Congressman Hammerschmidt
Third District, Arkansas
January 3, 1967 - January 3, 1993
Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt represented the
Third District of Arkansas in the U. S. House of Representatives in
the 90th through 102nd Congress, having been elected to 13 terms,
serving 26 years during the administrations of six presidents.
By profession a lumberman, timberman, builder, and building
supplies businessman for twenty years before seeking public office, he
is a native of Harrison, where he and his wife Virginia continue to
reside. Since retiring from Congress, he has continued Arkansas civic
involvements as a private citizen, chairing the Northwest Arkansas
Council (headquartered in Fayetteville) and the March of Dimes
Arkansas Citizen of the Year Dinner.
He serves on the Board of Directors of Southwestern Energy
Company, Dillard's Department Stores, and First Federal Bank of
Arkansas, as well as on the Board of Trustees of the University of the
Ozarks, and a Trustee of Arkansas State University. He served on the
Washington (D. C.) Metropolitan Airports Authority Board of Review for
seven years and is now a board member of the Metropolitan Washington
Airports Authority.
During his 26 Years in Congress, John Paul Hammerschmidt
became known for his attention to individual constituent service and
communication; his high voting and attendance record at Congressional
sessions during the business week plus routine working weekends in
Arkansas; and his legislative expertise in highway, airway, and
waterway infrastructure and veterans matters. Arkansas highways,
airports, water supply and distribution systems, and veterans
hospitals - and their users - will continue to benefit from his
diligent stewardship long into the future. He was a ranking member of
the House Veterans Affairs Committee 1975-86; ranking member of
Public Works (T & I) Committee 1986-93.
In 1989, the Arkansas General Assembly designated the upgraded
Arkansas portion of U. S. 71 as "John Paul Hammerschmidt Highway." In
1990, JPH was named Arkansas Citizen of the Year, plus inducted to
the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame. In 1993, he was named to the
Arkansas River Historical Society Hall of Fame. Third District
facilities which carry his name include John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake at
Fort Smith, the JPH Federal Building in Fayetteville, JPH Plaza and
the John Paul Hammerschmidt Business and Conference Center on campus
of North Arkansas College in Harrison, an access road to Carter Field
near Rogers, and an industrial park at Diamond City.
Congressman Hammerschmidt is the author and initiating sponsor
of the Public Law preserving the Buffalo River as a free- flowing
stream, adding it to the National Park System in 1972.
A combat pilot in World War II, Congressman Hammerschmidt flew
217 missions with the Third Combat Cargo Group over "the Hump" in the
China-Burma-India theatre. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying
cross with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with four oak leaf
clusters, three Battle Stars, the China War Memorial Medal (by the
Republic of China). and the Meritorious Service Award. He retired from
the Air Force reserve as a major. He has been awarded the highest
honors by eight national veterans service organizations.
Congressman Hammerschmidt is an ordained elder and deacon in
the Presbyterian Church and a Grand Cross 33rd degree Mason.
Official Resume
P.O. Box 999
Harrison, Arkansas 72602
815 West Rogers
Res. 870-741-3333
POLITICAL HISTORY
Active in Republican Party since 1946
COUNTY
Boone County (Arkansas) GOP Chairman; 2 years
Boone County (Arkansas) GOP State Committeeman; 14 years
STATE
Member of Republican Party of Arkansas Executive Committee 1962- 1992
Treasurer, Arkansas Republican State Central Committee 1962 -1964
Chairman, Arkansas Republican State Central Committee 1964- 1966
Attended GOP Presidential Nominating Convention as Assistant to State Chairman, 1960
Delegate to GOP Presidential Nominating Conventions:
1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992
NATIONAL
National GOP Committeeman from Arkansas; 1976-80
George Bush for President, Arkansas Chairman; delegate selection caucuses 1980
Arkansas Chairman, Reagan/Bush 1980 & 1984
George Bush for President, Arkansas Chairman; primary 1988 & 1992
Arkansas Chairman, Bush/Quayle 1988 & 1992
Honorary Arkansas Chairman, Dole/Kemp 1996
ELECTED PUBLIC SERVICE
Representative to Congress, Third District, Arkansas
January 3, 1967 through January 3, 1993
(92nd Congress through 102nd Congress)
Congressional Record
JOHN PAUL HAMMERSCHMIDT, Republican, of Harrison, AR; born in
Harrison, May 4, 1922; lumberman; completed secondary school at
Harrison; attended The Citadel, Oklahoma A. & M. College, and the
University of Arkansas; entered Army Air Corps in 1942 and served as a
pilot with 3rd Combat Cargo Group in China-Burma-India theater;
awarded Distinguished Flying Cross with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Air
Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, three Battle Stars, the China War
Memorial Medal by the government of the Republic of China, Meritorious
Service Medal; former president and chairman of the board,
Hammerschmidt Lumber Company; board of directors, First Federal
Savings and Loan; past president of Arkansas Lumber Dealers
Association; past president, Southwestern (now Mid-America) Lumbermen’s
Association, Kansas City, MO; board of directors, National Lumber and
Building Material Dealers; member, First Presbyterian Church, ordained
to the board of elders and board so deacons; past president, Harrison
Rotary Club; former chairman, City Planning Commission; past
president, Boone County Industrial Development Corporation; Harrison
City Council, 6 years; elected Harrison’s man of the Year 1965;
member, Boone Masonic Blue Lodge No. 314; 33rd Degree Mason, Fort
Smith Consistory; K.C.C.H.; Scimitar Shrine; B.P.O.E.; American
Legion, Americanism Award; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Congressional
Award; Silver Helmet Award, AMVETS; Life Service to Veterans Award,
Paralyzed Veterans of America; active in Republican party since 1949;
State committeeman from Boone County, 14 years; State treasurer and
member of Republican National Finance Committee; delegate to
Republican presidential nominating conventions, 1964, 1976, 1980,
1984, and 1988; State chairman, Arkansas Republican State Central
Committee, 1964-66; elected Republican National Committeeman from
Arkansas, 1976-80; married Virginia Sharp of Harrison; son: John Arthur;
elected to 90th Congress November 8, 1966; reelected to each
succeeding Congress; author of legislation founding the Buffalo
National River as part of the national parks system; original sponsor
of Congressional authorization for a national Vietnam Veterans
Memorial to be located on public lands in Washington, DC; assigned to
Veterans’ Affairs Committee, January 1967; ranking member, 1975-86
(94th-99th Congresses); assigned to Public Works and Transportation
Committee, January 1967; ranking member 1987-90 (100th and 101st
Congresses); Board of Review, Metropolitan Washington Airports
Authority; assigned to Select Committee on Aging when formed in 1975;
ranking member, Housing and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee
1975-present; selected as member of congressional delegation to
November 1977 mid-East talks, attending the historic meeting between
Israeli Prime Minister Begin and Egyptian President Sadat addressing
the Israeli Knesset; minority leader of delegation appointed to survey
the Vietnam refugee "boat people" situation in Southeast Asia, 1979;
minority leader of first official U.S. delegation to enter Hanoi
post-Vietnam war in 1984, also Cambodia, Laos, and Burma, about MIA’s,
Amerasian children, and reeducation camps; U.S. Delegate to
Inter-parliamentary Union 72d Conference in Geneva, Switzerland 1984,
and 74th Conference in Ottawa, Canada 1985.
Office Listings
2110 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515-0403 225-4301
Administrative Assistant.—Raymond T. Reid. FAX: 225-7492
Executive Assistant.—Pamela Wehner.
Legislative Director.—Randi Fredholm.
Federal Building, Fayetteville, AR 72701 (501) 442-5258
Federal Building, Harrison, AR 72601 (501) 741-6900
Downtown Post Office Building, P.O. Box 1624, Fort Smith, AR 72701 (501) 782-7787
District Assistant.—Archie Lantz.
Counties: Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Crawford, Franklin, Howard,
Johnson, Logan, Madison, Montgomery, Newton, Polk, Pope, Searcy,
Sebastian, Sevier, Scott, and Washington (20 counties). Population
(1980), 572,937.
ZIP Codes: 65609 (part), 65655 (part), 71823, 71831 (part),
71832-33,71841-42, 71846, 71851, 71852 (part), 71859 (part), 71923
(part), 71932, 71934-35, 71937, 71943 (part),
71944-46,71953,71957,71960-61, 71965-66, 71696-70, 71971 (part),
71972-73, 72603 (part), 72110 (part), 72519 (part), 72531
(part),72537, 72538 (part), 72544, 72601-02 (part), 72648, 72650 (part),
72651, 72653, 72655-57, 72658 (part), 72659-62, 72666, 72660.
The John Paul Hammerschmidt Lecture Series
Funded by gifts to the North Arkansas College Foundation, the John
Paul Hammerschmidt Lecture Series sponsors national experts to speak
about topics of interest to the people of northern Arkansas. The late
Ross Pendergraft announced the lecture series September 11, 1997
during dedication ceremonies featuring President George Bush for the
John Paul Hammerschmidt Business and Conference Center at North
Arkansas College.
 |
| The late Ross Pendergraft is shown with former
President George Bush during the Sept. 11, 1997 dedication of the John
Paul Hammerschmidt Business and Conference Center at North Arkansas
College. At the dedication ceremony Mr. Pendergraft announced a gift
of $100,000 to the North Arkansas College Foundation to establish the
John Paul Hammerschmidt Lecture Series. |
It is my pleasure today to announce a gift of $100,000 from the
Donald W. Reynolds Foundation to the North Arkansas College
Foundation. The purpose of this contribution is to launch an
endowment fund to establish the John Paul Hammerschmidt Lecture Series
at North Arkansas College.
As many of you know, one of John Paul's goals after leaving
public office has been to establish such a series of lectures
featuring nationally known experts here at this college, in his home
town, in this beautiful new building that bears his name.
These lectures, held each year, will be of benefit to the students
of this college and to businessmen and businesswomen and other
residents of this area.
I'm most pleased that the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation is able to
make the first gift for the John Paul Hammerschmidt Lecture Series and
I hope that others--John Paul's friends, area employers, and friends
of this college--will also contribute.
This is a great day for John Paul, Ginny, and John Arthur--and
for North Arkansas College. I'm very pleased to be a part of this
celebration of John Paul's 26 years of public service.
Along with major gifts from the Donald W. Reynolds
Foundation and Jackson T. Stephens, local supporters have provided
other donations to help endow the lecture series. Gifts in support of
the JPH Lecture Series may be made to the North Arkansas College
Foundation, 1515 Pioneer Drive, Harrison, AR 72601.
Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt represented the Third District
of Arkansas in the U.S. House of Representatives for 13 terms during
the administrations of six presidents. By profession a lumberman,
builder, and building supplies businessman for 20 years before seeking
public office, he is a native of Harrison, where he continues to
reside.
Since retiring from Congress, he has continued to be involved in
many civic activities as a private citizen, chairing the Northwest
Arkansas Council, the March of Dimes Arkansas Citizen of the Year
Dinner, and the Governor’s Citizens Council on Highways and
Transportation. He serves as chairman of the Arkansas Republican
Party and also chairs the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and
the Congressional Medal of Honor Commission, and is a member of the
boards of three Arkansas-based corporations: First Federal Bank,
Dillard’s Incorporated, and Southwestern Energy. Currently serving as
Chairman of the Board of First Federal Bank, he also was a member of
the board of American Freightways until that company’s recent merger
with FedEx.
During his years in Congress, John Paul Hammerschmidt became well
known for his attention to individual constituent service and
communication; his high voting and attendance records at Congressional
sessions during the business week, plus routine working weekends in
Arkansas; and his legislative expertise in highway, airway, and water
infrastructure and veterans’ matters. Arkansas highways, airports,
water supply and distribution systems, and veteran’s hospitals—and
their users—will continue to benefit from his diligent stewardship
long into the future. Among his many accomplishments in public office,
Congressman Hammerschmidt was the author and initiating sponsor of the
Public Law preserving the Buffalo River as a free-flowing stream,
adding it to the National Park System in 1972.
A combat pilot in World War II, Hammerschmidt flew 217 missions
with the Third Combat Cargo Group over ‘The Hump’ in the
China-Burma-India theatre. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying
Cross with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with four oak leaf
clusters, three Battle Stars, the China War Memorial Medal (by the
Republic of China), and the Meritorious Service Award. He retired
from the Air Force reserve as a major. He has been awarded highest
honors by eight national veterans’ service organizations.
Congressman Hammerschmidt has an office at Northark, and many of
his photographs, awards, and other memorabilia are on display in the
building that bears his name.