J. Hill

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jeff Henderson, who won a gold medal in the long jump during this summer's Rio Games. A native of McAlmont, the Mac Side, Arkansas, Jeff has been pushing himself to succeed since the humble beginnings of his athletic career. After graduating from Sylvan Hills High School in 2007, where he played football and ran track, Jeff surprised himself and his peers as he tore through the competition in both collegiate and professional track and field. His perseverance would not dwindle in Rio, and Jeff promised his mother, who is battling Alzheimer's, that he would bring home the gold. After trailing other athletes during the majority of the event, on August 13, 2016, Jeff leapt his way to gold on the final jump, edging past the silver medalist by just 1 centimeter. Our Olympic athletes in Arkansas and throughout the country made our Nation proud this summer, and I am honored to recognize today this Mac Side star, Jeff Henderson, for his historic accomplishment.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Chair, today I rise in support of H.R. 2357, the Accelerating-Access to Capital Act, which continues to build on the successes of the JOBS Act to stimulate capital formation for small businesses to help grow the economy and create good-paying jobs. Last week, I visited the Venture Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, with my good friend Mrs. Wagner, the lead sponsor of this bill. The Venture Center has been working with the public financial services IT company, Fidelity Information Systems (FIS) to launch the VC FinTech Accelerator, a program that will bring innovators and entrepreneurs from across the world to Little Rock. I had the pleasure of attending their Demo Day last month, where FIS and the Governor of Arkansas announced a two-year partnership with the program. This exciting program has only been active for a short time, but has already proven its ability to assist in our efforts to grow new technology jobs across the region. These start-ups, however, often face significant and costly hurdles to obtain funding in the capital markets that is necessary to continue to grow or go public, as the cost of securities regulation disproportionally falls on small companies. H.R. 2357 helps reduce some of this regulatory burden by making it easier for small companies to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission and creates a cost-effective way for small companies to raise capital through ``micro-offerings,'' so long as the sale meets certain criteria. It also prevents the SEC's costly and complex proposed Regulation D rules from taking effect, which are inconsistent with the JOBS Act and Congress' intent to make it easier for small businesses to raise capital. We need regulation in our capital markets, but we need smart regulation that does not unduly burden startups across the nation, who are at the forefront of innovation and job creation. I thank my colleagues on the Committee--Mrs. Wagner, Mr. Emmer, and Capital Markets Subcommittee Chairman Garrett--for their work on this thoughtful legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the chairman yielding. I appreciate his work on this important issue. He makes a good point, which is that this is not so much about the JCPOA, as noted by the opposition. This is about the fact that our joint agreement that the Obama administration reached with our allies with Iran is in conflict in many ways with existing Federal law and Federal practice where we are still involved in analyzing Iran for its sanction violations. More importantly, while there is a lot of talk about the 1-year anniversary of the JCPOA, I want to remind my friends on both sides of the aisle that 7 years ago, in June, 2009, the people of Iran rose up against the malicious mullahs of their murderous regime, and their cries for help fell on deaf ears in the United States. Some 4,000 were arrested. What has become of them? What has become of those people? What has become of their cause? So I want to remember in June 2009, the impact of this regime in Iran. I am proud to support this legislation. I am proud to serve on the Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing. Look to the State Department's most recent Country Reports on Iran. The report states: ``Iran's state sponsorship of terrorism worldwide remained undiminished through the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, the Quds Force, its Ministry of Intelligence and Security, and Tehran's ally, Hezbollah.'' In addition to its support for terrorism, the Iranian regime is corrupt and known to be involved in money laundering, bribery, and illicit finance around the world--not just the Middle East, but in the Western Hemisphere. The Treasury has designated the Government of Iran as a primary money laundering concern since 2011. International financial bodies, such as the Financial Action Task Force, have warned Iran's financing of terrorism poses a serious threat to the international financial system. So since the Iranian deal, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard is actively providing funding and arms to Hezbollah and Hamas, propping up Shia militias in Iraq, and responsible for deaths of Americans and our soldiers in Iraq. They continue to hold hostages. They continue to fail Federal adjudicated claims of 35 years of victims, and they continue to trade and test ballistic weapons, threatening our allies and our best interests. This legislation is not about sinking the nuclear deal. This legislation is about holding Iran accountable for its terrorist finance activities and its money laundering activities. There is no reason in any way, shape, or form that they deserve dollar access. This legislation is about maintaining the integrity of our country's financial system and preventing the dollar from being used to support terrorism around the world. I am pleased to support this legislation.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. I thank the chairman for yielding, and I thank Mr. Pompeo for his work on this measure. Mr. Speaker, I stand in strong support of H.R. 5119, and I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation. Here, on the anniversary of Mr. Obama's deal with the theocracy of Iran, passing the No 2H2O from Iran Act is a commonsense thing to do. There is nothing in the failed, ill-conceived, misdirected, poorly designed disaster of a nuclear deal which says the United States Government is required to help Iran fulfill its commitments to limit its stores of heavy water. I remain unconvinced today by the arguments of my friends in the loyal opposition of the idea that our government would obligate our taxpayers or even possess an option to buy Iranian heavy water in the future. It is ridiculous. There is a private market for heavy water in this world, and the Iranians are welcome to meet their deal obligations in that private market. It is Iran's responsibility to comply with the limits of its heavy water agreement. As to the nuclear deal, it is not the United States' or any other country's responsibility to buy a commodity in an already limited global market from a government that has done nothing to indicate that it is a friend. I am proud to support this legislation, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support its passage. I thank the chairman for his leadership consistently on analyzing the President's transaction with Iran and its shortcomings. Here, a year has passed, and we still see the failings of this transaction every time we turn.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. I thank the chairman for yielding. I thank Mr. Lynch for his important legislation, H.R. 5594, which I stand in support of and as a cosponsor of today. I want to thank Chairman Fitzpatrick and Chairman Hensarling for the opportunity to serve on this critical task force on terror financing. It is an important but less-discussed part of the war on terror. This war on terror requires a more nuanced approach to achieve victory than previous U.S. conflicts. It requires the full coordination and collaboration of allied financial, cyber, diplomatic, and military capabilities. And one of the most underreported aspects of winning this war has been infiltrating and cutting off sources of funding for terrorist groups. Like its occasional intermittent engagement, accompanied by long periods of lack of resolve, lack of clear rules of engagement that would produce victory, occasionally, this administration has not been consistent in pressing for victory in the war on terror finance. But since San Bernardino and Paris, we see the administration aggressively targeting ISIS' funding sources. Instead of intermittent, we need a coordinated strategy to combat terror finance between all of our government agencies and with our allies to make sure it is the most effective in countering this menace. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, is our Nation's front line at the Treasury for government-to-government and enhanced government-to-private sector coordination that this national strategy puts in full force. I was pleased to cosponsor Mr. Lynch's amendment that was passed in last week's Financial Services appropriations legislation that includes an increase for FinCEN's budget. I am proud to join my colleague, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and our committee on this important bill to require a national strategy to combat terrorism, underground, and other forms of illicit finance. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, I had the pleasure of meeting Thomas Wayne Hudson. Known on Facebook as The Walking Veteran, Mr. Hudson is walking across the country to raise awareness for the issues facing veterans as they transition from military life to civilian status. Mr. Hudson, who is a disabled veteran, started his journey in Las Vegas on May 2, and plans to finish on Veterans Day here in the Nation's Capital. While walking with him, I quickly became inspired by his dedication to his fellow veterans. Despite returning to civilian life, Mr. Hudson has dedicated his time, energy, and resources to help fellow veterans, and his mission is a testament to the never-ending spirit and selflessness of our Nation's veterans. Mr. Hudson told me that a big part of the reason for the walk is to catch the attention of our Nation's elected officials. The Walking Veteran deserves our attention and support, and I am pleased to share his story with my colleagues in the House. I encourage all to follow Mr. Hudson's journey.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall no. 336, the Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act of 2016, had I been present, I would have voted YEA.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, on roll call no. 334, the End Taxpayer Funded Cell Phones Act of 2016, had I been present, I would have voted YEA.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, on roll call No. 335 the Support for Rapid Innovation Act of 2016, had I been present, I would have voted Yea.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the dedicated and exceptional work of Mr. Sanford Tollette, the executive director of the Joseph Pfeifer Kiwanis Camp in Arkansas. The camp provides at-risk and underprivileged children throughout Arkansas with the opportunity to enhance their education while experiencing nature and the great outdoors. Originally a summer camp, Mr. Tollette has transformed it into a year-round residential academic intervention program. A grateful mother from Arkansas recently shared with me the powerful impact that the camp has had on her daughter's development, allowing her to better interact with her friends and her classmates. Further, the camp has provided critical guidance and information to the mother to help her with her child's development. Under his leadership, the camp has provided thousands of young Arkansans with the opportunity to grow, learn, and build lasting friendships. I commend Mr. Tollette for his fruitful efforts, and I look forward to his continued success.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Congregation B'nai Israel on its 150th anniversary in Little Rock. Established at the close of the Civil War, B'nai Israel was founded by Jewish immigrants in the United States. Over the past decades, Jewish immigrants have enhanced our State and our Nation, including the first Jewish Federal judge in the United States, Judge Jacob Trieber. B'nai Israel was a founding member of the Union for Reform Judaism and is the home for Reform Judaism in central Arkansas. The congregation has a strong link to the American civil rights movement and has embraced diversity and inclusiveness in actions and words. In the heart of Little Rock, B'nai Israel's current temple building has been a beacon for Jewish faith and empowerment in Arkansas for over 40 years. I would like to extend my congratulations to Congregation B'nai Israel and wish it much continued success for generations to come.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill. Over the past few years, we have seen mismanagement, cost overruns, and project delays at our Veterans Affairs facilities and hospitals across this country. While the biggest construction failures are the ones that have gathered the headlines, such as the billion-dollar cost overrun in Colorado, the VA has a knack for dropping the ball on simple and smaller projects as well. One of these is an $8 million ongoing solar panel project at the VA Medical Center in Little Rock. It has been 3 years since the planned activation of the system. However, engineering changes and the relocation of the panels to make way for a new parking garage, which was even known in advance of the award, has cost valuable taxpayer resources. Last year, I sent a letter, along with Senator John Boozman, to the VA Office of the Inspector General calling for an investigation into this solar panel project, which resulted in the VA Inspector General conducting a national review of all the solar panel projects across the VA. While this review is being finalized, many questions remain unanswered about these solar projects. Currently, the VA lists 34 key renewable energy projects dating back to 2010 that remain nonoperational. Today's bill contains an important provision in the report language that will protect the taxpayer dollars by prohibiting funding for solar projects at the VA due to these concerns about the mismanagement in these projects. I am pleased that the committee has included this essential language as we await the results from the VA Inspector General's investigation into these costly projects. This small piece is an important part of the overall reevaluation of the VA's construction oversight and implementation that Congress has developed and that taxpayers deserve.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible work being done in my home State of Arkansas by AR Kids Read. When I was the chamber of commerce chair in Little Rock, I was proud to help AR Kids Read expand 3\1/2\ years ago with the goal of improving literacy rates among our children in Arkansas. In the 2014-2015 school year alone, AR Kids Read was able to provide over 400 trained tutors to serve 1 hour a week in 47 different schools in central Arkansas. This inspirational program helps nearly 1,000 students each year struggling to learn to master reading in the first through third grades. AR Kids Read has been recognized by one of the five model programs at the Reading is Fundamental--RIF--50th Anniversary Gala here in Washington, D.C. I extend my congratulations and best wishes for much continued success to AR Kids Read and thank all of my fellow citizens who volunteer as tutors.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this joint resolution. While this rule may be well intended, its effects will lead to higher fees, lack of diversity and choice, limiting access to professional retirement planning and guidance for those who need it the most, low balance, smaller investors trying to save every month for their retirement. I have long believed that the Securities and Exchange Commission is the governing agency most expert and should have been taking the lead on this project of the fiduciary rule. The administration should have insisted on it. Instead, they have been off track for 5 years. We are left with a 1,000-page rule that creates a confusing, bifurcated set of standards that will confuse investment advisers and their clients trying to save for retirement. Americans need more affordable retirement choices, not less. I thank the gentleman from Tennessee and Mrs. Wagner for their work on this effort.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his leadership of the Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises. I appreciate greatly the kind comments, sponsorship, and good work of my friend, the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Carney). Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 5019, the FAIR Act, Fair Access to Investment Research Act. This bill is similar to a bill that I introduced with Mr. Carney that passed the House as a part of H.R. 1675 and passed our committee by a strong bipartisan vote. As my friend from Delaware said, we have worked diligently to improve this legislation and we have worked carefully with our colleagues in the minority to make sure that this bill fully represents the bipartisan consensus on the intent of the FAIR Act. This bill is very simple: it allows broker-dealers involved in a distribution to issue research reports on the rapidly growing medium of the exchange-traded funds, or the ETF, market. Since I started my most recent investment firm in the late 1990s, I have personally seen the ETF market grow from about 100 funds and $100 billion in assets to over 1,400 funds and nearly $2 trillion in assets. And some reports predict an additional $1 trillion might shift into ETFs should the Department of Labor's recent fiduciary rule actually go into effect. Further, today's ETFs frequently are more complicated and require more analysis on the part of investors. Yet despite their rapid appreciation and growth in popularity and increasing importance to retail investors, most broker-dealers do not publish research on ETFs due to anomalies in the securities laws and regulations that Mr. Garrett so ably discussed. Throughout this process, there has been essentially universal support for increasing investor knowledge and access to information on ETFs-- that a safe harbor in this regard simply makes good sense. As Mr. Carney said, this issue is not unfamiliar to the Commission, as it has been raised both to the SEC and by the SEC several times over the past 17 years, most recently in 2004. As a part of its Securities Offering Reform proposal, the Commission requested comment on whether ``reliance on proposed rule 139 should be permitted if the issuer is an open-end management investment company or other investment company.'' The comments were universally supported, but the rule was never adopted. Given the importance of ETFs to today's market, steps to facilitate research and allow investors access to this useful information is long overdue. The FAIR Act directs the SEC to provide a safe harbor for research reports that cover ETFs so that these reports are not considered ``offers'' under section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933. This mirrors other research safe harbors implemented by the SEC for other categories. The bill also helps the SEC organize, in my view, its ``50 front burners'' and holds it accountable to follow Congress' direction by requiring the Commission to finalize rules within 180 days or an interim safe harbor will take effect until the rule is proposed and finalized. With close to 6 million U.S. households holding ETFs, investors need access to this research to be better informed and make better long-term investment decisions. Again, I would like to thank the chairman, Mr. Carney; Mrs. Maloney, the ranking member; and all of the staff on both the majority and minority side for working to develop this commonsense proposal to provide more information to American investors. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this commonsense bill.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. I thank the gentleman from New York. I appreciate his comments and I appreciate his personal testimony today about the importance of this issue. It is a bipartisan issue. It requires all of us working together. The concept behind our discussion is new ideas, new directions, because what we have done for the last 50 years is not working. And somebody who has been a leader on the Committee on Financial Services for seeking out the best ideas, particularly in how we can tackle a housing solution for so many people in need of quality housing, is the distinguished gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Luetkemeyer), chairman of our Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

Mr. HILL. I thank my colleague from Missouri. I enjoy so much our service together on the Financial Services Committee, and I appreciate his leadership in tackling the puzzle of how to create a housing mission that helps people that need it the most. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Hardy), my good friend, who is a fellow member of the freshman class in this Congress.

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Nevada. I am so inspired by the success that he talks about in Nevada on a local level that is working and how powerful mentoring is. I mentioned a few minutes ago that our colleague, Representative Tipton from Colorado, and I were up in New York last week. We visited The Doe Fund, which just recently celebrated 30 years of fighting homelessness and hopelessness in the boroughs of New York. They provide affordable and supportive housing for individuals and families struggling with chronic homelessness. They are famous because of their Ready, Willing & Able program, the bright, colorful uniforms all across the boroughs of New York that provides homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals with transitional work, housing, case management, life skills, education assistance, occupational training, job readiness, and graduate services. About 2,000 individuals per year are helped through The Doe Fund's extensive network of training and jobs. It is exactly the kind of thing, Mr. Speaker, that we want in all of our cities where citizens come together and help the least of these, those coming off parole and those trapped in alcohol or drug abuse. My hats are off to Harriet McDonald, the executive vice president and cofounder, and her husband of The Doe Fund and all that they are doing good and the success they have by the number of former Doe Fund beneficiaries, like Don Pridgen, who now is a caseworker helping his fellow citizens as an alumnus of The Doe Fund. Arthur Brooks said recently at the American Enterprise Institute: ``The Doe Fund is an extraordinary success not just because of its numbers (it has lower criminal recidivism and higher work attachment than virtually any other program for the homeless in New York City) but because it specializes in taking care of some of the most difficult members of society--the hardest cases.'' That is what impressed Representative Tipton and me on our visit last week. My friend from Nevada was talking about mentoring, and that is so essential, in my view, to the idea of educational attainment because, truly, if the best program to end poverty is a good job, we have got to stop the horrendous dropout rates that we have. We have to have people that have the kind of mentoring they are not getting, potentially, from their family or in their school system only to be able to stay in school and think ahead about their future, to have aspirations for their future. If we can close that gap of staying in school, we can close that learning gap as well. Some programs in my district that have impressed me in this regard are, first, Greenbrier High School. Greenbrier High School is a public school in a rural part of my district that is doing both skill workforce training while students are in high school as well as getting them up to 2 years--2 years, Mr. Speaker--of college credit by partnering with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to have a dual enrollment system. This saves families money and gets people the kind of educational attainment that we want. This is all done in the confines of a successful, locally controlled local public school. Representative Brooks of Indiana stopped me this week and said that she couldn't be with us for this important hour of discussion about the ways and means of beating poverty in our society, and she wanted me to say--and I think it is illustrated by Greenbrier High School, Mr. Speaker--that, if we could lower dropout rates, we, in turn, could change the direction of family success and family income. My friend from Nevada was talking about mentoring programs, and we have a bright story there in Little Rock with Donald Northcross, founder of the OK Program. OK stands for ``our kids.'' Donald is a former deputy sheriff in Sacramento, California, who moved to Little Rock, inspired by the work, vision, and leadership of Fitz Hill, president of Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock. Donald was troubled by the violence and despair that he found in Black communities in California and the growing incarceration rates of young Black men. Determined to make a difference, Donald founded the OK Program back in 1990 and is now spreading it across the United States with a goal of using it as a way to mentor young African American males while they are in their middle school years and through high school years to make sure that they are on the right track. These are just a few examples of what you are hearing around all of our districts whenever I travel in the U.S. about how people are banding together as citizens in our great country to tackle poverty using local resources and local ingenuity. I hope, Mr. Speaker, that we can come back in a few months and talk about this issue again and give more Members an opportunity. I want to thank those that joined me today on the floor to discuss this important issue about how we alleviate poverty in our States and our local communities and how we overcome barriers of our existing Federal programs or other program barriers that are preventing success. There is no doubt that we have unique, successful opportunities throughout this country to beat this challenge. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the House and the Speaker's Task Force on Poverty, Opportunity, and Upward Mobility. I thank Speaker Ryan for his personal dedication and leadership to this topic across our country. I want to thank our team in Arkansas and in Washington, D.C., and my staff for their commitment to this issue and how we are coming together to find solutions in the Second Congressional District to both urban and rural challenges. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL. I thank the gentleman from Illinois. I appreciate his passion for this issue and his hands-on approach about finding things in his community and district that work. I believe that we all can share that information and learn from each other, which is a key purpose for this hour. Mr. Speaker, last week, Representative Tipton and I were up in Manhattan. We went to The Doe Fund. What an impressive operation that is. I came away so renewed in faith. What is going on there in New York, where they face an enormous avalanche of challenges, is so well tackled by the men and women of The Doe Fund. I look forward to talking about that, but it is a nice segue for me to yield to the gentleman from western New York, (Mr. Reed), my good friend and a distinguished member of the Committee on Ways and Means, for his views on how we can tackle poverty.

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

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, in today's Special Order, my colleagues and I will focus on the important work being done in all of our communities to expand opportunity, alleviate poverty, and promote upward mobility for all Americans. I want to personally acknowledge Speaker Ryan for his focus and leadership on this important issue and his efforts to energize local leaders to explore new, effective policies for combating poverty in the United States. In 2014, we marked 50 years since the Great Society program was commenced by President Johnson. Over the past 25 years, Congress has taken numerous steps intended to reduce poverty in the United States, but these have not had the long-term effects that many expected. This is largely because of an undue focus on welfare reform rather than just identifying specifically and focusing on addressing the underlying causes of poverty. Identifying opportunities for self-improvement, addressing the increased growth in poverty and the pernicious effects across the U.S. are of keen interest to me, particularly given Arkansas' elevated poverty rate of 19.7 percent of our population. I believe it is crucial to focus our attention on identifying ways to empower individuals to take control of their own livelihoods and futures so that they no longer feel that they must rely on external programs that, at best, only play an ancillary role in improving economic circumstances and, at worst, perpetuate intergenerational cycles of poverty. In these important discussions surrounding poverty in America, I also believe it is critical that we focus on our rural, as well as urban, populations. In my view, the President's policies and proposals have largely ignored the needs of our rural communities that continue to struggle. Arkansas has a significant population of rural, low-income families, whose hardships are often overlooked in the bigger picture of poverty reduction. That is because rural poverty occurs in lower population concentrations, and some deem the plight of rural poverty to be less acute than that in urban areas. It is important that both faces of poverty be recognized and that solutions be applicable and readily adaptable to a variety of circumstances and regions. This past year, all of us in the House were graced with a visit by the Holy Father, Pope Francis. The Holy Father has stated that the principle of subsidiarity affords freedom at every level of society to work and to innovate. The Pope argued passionately that day that attempts to resolve all problems through uniform regulations or technical interventions can lead to overlooking the complexities of local problems which demand the active participation of all members of the community. In tackling the social challenges of the globe, the Pope expressed there are no uniform recipes. There is no one path to a solution. Instead, the Pope called on the principles of stewardship, subsidiarity, and collaboration to seek solutions. Last year I started the Community Empowerment Initiative in my hometown of Little Rock to consider key strategies for tackling poverty reduction in Arkansas' Second Congressional District. The CEI also seeks to encourage community engagement and help educate communities to value their strength and identify their assets to foster community ownership and encourage individuals to be aware and involved in rejuvenating our communities and lives. I am grateful for my colleagues who have joined me today to discuss this important topic. I look forward to sharing some of the success stories from my own district and highlighting action that Congress can take to support local initiatives. I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Walker). I invite him to come to the podium and talk about his experiences. He is a freshman Member of Congress with me. I have very much enjoyed getting to know Representative Walker. He brings a unique perspective to this. I welcome my friend from North Carolina.

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Walker for his contributions. I appreciate his thoughts. When I think about one of the most challenging things that we face in our country, I think about homelessness. When I first became a Member of Congress, it was one of particular interest to me to learn what was happening in Little Rock about homelessness because Arkansas has the third highest rate for children and families in homelessness, so it was a keen issue. One place I found that was a major success story in using private money and some public money was an entity called Our House. It was founded back in 1987 to address the gap in services for central Arkansas' working homeless and homeless families. They now have a 7- acre campus in downtown Little Rock, and Our House empowers homeless and near-homeless families and individuals to succeed in the workplace. Between 110 and 120 men, women, and children call Our House's campus home every night, and it serves about 1,800 people annually, about 75 percent of whom are coming to Our House completely homeless. But the shelter's goal is not just simply to provide a safe place for a few nights. It is to permanently break the cycle of homelessness by equipping the working homeless with the skills to be successful in the workforce. In her decade of leadership of Our House as executive director, Georgia Mjartan has done a remarkable job overseeing the expansion and growth of the shelter into a one-stop shop to address the root causes of poverty. She has collected the many stories of hope from the people who have been touched by her work. One that particularly touched me was the story of a young woman who didn't graduate from high school, was unable to pay her rent and support her children on the very little money that she made from working in the fast food industry. When she got to Our House, she was dejected and without a sense of purpose or hope for the future. Within a few months, she was receiving training that she needed to earn her GED, and she was securing a job that paid a living wage. Two years after leaving Our House, she went back to tell Georgia about the turn her life had taken. As the head teacher for a daycare center, she had acquired her own place, continued the saving practices that she had learned at Our House, and was putting money away for her own kids to go to college. Mr. Speaker, that is the kind of model that we need in this country to make a permanent break for our working poor. I now yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot). I ask my friend, a distinguished member of the Committee on Small Business, to talk about his views on what we can be doing in this area.

Mr. HILL. I thank my distinguished friend from Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Dold). A distinguished member of the Committee on Ways and Means and a former member of the Committee on Financial Services, Mr. Dold has been quite keen on ways to improve opportunities for people throughout the metropolitan Chicago area. I welcome the gentleman and look forward to his remarks.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of the lifetime of civic contributions and the legacy of one of Arkansas' great leaders, Bobby Roberts. Bobby will be greatly missed after his retiring earlier this year from a 27-year career of service to our library system, particularly in his helping assure the growth of educational libraries and humanities throughout our State. In assuming the role of executive director of the Central Arkansas Library System in 1989, Bobby helped take the system to new heights-- expanding from 6 libraries to a total of 14, including 9 branches in the city of Little Rock. Bobby Roberts has made our central Arkansas community better read, better networked, and better led. I extend my best regards in this next chapter of his life.

Mr. HILL

Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of going to the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam war in Little Rock and to see all the hugs and emotion at that event. Truly, it was a tumultuous time in our world. It was so good to see the healing that those men and women experienced at that 50th anniversary. I looked at that table set for the POW/MIA ceremony, and, of course, I was thinking about Sergeant Harold George Bennett from Perryville, Arkansas. Sergeant Bennett was born on October 16, 1940, in Thornburg, Arkansas, a very small town outside the beautiful Ouachita National Forest. A graduate of Perryville High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1957. He served as an airborne infantryman with the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions--no finer units. He completed Special Forces training in 1963. From there, Sergeant Bennett volunteered to go to South Vietnam as a Special Forces adviser with the Military Assistance Command. On December 29, 1964, his unit was airlifted to a small village after it had been overrun by the Viet Cong. Upon landing, Sergeant Bennett's unit was confronted by enemy forces. Twice, he refused extraction by military helicopters, as he was concerned for the pilots' safety and wanted to continue the fight against the enemy. After a furious and courageous battle, Sergeant Bennett was taken prisoner by the Viet Cong. Like so many of his colleagues, he spent 179 days as a POW and attempted to escape three times at great risk. His captors executed him on June 25, 1965. Only 24 years old, Sergeant Bennett was the first American POW killed in Vietnam. And like so many other servicemen who lost their lives there, his remains have never returned home.