Press Releases

WASHINGTON D.C. — Following approval of the conference report to accompany H.R. 6395, the William M. Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a bipartisan vote of 335-78, Rep. French Hill (AR-02) released the following statement:

“It is up to Congress to determine how best to utilize the dollars from hard-working American taxpayers for our national defense and security priorities, and as a part of this year’s funding, I am pleased to see a pay raise for the servicemen and servicewomen who defend our nation in the annual defense bill. This year’s bill also supports our local mission at the Little Rock Air Force Base (LRAFB) by allocating funds to upgrade our nation’s C-130 fleet, enabling LRAFB to maintain its crucial role in our military’s airlift capabilities for years to come.

“Following shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola, the NDAA requires a more thorough process for vetting foreign nationals on our lands and their access to military bases. This is key as pilots and crews from other countries routinely train at LRAFB. This bill also supports our service members and military families by initiating mental healthcare reforms to prevent suicide, improves military family housing, and includes additional reforms designed to prevent sexual assault and harassment. 

"This year’s NDAA also includes two of my important national security policies, both of which have passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan approval.

“With the continued expansion of the Chinese Community Party’s (CCP) ‘Belt and Road’ initiative, and the country’s increasing role as an international creditor, there is an urgent need for greater transparency of lending terms to ensure that the CCP does not take advantage of developing nations and economies. My legislation, the Ensuring Chinese Debt Transparency Act, will ensure transparency in lending terms developing countries receive from the CCP and international financial institutions (IFIs) such as the IMF and World Bank.

“Another bill I introduced, the Cooperate with Law Enforcement Agencies and Watch (CLAW) Act, helps the financial services industry partner with law enforcement agencies to monitor the flow of cash associated with criminal activities. During my time as a community banker, I experienced the conflict of wanting to assist law enforcement agencies but being limited by Anti-Money Laundering or Bank Secrecy Act requirements, and this bill promotes cooperation between the two groups to allow law enforcement agencies to keep our financial system safe from criminals and terrorists while eliminating conflicting repercussions for the financial services industry.”