In an interview with KARK Channel 4’s Capitol View, U.S Rep. French Hill of Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District said progress is being made in discussions over raising the debt ceiling.
According to Politico, Hill was chosen as an advisor by Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-California, to help him with debt ceiling negotiations.
Hill said the discussions have been more productive because President Joe Biden has sent officials from the Office of Management and Budget to meet with McCarthy. Hill said that the demands from Republicans are not as dramatic as Democrats have made them seem.
“What we’re proposing is that we do not do the $600 billion of Joe Biden’s write off of student loan debt which was not authorized by the Congress, that we pull back all COVID relief money that was appropriated but not spent. Those are the two big savings plans and then we propose to remove some of the environmental deductions and proposals that were in the Inflation Reduction Act,” Hill said.
Currently, Biden’s student loan cancellation is being reviewed by the U.S Supreme Court on whether the president has the authority to cancel student loan debt, according to NPR News. As a result, the Biden administration has paused the program, but will resume the process by the end of June if the case is not resolved by the courts, according to the Department of Education.
During last week’s meeting of the Little Rock City Board of Directors, Director Dean Kumpuris and Director Antwan Phillips did raise concerns about the city losing funding it received from the federal government, as part of COVID relief.
Hill also said Republicans are demanding federal spending return to pre-2023 spending levels. When asked if extending former President Donald Trump’s tax cuts was part of the negotiations, the congressmen said Republicans haven’t included that in the negotiations.
U.S Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned lawmakers that if the debt ceiling isn’t raised by early June then the U.S would be unable to pay its debts. Over the weekend, Biden ended his trip to Asia earlier than planned to discuss the debt ceiling with McCarthy.
FBI
During the interview, Hill was also asked his thoughts on the FBI. He said he is concerned with how the FBI has been operating in recent years.
According to the Associated Press, the Durham Report, which was authored by John Durham, a former U.S Attorney, found that the FBI mishandled an investigation into whether former President Donald Trump sought help from Russia in the 2016 election. Hill said the report shows that the FBI has been politicized and that can make it more difficult for the agency to do its job.
“I think we need to see changes at the top, we need structural changes at the FBI,” he said. “It’s hurt their reputation for their budget and it’s hurt their reputation for getting the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act renewed by Congress.”
At the end of this year, Congress will decide whether not to extend a U.S surveillance program that allows the FBI to monitor foreigners’ emails and phone calls. Hill is a member of the House Intelligence Committee.
2024 Presidential Election
When asked about endorsing a candidate in the Republican primary for president, Hill didn’t give any specific candidates. He said he is looking for a younger candidate that would be able to serve an eight-year term. He said whoever the Republican nominee is he will support them in a general election.
