District Update |May 9, 2016
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U.S. Congressman French Hill
Dear Friends,

I had the honor of taking part in an emotional moment for one of Arkansas's great warriors when Edsel Smith of Bryant, Arkansas, was awarded a Purple Heart at a ceremony in Little Rock last Tuesday. Mr. Smith, a ninety-one year old veteran of both World War II and Korea was wounded in Korea, during the campaign to take the Chosin Reservoir.

He recalled his remarkable experience during that battle, describing to those in attendance at his Purple Heart ceremony, running out of ammunition while machine gun fire was hitting all around him. Although he was shot in the leg, he did not realize that he was bleeding until later that night due the extreme cold freezing the blood and sealing the wound.

As his division was pulling back, Mr. Smith went to an aid station where a medic treated his wound and recommended him for the Purple Heart, but Mr. Smith never received that Purple Heart. This is mostly due to the fact that when he returned to Pusan five days later, he was sent to sick call, but never actually made inside the room because, as he puts it, “there were boys there that were a lot worse off than me, and I could smell bacon and eggs coming from the chow hall, so I went and had bacon and eggs.” 


Mr. Smith after receiving his Purple Heart.

Recently, my office got word of his story, and we were able to work with the Department of Defense (DOD) and his family to get him the Purple Heart he had earned for his heroic service in combat but had never actually received. It’s being able to provide this type of assistance that is particularly enjoyable to me as your Congressman. The look on Mr. Smith's face and the tears in his eyes when the medal was pinned on his chest was a proud moment not just for him, but for my office, too, especially the Purple Heart recipients on my dedicated staff who worked tirelessly to welcome him officially into their fraternity.

Mr. Smith is as selfless a patriot as you will find. It was that selflessness that put him in harm's way in the winter of 1950 – and it was the same selflessness that prevented him from receiving his Purple Heart until 2016. Though he has always known the great lengths to which he had gone in service to this country, he was finally awarded the iconic token he earned for that remarkable service.

Sincerely,


Representative French Hill

News for the Week

To everything there is a season ... and a U.S. House caucus
Arkansas Online
Second District U.S. Rep. French Hill is a leader of the Congressional Investment in America's Skilled Workforce Caucus, created in 2015 to promote skilled trades. "Congress is a big place with 435 members, and the caucuses allow members across party lines to share information and support of ideas that benefit their local communities, something that's important to them," said Hill, a first-term Republican from Little Rock. "Some are driven by public policy, and some are just a way to have an association of interests across the aisle and both political parties."
Read More

BNPD collects record amount during 'Operation Medicine Cabinet'
THV 11
A record amount of prescription medications were collected at the Benton Police Department booths during Operation Medicine Cabinet XII on Saturday, April 30. Other participating Saline County law enforcement agencies in the State-wide event included: Arkansas Department of Community Correction’s Parole and Probation officers, Bryant Police Department, Saline County Sheriff’s Office and the Haskell Police Department. U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-Ark.) and U.S. Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) also attended and assisted the BNPD with Operation Medicine Cabinet at the Ferguson’s Furniture location.

Read More
 


Congressional Art Competition Winners

Last week, Rep. Hill hosted the Congressional Art Competition reception to recognize the participants in the 2016 Congressional Art Competition.

Below are the top three submissions from this year’s competition:

1st Place:Overcoming Darkness” by J.R. Landers (Vilonia High School)

2nd Place: Misha Collins” by Meredith Muller (Mount St. Mary’s High School)

3rd Place: First Touch” by Kelsey Claybrook (Episcopal Collegiate School)

Following the event, Rep. Hill stated:

"We had over one hundred submissions from across the entire district. Seeing the talents of so many young students in central Arkansas is inspiring, and I encourage all of them to continue to gift our community with their passion for art. I look forward to being reminded of this every time I walk to the Capitol and see J.R.’s submission hanging in the hallway.”

This year's first place selection, Overcoming Darkness.

Educational Achievement Awards

Rep. Hill spent time last week traveling to local high schools to present students with Educational Achievement Awards. Rep. Hill created these awards to recognize students who have shown strong commitment to high academic achievement, their school, and their community. Forty-one students from twenty-three different high schools throughout the congressional district received the award.

Rep. Hill stated:  “I am proud of these great young leaders for all their contributions to our community.”


Rep. Hill with Educational Achievement Awards recipients from Greenbrier High School Miles Johnson and Caroline Harrod.
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