U.S. Rep. French Hill defended his record, noted the long history of constituents being angry at congressmen and said he would continue to be a joyful warrior for causes he believed in at a meeting of the Political Animals Club on Wednesday.
He delivered the speech in a room full of public officials, businessmen and politicos at the Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock. Hill, a Republican, represents central Arkansas.
"Congress had always caught the slings and arrows of the American people, starting with the first Congress," Hill said at the beginning of the 30-minute speech. "They all wrote in their diaries complaining about what people said about them back home. So there's nothing new about that."
Both locally and nationally, protesters have criticized Republican congressmen regarding issues ranging from health care to their handling of President Donald Trump.
Outside the country club on Wednesday, a group of five protesters held signs toward cars entering the grounds.
And over the weekend, Donna Hall, acting principal at Gibbs Magnet Elementary, canceled Hill's visit with fifth-graders after a parent's complaint. Gibbs later changed her mind and reissued an invitation. A date for a new visit has not been announced.
During his speech, Hill quoted President John F. Kennedy: "There's no comfort or security for us in evasion, no solution in abdication and no relief in irresponsibility."
If the United States' founders had taken a poll, Hill said, the nation might never had declared its independence.
Part of Congress' job is to demand accountability from the executive branch of government, he said, and to that end, he has focused on the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.
Hill said he has three "wounded warriors" on his staff working to obtain long-lost medals, argue for disability claims, advocate for proper medical treatment and recognize the "value, service and valor of all these men and women who wore the uniform."
He introduced a bill -- the Shift Back to Society Act -- that directs the Department of Justice to establish a pilot program that awards matching grants to historically black colleges and universities to provide educational programs for eligible offenders to facilitate re-entry into the community.
The former banker also said he favors "right-sizing" regulations.
The Dodd--Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, signed into law in 2010, "enshrined 'too big to fail' and created a new class of financial institution, too small to succeed," he said.
Outside, Martha Wolfinger of Little Rock held a sign saying: "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention."
She said Hill needs to do more in regard to Trump and hold additional town-hall meetings.
"I want him to condemn Trump's words about Charlottesville," she said, referring to what the president said about a deadly rally in that Virginia city that some interpret as support for white supremacists.
"I want him to put Trump to the test about his language and his behavior and how he displays signs of bigotry. And I want him to use his name. It's not enough to say we condemn racist language. We condemn the racist language that our president uses," Wolfinger said.
On the matter of Hill's planned visit to Gibbs Magnet Elementary, the protesters said they wanted the congressman to be accessible and didn't see a reason for the school to cancel the event.
Hill was invited to speak to the school's fifth-graders on the school's 2017 theme of "Go Do Great Things."
Catholic High School teacher Paul Spencer, a Democrat, announced last month that he is running for the 2nd Congressional District seat held by Hill.
Metro on 08/31/2017