J. Hill

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to congratulate the six Arkansans in the 2018 class of inductees of the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame. This year's inductees include: Kevin Cole, a celebrated painter, printmaker, and sculptor; Brent Jennings, a prolific award-winning actor and director; Lieutenant General Aundre Piggee, U.S. Army deputy chief of staff for logistics at the Pentagon; Darrell Walker, a former NBA player and current men's basketball coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock; Mary Louise Williams, a legendary educator and political leader; and Florence Price, the first African American woman recognized as a symphonic composer and to have a composition played by a major orchestra. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize these six Arkansans who will join the Hall of Fame's more than 140 members for their lasting contributions to our communities and our State. I congratulate these inductees who exemplify the spirit and dedication behind this fine honor.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of one of Arkansas' statewide leaders, Mr. Don Zimmerman, who recently passed away at the age of 75. Don worked as executive director for the Arkansas Municipal League for over four decades and was there at the time of his death. A graduate of the University of Arkansas with a degree in business administration, Don first joined the Arkansas Municipal League back in 1966 as a field representative before working his way up to the executive director position in 1974. Two years ago, he became the first State Municipal League employee to be recognized by the National League of Cities for 50 years of service. Don also served two terms on the board of directors of the National League of Cities. Mr. Speaker, he was a friend to many across our State of Arkansas, and I extend my respect, affection, and prayers to his friends, family, and loved ones. Recognizing Olan Wages, One of Arkansas' Finest

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize one of Arkansas' finest, Olan Wages, who recently died at the age of 95. A veteran of the Army, who served in World War II, Olan Wages was at the Battle of the Bulge. Mr. Wages' story is one that makes all Arkansans proud. For his service, he was awarded two Purple Hearts with oakleaf cluster, four Bronze Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, a World War II Commemorative Medal, a Normandy Jubilee of Liberty Medal, and a French Legion of Honor Medal, among others. Mr. Wages is survived by his three loving daughters, Brenda, Marcia, and Kay. Mr. Speaker, Olan's example is one all Americans and Arkansans can admire, and I extend my respect, affection, and prayers to his friends, family, and loved ones. Recognizing the Achievements of Kevontae Carter

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the achievements of Kevontae Carter, a junior at Philander Smith College in my hometown of Little Rock. I am pleased to announce that the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities has named him an inaugural Competitiveness Scholar. Competitiveness Scholars are students who have exhibited exceptional academic achievement, engagement with their communities, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Kevontae, who is majoring in biology and minoring in mathematics, was personally nominated for this honor by Philander's president, Dr. Roderick Smothers. A leader on campus, he serves as a student ambassador for the United Negro College Fund, of which Philander is the only member in the State of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I honor Kevontae's commitment to excellence and commend him on being named to this distinguished fellowship. Recognizing Ms. Annie Abrams

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, it gives me a lot of pleasure today to recognize a dear friend and a civil rights icon from Arkansas, Ms. Annie Abrams, and wish her a very, very happy 87th birthday. Ms. Abrams has served her State and country tirelessly throughout her career, from her involvement in the desegregation of Central High School to her role with the Arkansas Teachers Association, including becoming the first African American PTA president at Central High. Born in Arkadelphia, Ms. Abrams moved to Little Rock at the age of 13 to pursue a better education, and she graduated from Dunbar High School and later Philander Smith College with a degree in special education. She continues to be involved in many local community service organizations, including the Little Rock Central High Integration 50th Anniversary Commission, a commissioner for the Fair Housing Commission, and treasurer of the Arkansas Democratic Black Caucus. As a local educator and civic and community leader, Ms. Abrams has enriched the lives of countless Arkansans and Americans. She is the busiest woman I know, particularly for someone on the cusp of an 87th birthday. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to our next opportunity to be together, and I thank her for her lifetime of service to our community. Recognizing the Anniversary of the Central High School Integration

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, 61 years ago today, all eyes were on South Park Street that fronts the beautiful facade of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Just days before, the Arkansas Governor, Orval Faubus, had called out the National Guard to prevent nine Black students from entering that school on September 4. Central High and its beautiful neighborhood had become ground zero in the march to end the five-decade legacy of Plessy v. Ferguson, separate but equal. Now, just over 3 years after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, it was time for action. In a few days, on the 25th of this month, we will celebrate the successful integration of Central High School when the Little Rock Nine entered the school, escorted by the 101st Airborne Division. It is fitting today, Mr. Speaker, that we pay tribute to the Little Rock Nine, their defenders, and the successful end to separate but equal. I am proud to recognize this important milestone today on this House floor and remember passing the bill 1 year ago that I authored that expands the park boundary of the National Historic Site at Little Rock Central High School. This is a historic and an important touchstone for all those modern-day history travelers retracing the steps of the civil rights movement. The National Historic Site Visitor Center was opened in 2007 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Central High's integration. My bill extended the park boundaries to take in the houses that fronted the school along South Park Street so that future generations will be able to picture that street just as it was and reflect on those 21 days of trauma back in 1957. Bringing the properties into the boundary of the site provides the National Park Service with more tools and flexibility for partnering with the homeowners to historically preserve their front facade and the yards of those homes. Together with the school, the seven homes across the street from Central High will now stand as a living monument to the civil rights movement in Arkansas and the United States. I want to thank the National Park Service superintendent at that site, Robin White, for her leadership and her persistent work with the community to enhance it as an educational resource and a key stop on the Civil Rights Trail. The Little Rock Nine's brave actions integrating Little Rock Central High will forever be remembered for their unparalleled role in ending so-called separate but equal. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the 61st anniversary of these brave actions by those young people. Recognizing the Accomplishments of Women Throughout History

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the important accomplishments of women throughout history and to call attention to the millions of women across the globe who lack access to education and are denied access to opportunity. Small businesses are the engines of our economy in Arkansas and across our entire Nation. They create and support jobs within our local communities and employ approximately half of all private-sector workers in the United States. According to the Small Business Administration, 30 million small businesses in the U.S. make up over 99 percent of our Nation's businesses; and of those, 11.4 million are women-owned businesses, employing nearly 9 million people. They are centers of innovation, discovery, and opportunity, empowering and equipping Americans for success. Everyone should have the opportunity to rise, but in America, women entrepreneurs face barriers to certain business resources that many males with similar aspirations don't. We have got to work hard for our hardworking Americans and our hardworking American families. In Arkansas, Winrock International is doing just that through its Arkansas Women's Business Center. The Arkansas Women's Business Center provides training, counseling, and access to capital for women who want their business to grow and become competitive. Though obstacles to entrepreneurship and opportunity also exist outside the U.S., there are entities, including Winrock, supporting solutions that promote prosperity and provide a means for women to flourish around the world. I had a chance to visit with a very hardworking, enterprising, caring young woman from my hometown of Little Rock, recently, whose innovative efforts were to eradicate hopelessness and give hope to those in poverty by lifting them up and aiding their pursuit of happiness and promoting the fruits of the dignity of work. Anna Taylor is the founder of the clothing company Judith & James of the nonprofit James127 Foundation. She started her remarkable journey during her family's mission work in Africa. Inspired by the desire and drive of the Kenyan women she encountered, Anna set out to work with them to ensure that they have the opportunity to provide for their loved ones and themselves. Today, her foundation provides practical and hands-on sewing training to Kenyan widows, offering hope and a future to women whose communities have been ravaged by poverty and disease. When you empower women, you empower their communities. For too long, too many young girls and women throughout the world continue to be denied an effective education. We must continue to work to address this injustice and ensure that all women are provided fundamental freedoms in the political, social, cultural, economic, and civic fields. So I would like to applaud the House on its recent passage of H.R. 5480, the Women's Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act, and commend my fellow Arkansan, Senator John Boozman, for introducing its companion in the Senate. As the proud father of a daughter studying hard in college--I hope she is studying hard--I believe that it is critical that we all support all of our aspiring young women. I urge the Senate to act quickly on this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor today to honor the life of a longtime work colleague and friend, David W. Mullins Jr., who recently passed away at the age of 72. David had a remarkable career of public service, including working in both the Department of the Treasury and as a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. It was a pleasure to work with him in Domestic Finance at the Department of the Treasury under President George H.W. Bush. David's journey began in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where his father was president of the University of Arkansas. David attended Fayetteville High School before graduating from Yale University with a degree in administrative sciences. He then pursued graduate work at MIT, and there he completed his Ph.D. in economics and finance. David's public service began shortly after the stock market crash in 1987, and his expertise proved vital toward the rejuvenation of the economy and the resolution of the savings and loan crisis under the Reagan and Bush administrations. Mr. Speaker, he was a thoughtful leader, a friend to many, and I extend my respect, affection, and prayers to his friends, family, and loved ones. Honoring the Life and Legacy of Mr. Don Zimmerman

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of one of Arkansas' marketing and public relations geniuses and a dear friend, Mr. Ron Robinson, who recently passed away at the age of 75. Born and raised in my hometown of Little Rock, Ron had a natural talent for media and journalism at a very young age. As a teenager, he worked as a sports writer for the Arkansas Gazette and was paid $1 an hour. After graduating from the University of Arkansas with a degree in journalism, Ron joined the Air Force, serving as a public information officer. He quickly rose to the rank of captain and earned a Bronze Star for his service in Vietnam and the Air Force Commendation Medal in 1969 for his support of the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon. A year later, he joined Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods, CJRW, as director of public relations. He would eventually become chairman and CEO until his retirement in 1996. Ron received many awards for his contributions to Arkansas and the journalism industry. He was honored in 2005 as a distinguished alumnus of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and inducted into the Lemke Journalism Society Hall of Honor in 2016. Ron was a role model and friend for many across the State of Arkansas, and I extend my respect, affection, and prayers to his friends, his family, and his many, many mentees during his years of service. Honoring the Life of David W. Mullins, Jr.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. Sinema), my good friend, for yielding. She and I have the pleasure of serving on the House Financial Services Committee together and cooperating on many legislative measures and regulatory measures that benefit our economy, so I thank her for that work. I greatly appreciate her stepping up and reaching out across the aisle on the subject of suicide, particularly during Suicide Prevention Month, and letting all of us have an opportunity to share our perspective on this national tragedy. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. There is an average of 123 suicides per day. What could be more tragic than that? Yet, I don't see nearly the people on the floor tonight that there should be, because this affects all our districts so tragically. One in five are suffering with some form of mental illness in our country, a problem that has disrupted so many families, caused too much violence and pain, and caused far too many lives. Representative Sinema and I talk about this every time the subject comes up. When I was a high school senior, I can't remember a friend that was a victim of suicide. But, Mr. Speaker, my kids just turned 19 and 21, and within 4 or 5 years of their ages, I can think of six families who have lost a child to suicide--different reasons, same tragedy. So our families are hurting from the scourge of suicide. In Congress, this is an area where we work together, the 21st Century Cures Act, where we attacked the first comprehensive approach to mental illness treatment in decades, where we say we want people with mental illness and who need treatment to get it. We worked together most recently on the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act for American veterans, and the National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act--small steps, but concrete steps that call attention to suicide, particularly in our veterans community. The VA is helping on this issue and marked Suicide Prevention Month with its Be There campaign. This campaign highlights the risk factors and warning signs for suicide, provides information about VA mental health and suicide prevention resources, and helps individuals and organizations start the conversation around veteran mental health in their communities. Our VA employees must have the necessary resources to offer guidance to veterans while providing essential suicide prevention services. This is a together thing. This is an ``all of us in this together'' thing. Mr. Speaker, I have a chair in my front office in my district office in Little Rock that was hand-painted to raise money for suicide awareness and suicide prevention. On that chair, it says: ``We Are The 22.'' This is a nonprofit organization in my community started by veterans helping veterans, because it is not an ``us and they'' thing. It is an ``us'' thing. It is a ``we'' thing. We are all in this together. We are the 22, the number that we have as the estimate of veterans who are taking their own lives. So I want to echo the Speaker pro tempore this afternoon, a distinguished American and distinguished veteran and brave, heroic representative of our Armed Forces, our patriots, the people who defend our liberties, when he said we don't leave people behind. We don't leave a sailor, a marine, or a soldier on the battlefield. We bring them home. Just last week, we honored John McCain on the floor of this House. And Sam Johnson, leaving the House this year--Representative Schweikert was there--he was in the Hanoi Hilton with John McCain. We don't leave a man or woman behind on the battlefield. But when they come home, we equally should not leave them behind. I really commend the Speaker's comments that the mission is not over. All of us have that partnership and sense of duty to carry that mission forward on the home front when we are out of harm's way and out of theater. To me, it is that buddy system that we all learn, whether it is in boot camp or swim team, you team up; you check in on each other; you don't leave people alone. That is the secret, I think, to preventing suicide. I lost a good friend of mine, a fraternity brother, a partner in a law firm in Houston, Texas. He never once intimated to his wife, to his children, or to his law partners that anything was wrong, and they got the call that he had been found. Check in: How are you doing? So we are the 22. We are on the buddy system. We don't leave our warriors behind. The mission continues here. All those things are true. I carry in my wallet, Mr. Speaker, the veterans crisis hotline as a reminder to me that we want our veterans to reach out if there is a moment of crisis. If somebody is watching this or hearing the words of brave Brian Mast, or the emotional content and leadership of Representative Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona, and you are having that moment now as a veteran, I urge you to call 1-800-273-8255 for yourself, for a friend, for a neighbor. We, in Congress, are fighting to make sure that that veterans hotline is a value, that it is answered, and that we are part of that thin thread of connectivity between all of us that keeps us right on the moment. Mr. Speaker, I see my friend from Arizona is here. It was a pleasure to have both of my friends from Arizona talk about their senior Senator last week, John McCain, and what he meant to each of us and what he has meant to our country. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert), my friend, now on the House Ways and Means Committee, formerly of the best committee in the House, the House Financial Services Committee.

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona for participating, and I thank his colleague, Representative Sinema, for her heartfelt tribute that she has carried on since she has been in the House to bring attention to suicide prevention. I also commend the House for the efforts that it has taken on mental health and on suicide prevention, particularly for our veterans.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to again bring attention to the impending crisis in Idlib province, Syria. Last week I spoke in the well of the House about the great work our Kansans and Americans are doing in support of the innocent Syrian people, many of them with no connection to Syria other than seeing years of pointless death and mayhem and wanting to help the Syrian people cope with their country's destruction and return to their families, their villages, their work. I learned today that many of those Syrians that my fellow Americans support are now only a few kilometers away from the frontlines of the Assad-backed war machine. The U.S. must continue to support Turkey's push to achieve a diplomatic solution to at least delay an assault on Idlib. I believe the use of chemical weapons should not be the only trigger for an American response, but that we can no longer stand by as scores of innocents are massacred by the brutal dictator and his Russian agents. I call on the President to strengthen his resolve against Assad's barbarous acts and to continue to support the innocent Syrian people.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to continue to speak out against the atrocities being committed in Syria by the brutal dictator, Assad, and his evil collaborators and coconspirators, Russia and Iran. I commend President Trump for taking a stand against the reckless attack on Idlib province and the tens of thousands who could be killed. I am proud of the work that Arkansans are doing in Syria, particularly in Idlib province, on behalf of the Syrian people. Through the work of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, led by a Syrian American, an Arkansan, Mouaz Moustafa, Arkansans are directly supporting the reopening of a kindergarten and women's center in Idlib province. I am especially concerned about the tragic consequences and loss of life that an assault, particularly a chemical weapons assault, on Idlib will have on this vital kindergarten and work for women there. I stand in support of the President's recent message but call on him to strengthen his resolve against Assad's brutal actions and to continue to support the innocent Syrian people.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, tonight, in this hallowed Chamber of the House, in the U.S. Capitol, we pay tribute to a good friend, a patriot, a loyal Member of this House of Representatives, and the Senate, and that is John McCain, who we lost last week, after a long and productive life. It seems fitting that we are here in the House Chamber with the portraits of George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, two generals in the army of the liberation in our American Revolution, two comrades at arms, two people who set the standard for high, ethical standards of leadership, and leading us in what we treasure today, our United States of America. And really John McCain epitomized that. Mr. Speaker, it may be unusual that a Member from Arkansas would lead a tribute in honor of our distinguished former colleague, but there is a connection, because when I started, one of my earliest jobs was serving Senator John Tower of Texas, on his personal staff and on the staff of the Senate banking committee. You couldn't work for John Tower and not be a friend to John McCain, because John McCain was, as a young captain, the liaison to the Senate between 1977 and 1981, and then he ran for office in 1982 in his home State of Arizona. He said it was hard to decide to run. He didn't really have a home. The longest place he had lived before he ran for Congress from Arizona was in the Hanoi Hilton, Mr. Speaker. And John Tower broke his promise to not campaign and mess around in a Republican primary by traveling Arizona and Texas helping John McCain win his election in 1982. They were, like Lafayette and Washington, comrades in arms, both Navy men: Tower, the seniormost enlisted man elected to the Senate, and John McCain, a captain, son and grandson of admirals. Tower's favorite story about John was when they went to Oman, and Captain McCain was his escort officer on a codel, and they were with the Sultan of Oman out in the desert in a tent, arrayed on beautiful carpets. As you know, it is bad protocol to show one's soles of the feet in the Arab culture, and John McCain, Mr. Speaker, could not bend his legs from his beatings in the Hanoi Hilton. And so there he was, cross- legged--or tried to be cross-legged--in that tent in Oman with the soles of his feet pointing directly at the sultan. It was Tower who said: Your Majesty, please understand that Captain McCain can't properly cross his legs, as he was a POW in Vietnam and is crippled from that horrible ordeal. And the Sultan of Oman said: My dear Senator, I am a graduate of Sandhurst and a former captain in the British Army of the Rhine. I understand. And it is a pleasure to have Captain McCain at our table. Years later, it was John McCain who worked his tail off to try to have John Tower confirmed as Secretary of Defense in 1989 for my old boss, President Bush, to no avail. But in the minutes before that failed vote in the Senate, McCain turned to Tower and said: God bless you, John Tower. You are a damn fine sailor. So tonight, Mr. Speaker, I pay tribute to John McCain, his comradeship, his friendship with John Tower, his service to this country, his undenied patriotic leadership and strength in the country that we have today. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call on my friend from Texas, and it is a special call, it is an emotional call for all of us in this Chamber tonight, to ask Sam Johnson to come to the podium, Sam Johnson, who spent 7 years in the Hanoi Hilton, 42 months in solitary confinement, a 29-year career in the Air Force. So, Mr. Speaker, I now yield to my friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson), and thank him for sharing his thoughts on his comrade in arms, former Senator John McCain.

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank our good friend for his service. Sam Johnson has served this Chamber so nobly during his years on Ways and Means and ends his career in the people's House this term. All of us treasure our time with him, our work together, and his leadership, and we treasure his remarks tonight in honor of his great comrade. And, sir, we salute you and we thank you, and God bless you for all you have done for this great country. With that, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Denham), who serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Natural Resources. Also, he served this great country in the Air Force for 16 years, fought in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq, Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. We welcome him, and we thank him for his comments tonight.

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from California. I appreciate his personal testimony about John's service and his friendship. I thank him again for his service to our country, not only in the people's House, but in the U.S. Air Force. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to my friend from Memphis, my neighbor from across the Mississippi River, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen), a Representative from Memphis who serves on the Committee on Ethics, where he is a ranking member. I am proud to have his contributions tonight in tribute and memory to our former colleague, Senator McCain.

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Tennessee for his remarks about our friend John McCain. Now, I would like to ask a colleague of his from Arizona, my friend, who we served on the House Financial Services Committee together, Dave Schweikert, who represents Phoenix and Scottsdale and currently serves on the House Ways and Means Committee. Mr. Speaker, I yield to Representative Schweikert and thank him for being with us tonight.

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Arizona. I thank him for his personal stories tonight and his tribute to our former friend from Arizona. It is a pleasure for me to ask my friend from Fresno, California, Representative Jim Costa, to share some thoughts on the life of John McCain. Mr. Costa serves on the Agriculture Committee and Natural Resources Committee, and we are grateful for him being with us tonight. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa).

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from California for his personal memories and tribute to Senator McCain. It is a pleasure now for me to yield to my friend from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart). Senator McCain, throughout his life, was such a great voice for our Bill of Rights, for liberty across the world, for the fight against communism during the Cold War, and for the fight for trade and leadership by the American people and our great country around the world. I think the same of my friend, Mario Diaz-Balart from Florida, who with his friend Jim Costa helps lead our parliamentary dialogue between the Transatlantic Economic Council in the EU and the United States. I thank my friend, also a member of the Ways and Means Committee, for coming tonight and sharing his thoughts on Senator McCain.

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the time to thank my colleagues for coming to the House floor to this hallowed Chamber of the people's House and paying tribute to a distinguished Member of this House, a distinguished United States Senator, and someone who epitomizes the best of American character. We were all inspired by the stories shared tonight, particularly I think by the touching tribute of a colleague in the Hanoi Hilton, Sam Johnson of Texas. I will remember that time for the rest of my days. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, let me just say that as John McCain communicated with Sam Johnson in the Hanoi Hilton, I say we salute this fine sailor and say God bless you.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Neomi Rao, the current Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, for her important work in reducing the power of the Federal administrative state. Beginning in 2013, I outlined how our economic recovery was subpar in comparison to post-World War II recoveries, in part due to the wet blanket of the avalanche of Federal costs imposed by the previous administration. In Arkansas, we have seen Federal regulatory agencies have devastating economic effects on our farmers, our small business people, nonprofits, schools, colleges, and State agencies. Then comes Neomi Rao, and in her first year as administrator of OIRA, she led the way with the delay or withdrawal of 1,579 planned regulatory actions, leading to almost $8 billion in lifetime savings for the economy and the American people. These successes have not stopped in 2018, where she has been working with every agency to set a negative regulatory cost allocation to provide our local businesses, farmers, and schools the relief that they need. I commend Administrator Rao for her work at OMB in cutting red tape in Washington and giving control back to our States, our local communities, and our hardworking taxpayers.

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of a man who has had a major impact on conservation and preservation throughout Arkansas, Mr. Arnold Hameister. Arnold recently retired after 37 years of service to the Arkansas Forestry Commission. He started his career with the Forestry Commission in 1981 as a tower operator in Heber Springs, and 6 months later became a full-time ranger. Arnold then moved his family to Conway, where he served as the county ranger until he was hired by Best Management Practices as a specialist. He ended his decades-long career as the program coordinator for water quality. Arnold and his family were recently honored at a celebration at the Department of Agriculture headquarters in Little Rock. Arnold's service to the State of Arkansas and to environmental conservation will never be forgotten, and I join all Arkansans in congratulating him on a remarkable career and a well-deserved retirement. Recognizing Tamika Edwards