established a commission to tackle the biggest challenge this House and this Nation has, which is that 70 percent of our spending, Mr. Speaker, is not voted on on this House floor. It is on autopilot--mandatory spending. These mandatory spending programs require bipartisan attention to reform them. We can keep the promises made to the American people on Social Security and Medicare, but we need to get our fiscal house in order. I support that commission, and I was so disappointed that 31 Republicans joined the Democrats to reject it. Now, in this period of 45 days, as we continue to look for the most conservative spending policies that we can achieve across this House floor and in the Senate, let's be committed that we will have a bipartisan commission on debt and deficit and get this spending and these deficits under control.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 6, 2023.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, this is an important day. This Congress needs to come together to go back and get our spending under control and also get our border under control. Both are of concern to the American people. We hear about it in our offices every day. The spending is unsustainable, but 200,000 people a month coming across the border and living in this country illegally is also unsustainable. This bill is a product of hard work for weeks to give us time to complete our appropriations work, to negotiate with the Senate while at the same time reducing spending, which has been an avalanche of out-of- control spending for the last 2 years, and to secure our border. Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of it, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for bringing this bill to the floor. I rise in support of Mr. Kean's bill. Mr. Speaker, after President Obama's appeasement and inaction, Putin took Crimea without firing a shot and invaded the Donbas, 15,000 people were killed back in 2014. It was President Trump that started sending Javelins and other lethal weapons to Ukraine to defend itself and continued important training and logistical support of the Ukrainians that had preceded his efforts. It was President Trump that signed into law this annual funding every year of his Presidency. That is why this small nation of Ukraine with its brave people, amazing drive, and passion for freedom have demonstrated to the world that it is the best military in the territory of Ukraine. Russia has stumbled from being the second largest power in the world militarily to maybe barely the second best in Ukraine. Mr. Speaker, the price for less than 1 week of Federal spending authorized by this Congress--less than 1 week of Federal spending--we have seen the Ukrainians decimate the Russian military strength and set it back decades. Mr. Speaker, I support this measure tonight. I support the reassessment of Ukraine's strategy to win and win promptly, too. Heads, Ukraine wins. Tails, Russia, the invader, loses. We need to make sure they have the right strategy and that it has got the right way to win and win promptly. I support the careful and prudent inspector general funding attached to this bill to make sure that American taxpayer funds are spent in the right way to have a decisive defeat of the Russians. Mr. Speaker, I urge that we adopt this bill with a strong bipartisan vote.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman of the committee and the ranking member for their strong work in crafting this national defense authorization bill. I am always proud to support the defense of this Nation and the airmen and women at Little Rock Air Force base and the members of the Arkansas National Guard. This legislation comes at an important time. It protects us and our allied interests from a rapidly expanding China and from increasing Iranian and Russian influence in the Middle East. While we continue to do our focus on Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, countering the Chinese Communists, we must not lose focus on our strategic interests and our allies in the Middle East and our continued fight against a toxic mix of radical ISIS, al-Qaida, and Shia militia that are threatening the communities of the Gulf and our military assets. I am delighted that my amendment countering the Iranian assaults on our military was ruled in order. I thank Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith for this important work on this legislation and our 63rd annual successful year in supporting our military strategy and our troops.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I missed Roll Call Numbers 144, 235, 238, 239, and 240. Had I been present , I would have voted YEA.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Allie Thomas on representing Arkansas in the 2023 National History Day competition. National History Day is a high school competition whereby students can present historical research projects through websites, endorsements, or even performances. Each year, nearly a half million students across our great country participate in National History Day. The topic for this year's competition was Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas. The students' topics ranged from the history of science to politics and the military. Allie was one of only 3,000 students selected to participate in the National History Day competition at the University of Maryland just this past week. To advance to the National Competition, Allie's project was named a top-two project in her category and division. I am so proud of Allie and her hard work. And we are honored she represented our great State of Arkansas. Recognizing Arkansas Children's Hospital

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Arkansas Children's Hospital for being featured in the most recent U.S. News & World Report's list of best children's hospitals. Arkansas Children's Hospital received a top 50 ranking in seven medical specialties for pediatric hospitals across the United States and was also ranked in the top 10 pediatric hospitals for the southeast region. This recognition is well deserved. Arkansas Children's provides critical and incredibly valuable services to our children and their families across our State and the surrounding region. This kind of comprehensive care is necessary so that kids and their families in our State can reach their full potential and have access to the absolute best care possible for every kind of complication that life can bring. Providing these important services at such a high caliber requires a committed and talented team. The staff at Arkansas Children's Hospital certainly reflects these values. As a former hospital director there and now a Member of Congress, I am always proud to highlight their quality pediatric care in our State and glad that the exceptional performance of Arkansas Children's Hospital is being recognized at a national level. Congratulating Jimmy Moses

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jimmy Moses, who was recently honored for his work in downtown Little Rock for Little Rock's successful growth, redevelopment, and preservation over his many decades of leadership. Mr. Moses was featured in Block, Street, & Building magazine as a true difference maker, and I can certainly assure you, Mr. Speaker, that is understated. His family has exemplified values that made our State great for generations. They have not only benefited from their deep roots in Little Rock, but they have used those talents and love for the area to give back. Jimmy Moses is absolutely continuing that longtime Moses family tradition. Mr. Moses has worked in urban development and planning for years. He has worked on projects to restore historic buildings and facilitate creative development as our vital central business district of Little Rock has grown and changed over the past 40 years. Mr. Moses also serves as one of the founders of Moses Tucker Partners, a prominent real estate development firm in Little Rock. His background, skills, and passion demonstrate why he is so deserving of this important recognition. I am proud to recognize him as a visionary that has been so clearly dedicated to making our hometown a better place. Celebrating Earl Smith's 100th Birthday

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Earl Smith, who celebrated his 100th birthday on June 10. Mr. Smith, an Arkansas native, is a World War II veteran. Drafted at 19, he served in the Army and the Army Chemical Corps. He was also part of the Rhineland campaign and the northern France campaign and was awarded two Bronze Stars and a good conduct medal. Earl was married to his wife, Eloise, for 57 years. Together, they had two children, four grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. Earl is still an active member of the community. He makes sure to attend all of his grandchildren's events and holds the longest membership in Lifeline Baptist Church. Earl also is the oldest member of the Little Rock VFW Post 9095. When asked about this remarkable birthday, he said: ``I had no idea I would live this long, but every morning when I wake up, I thank the good Lord for another day.'' I thank Mr. Earl Smith for his service to our beloved Nation and congratulate him for his 100th birthday. Honoring Dave Peresko

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Dave Peresko. Mr. Peresko is a longtime veteran who served our Nation in the Vietnam war. Continuing his service to our country, Mr. Peresko began working for the U.S. Postal Service in Little Rock in 1973. During that work, Mr. Peresko was no stranger to any of our community members. His lively and kind spirit spread throughout our community, leaving a positive impact on everyone he came across. Completing over 45 years of service with the post office, Mr. Peresko retired from the post office just a few years ago in 2019. This very committed Kansas City Chiefs superfan brightened the city of Little Rock every day in the way he touched people and cared for them in his public service. We salute Dave in his retirement. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Susan Ramsey, the recipient of the Ag in the Classroom Outstanding Teacher of the Year award from the Arkansas Farm Bureau. Ms. Ramsey teaches language arts in Pangburn, and she leads a garden class on Fridays for third and fourth graders, providing them new and engaging experiences in and around our food system and agriculture. Pangburn High School's agriculture teacher Brian Harris, who nominated Ms. Ramsey for the award, praised her garden program because it provides students these important experiences at such a good, young age. Ms. Ramsey has undeniably made a positive impact on her students, providing them the tools they need for future success. Programs like these benefit students and their families across our State. This recognition is well-deserved, and as our State's nominee, she will represent Arkansas well at the National Ag in the Classroom Conference coming up. Thank you, Ms. Ramsey, for your dedication to your students. Congratulating Dr. Gary B. Arnold

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my friend, Dr. Gary B. Arnold, for his outstanding work as Head of School at Little Rock Christian Academy. After 16 years at Little Rock Christian, Dr. Arnold's legacy will not be forgotten. From expanding the campus, building modern athletic facilities, and improving the art and science programs, Dr. Arnold improved student life immensely over his tenure. Not only did Dr. Arnold lead his students, but he was a mentor to many other heads of school across the Nation. Dr. Arnold held many positions of leadership for national organizations, promoting high standards and the growth of independent Christian education. Through his devotion to spreading the faith and serving in the name of Jesus, Dr. Arnold's leadership creates a long-lasting, positive impact. I congratulate Dr. Arnold on his amazing work at Little Rock Christian and look forward to his continued leadership across our great country. Congratulating Allie Thomas