WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mark Pryor and John Boozman today paid tribute to longtime Arkansas Third District Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt on the Senate floor in recognition of his 90^th birthday. 

Hammerschmidt represented the Third District of Arkansas in the U.S. House of Representatives for 26 years. When he was elected in 1966, he became the first member of his party to represent Arkansas in Congress since Reconstruction. When he retired after serving 13 terms in office, he was the Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. 

“John Paul Hammerschmidt has spent decades serving others and giving back to his community.  I am pleased to have this opportunity to pay tribute to all he has achieved so far and to wish him a happy 90th birthday and many more years of health and happiness,” said Pryor. 

“John Paul’s influence extends well beyond the Third District of Arkansas. He played an important role in infrastructure improvements in Arkansas, which are engines for job creation. John Paul always put Arkansas first.  He showed what it truly means to be bipartisan and his approach to public service is certainly one that we should strive to replicate,” said Boozman, a former representative of the Third District.

Hammerschmidt was deeply admired by his colleagues on both sides of the aisle for his good governing and his exemplary constituent service. He was influential in the creation of Interstate 540, the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport and the protection of the Buffalo National River under the designation of National River. 

Besides elected office, Hammerschmidt also served his nation in WWII with the U.S. Army Air Corps Third Combat Cargo Group in the China-Burma-India Theater. He continued his service as a reservist in the Air Force from 1945-1960 and with the District of Columbia Army Reserve from 1977-1981. 

Today, Hammerschmidt continues his service on numerous boards and organizations and maintains an office at Northark.