Pandemic Response
Across Arkansas and America, the effects of COVID-19 on families and businesses have been dramatic and devastating. This virus that has swept across the globe since January has disproportionately impacted our smaller towns and rural communities. Further, our hospitals and healthcare providers have been whipsawed between shutting down their profit-making operations and preparing for enormous spikes in COVID-19 patients. Both led to huge financial burdens.

I was proud to support four bills – all now laws – to combat the coronavirus and provide much-needed financial resources across our state and nation. I have worked in a bipartisan fashion to help rural communities receive direct funding to local hospitals and public schools through the passage of the CARES Act. The CARES Act also provided $100 million for high-speed Internet expansion in small towns and rural communities to ensure access to educational resources and economic opportunity. We still have gaps in Arkansas. I've spoken to teachers and superintendents about those gaps and how federal resources can be combined with state leadership and funding to prepare our schools for this fall.

Additionally, the CARES Act allocated over $200 million for Arkansas’s support of healthcare providers and patients using telehealth, which is a lifeline for many in Arkansas's rural communities. To help even further, Rep. Cindy Axne (D-IA) and I introduced the emergency COVID-19 Telehealth Response Act to expand telehealth availability for Arkansans needing important therapeutic services during the pandemic. My priority is giving our healthcare providers serving on the front lines of this public health crisis the tools they need of Arkansas healthy and safe and ultimately back to work. I also led a letter seeking fair reimbursements for firefighters, emergency medical service providers (EMS) and other medical first responders who have been called upon much more during the pandemic.

For our small businesses, I ensured that our small businesses could access the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) which was passed as part of the CARES Act. To date, the PPP program has facilitated over 40,000 Arkansas businesses getting nearly $3.4 billion and badly needed funding to get through the first weeks of the economic shutdown. Now, I continue to work with the Federal Reserve and Treasury to enhance our ability to get America's economy back up to full speed.

Congress’ ultimate goal in our pandemic response is to keep American families safe, deliver outstanding public health, and learn to live with the virus until we get quality treatments and ultimately a vaccine all while preparing for the future.

In response to the pandemic, in late March, I introduced the Securing America’s Vaccines for Emergencies (SAVE) Act. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed that the United States is too dependent upon other countries – including China – for the overwhelming portion of medical devices, ingredients for pharmaceuticals, and personal protective equipment – all of which the United States has desperately needed since the start of the year. This bill would amend the Defense Production Act to develop a presidential strategy diversify our supply chain to make the United States less dependent upon foreign manufacturers and bring key production capabilities back home to America.

I am working alongside my colleagues to support Governor Hutchinson and our Arkansas leaders in their response to the virus.

Jobs, Taxes & the Economy
When I ran for Congress in 2014, I committed to seeking solutions that lead to job creation and rising income and wages for hard-working Arkansans and Americans. As a business person and entrepreneur, I wanted to be a voice for faster economic growth. I wanted to bring my experience as a former chamber of commerce volunteer to Congress to champion skilled and vocational job creation and expand good training and career opportunities for all Arkansans.

As a former local business owner and community banker, I knew the limitations of our old, complex tax code and the burden it placed on our local economic growth. I knew the need for significant change which is why one of my first act as Congressman was to cosponsor the Tax Code Termination Act, which would repeal most of the former tax code and required Congress to have a new federal tax system in place. Our families, businesses, and auto manufacturers all wanted – and deserved – a tax code that’s not only fair and simple, but that also will spur economic development and growth. My purpose in cosponsoring the Tax Code Termination act was to see who would defend the status quo!

So, it was refreshing that in 2016, House Republicans outlined an approach to tax reform that would cut taxes for most Arkansas families and let 90% of Arkansans have a simpler method of filing during tax time. Also, we proposed an overhaul of business taxation, closed loopholes, broadened the base, and made the U.S. tax system internationally competitive. Also, importantly for our families, our tax revisions doubled the child tax credit and provided needed funds for healthcare and other family needs. With hard work in the U.S. Senate and support from the President in his first year, this major tax reform and simplification was signed into law on in December 2017. This reform is a vast improvement over the old code – that status quo – and has resulted in higher wages, new job creation, and more career opportunities. Companies are investing millions in new plants and equipment and bringing jobs back from overseas. Over the last three years our economy added 7 million new jobs, prior to the Covid19 pandemic.

January 2020 dawned with the best U.S. economy in 50 years. We had the lowest unemployment rate since Richard Nixon was president. We had the lowest unemployment rate recorded for Hispanics and African Americans. America was looking forward to 1.5 years of economic expansion. It was that same month that we learned that China was the set by an expanding novel coronavirus known as COVID – 19. That would change the outlook for the U.S. job market and the economy. Fortunately, we entered the year with an outstanding economic growth rate, strong financial institutions a well-trained workforce and a talented team at the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve. It's that strong financial underpinning with actions taken by Congress that will beat the virus’s economic effect and return America to economic growth in the coming months.

Encouraging Work
Over the past three years, with the benefits of right-sized regulatory reforms, the tax cuts, and restructuring of our tax system in the 2017, jobs were being created and our economy was heavily in need of well-trained motivated workers. Record low unemployment in Arkansas resulted in the need for new strategies to enhance our workforce.

In 2015, I founded the Congressional Skilled American Workforce Caucus, for which I serve as Co-Chair. In my work with this Caucus, I have found that we need to encourage students to stay in school and graduate. I support skills-training initiatives that benefit high school students and high school graduates, who don't believe that a four-year college degree is right for them straight out of high school. Those students need to get more skills and the opportunity for training in order to fill the job openings in Arkansas.

We also need those mid-career men and women who feel stuck in their current opportunity to have the opportunity to learn new skills and successfully shift their career goals. For example, I met a former homebuilder who wanted a career restart following the 2008 recession. He is now a radiation technologist with a major healthcare system, and his two paid apprenticeships and additional training allowed him to make that change while earning important income for his family.

I support public assistance policies that encourage work during the transition from dependence to independence because it provides an income and it facilitates dignity through work. Solid work requirements for all able-bodied people on welfare will lift people out of poverty. This is been proven time and time again.

For those transitioning out of incarceration, it's not enough just to give them a change of clothes, a bus ticket, and some cash. Ex-offenders need transitional housing and skills development as well as support for any addiction-related challenges that they face. The President has lead in this area by signing the First Step Act into law. This important criminal justice reform law creates a process for every federal parolee to get the job skills and set transitional plans before they shift back to society.

Arkansas has had many leaders in this important work before I ran for Congress in 2014. I was inspired by the leadership of then-President Fitz Hill at the historically black college in central Arkansas, Arkansas Baptist College. Dr. Hill showed me the tremendous work he was doing to help those parolees plan for a better life. I continue to engage and support policies in Congress that enhance the ability of HBCUs to support training and education programs. In each Congress I've introduced the Shift Back to Society Act, which encourages the Justice Department to support our HBCUs to help provide transitional education for those returning to the community from incarceration, and, for the past four years, this provision has been included in the annual funding bills.

Government Spending and Debt
The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated our federal budget and our economy. COVID-19 will leave America with the largest government debt-to-GDP ratio since the end of World War II. At the end of World War II, the U.S. represented a majority of global output and were the envy of the world for our manufacturing talent and our prowess in leading the allies effort to defeat fascism. Today, our economy faces headwinds of the virus with no vaccine, and our country faces an increase in our national debt and an increased annual national deficit.

As we deal with the pandemic and bring our economy back to full capacity, Americans need to develop a consensus that the federal government needs to quit trying to fix everything with a top-down, one-size-fits-all approach and instead shift power back to state and local governments. Both before the pandemic and probably long after, the federal government has grown too large and spends too much when compared to our national income.

Each month I monitor the cases of the most egregious examples of wasteful government spending or poor management at the federal level. I reintroduced the "Golden Fleece" award to expose those egregious examples. Over the past six years, I have "awarded" over 50 fleeces for waste and mismanagement. I use each instance as a lesson in how the federal bureaucracy can do a better job of protecting our hard-earned tax dollars.

Ultimately, upon the return to economic growth to really get our spending under control, the United States must reform its mandatory spending programs, cut low-priority spending, and stop performing functions best left to state and local governments – or to the private sector. It will require a cultural change, in which the federal government is smaller, more efficient, and effective as well as a much less expensive and intrusive part of our families’ lives. Getting such a collective action for cultural change by a majority of Congress and the president is difficult. With two thirds of all annual federal spending being mandatory and thereby not subject to the congressional appropriations process – meaning that it happens each year without a congressional vote – citizens need to be aware of and educated on this critically important goal.

I have cosponsored two versions of balanced budget amendments to the U.S. Constitution to bring our spending in line. We must take the necessary steps to ensure that all taxpayer dollars are being used wisely, and we can no longer kick the can down the road on mandatory spending. The pandemic has driven this message home even more intensely. Our children and grandchildren depend on us to solve this growing debt problem and provide them a brighter future.

Social Security, Medicare and Financial Security
Social Security is a promise that the federal government has made to hard-working Arkansans, who have paid into the program and have earned these benefits. I am committed to strengthening Social Security for today's seniors and future beneficiaries. Further, I believe we must protect and strengthen Social Security, while eliminating fraud and abuse in this program

The 2020 annual report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-age and Survivors Insurance and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds estimated that Social Security Retirement Trust Fund will be exhausted by 2035. Congress must do more to effectively reform Social Security, prevent unprecedented cuts to benefits and ensure that Social Security beneficiaries receive the benefits they have earned and paid in.

I have introduced the Social Security Disability Insurance Return to Work Act, which would modernize the Social Security Administration's classification of disability beneficiaries. The bill incentivizes returning to work for beneficiaries who have recovered from their disability such as an illness. According to the Congressional Research Service, the unemployment rate among working-age individuals with work-limiting disabilities has fallen from 24.4% in 1981 to 14.4% in 2013. In other words, compared to 30 years ago, a disability beneficiary is half as likely to return to work even if they have recovered and are able to go back to work. Likewise, in 2013, a fraction -- only 0.4% -- of all disability beneficiaries stopped receiving benefits because they returned to work. Due to the low return to work rate, it is essential that Congress act to implement an efficient, consistent and accurate disability determination in order to encourage return to work and save taxpayer dollars. I am committed to looking for other long-term solutions, and I will work with my colleagues to institute common sense, bipartisan solutions to ensure the availability of the central Social Security benefit for seniors and disabled individuals both now and in the future.

Healthcare
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), or “Obamacare,” that passed in 2011 was more than just a malfunctioning website. Big government, "one size fits all" $2.2 trillion solutions simply do not work in our large, complex country. Overly broad statutes have way too many unintended consequences. The ACA harmed and continues to harm Americans by limiting their choices, increasing healthcare costs and raising taxes on hard-working families and businesses. It also chipped away at the critical physician / patient relationship. During my years in Congress, I have consistently argued to replace the ACA with badly needed reforms that will increase choice and lower healthcare costs for all Arkansans while preserving access to full coverage for those Arkansans with pre-existing conditions.

President Obama promised us that “if you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it” and that our insurance premiums would fall and healthcare access would improve. None of this was true, and in fact, the opposite happened. Time and time again over the past six years I've heard your complaints about plans that disappeared, increases in premiums, shockingly high deductibles leading to loss of healthcare coverage, and out-of-pocket costs that are out of reach for many families across the nation and especially in Arkansas.

For years, the Democrats led by now Speaker Nancy Pelosi have refused to work with Republicans to generate bipartisan solutions to these challenges. Our healthcare system faces serious problems; we need targeted, surgical, and carefully considered reforms that acknowledge the complexity of our healthcare system. I have repeatedly voted to repeal this broken healthcare law and start over with those reforms that actually lower healthcare costs, protect pre-existing conditions, and improve access for Arkansas families. Despite Nancy Pelosi's opposition, I will not defend the status quo. Our families deserve better.

Now, Speaker Pelosi and the Washington Democrats aren’t even considering reforms or Republican ideas. Instead, many in their party are pushing for something called “Medicare for All” which will result in rising medical costs, fewer doctors, and longer wait times as we have seen in England and other nations that have implemented this system.

During my time in Congress I have worked hard to support healthcare particularly for our kids and in our rural areas and for our families that lack access to care. In 2018, Congress reauthorized the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for six years. As a former member of the Board of Directors of Arkansas Children's Hospital, I know the benefits of this important program for our families. CHIP is strongly supported by a bipartisan majority and by me. Likewise, access to care in our rural areas and for our families that have a hard time accessing care is greatly benefited by the community health centers. Arkansas has over 100 community health centers. They do a terrific job providing primary care particularly for moms including prenatal care. They have been at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic, and I have long supported their efforts and serve on the Congressional Community Health Center Caucus. We are all grateful for their staffs and efforts.

Education
Like our healthcare system, changes are needed in the American education system. I believe the lack of equal access to a quality education is the civil rights issue of our day, and we must demand success, accountability, and results in every classroom. Some of these key approaches were included in the Every Student Succeeds Act that was signed into law in 2015.

I also believe that the COVID-19 has exposed our weak distribution of Internet and broadband capabilities for both students and teachers. I continue to support funding and policy changes to enhance Arkansas’s ability to expand access.

I believe strongly that all of our children – those college-bound and those that will begin their career directly after high school – need quality direction and curriculum that helps prepare them for their "pursuit of happiness". That's why I'm so pleased to promote policies that encourage concurrent credit and skilled workforce programs – two strategies that better prepare our young people, increase the affordability of education, and build the talent that we need for our state’s future economy.

Central Arkansas examples of terrific concurrent credit and workforce skills training provided in a great learning environment include schools in Conway, Greenbrier, and North Little Rock. I'm also delighted to see that all of the school districts in Pulaski County have banded together to rollout the Ford Next Generation Learning program. Saline County has a workforce education campus being built that will partner with of all the school districts in the county. These are great local initiatives. I'm pleased that federal education policies facilitate this kind of local leadership and creativity.

Many students and their families find that the traditional public school is not for them and they are attracted to a public charter school or homeschooling. This kind of school choice innovation is well-established in Arkansas and thousands of students, particularly low-income students are benefited by these important choices.

As Vice Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Caucus, I have worked to develop the necessary resources for our HBCU’s use to grow and prosper. We are blessed in central Arkansas to have three HBCUs helping train young people for the jobs of tomorrow, Philander Smith, Arkansas Baptist College and Shorter College. I organized the first HBCU Summit held in central Arkansas on April 13, 2019. Held at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center in Little Rock, more than 75 participants attended the summit including Jonathan Holifield, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities; Dr. Michael Lomax, President and CEO, United Negro College Fund; Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr.; and Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson. In addition, representatives from Arkansas’s four HBCU’s attended the summit to discuss the long-term sustainability and growth of Arkansas’s HBCUs.

National Security
Protecting the people of Arkansas by ensuring we have a strong national security is one of my top priorities in Congress. The annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is one of the most bipartisan bills we ever consider in Congress. It has been signed into law for 59 straight years, and I have supported its passage every year I have been in Congress.

It is also an honor to represent the men and women of the U.S. Air Force who serve at Little Rock Air Force Base (LRAFB). Central Arkansas is also the headquarters of the Arkansas National Guard. In 2015, a National Guard intelligence unit on LRAFB was being moved to Ft. Smith. I helped secure the Sensitive Compartmentalized Information Facility (SCIF) building on LRAFB with the help of Arkansas’s Congressional Delegation, the Air National Guard, and the U.S. Air Force thereby retaining a mission and personnel at LRAFB. This 10,000 square foot facility is currently a cyber training squadron with room to grow into an operational unit. Reforming the facility for use as a training unit saved millions of taxpayer dollars and makes central Arkansas more competitive in a growing cyber world.

In 2019, I was honored to be named the Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, International Development and Monetary Policy. In this capacity, I have worked in a bipartisan fashion to help ensure that the U.S. and global banking systems remain safe from terrorists, drug cartels, and rogue states, like Iran, Russia, and North Korea. By better understanding how these bad actors move their money around the world, we give our law enforcement and intelligence agencies the tools they need to stop the financing of these nefarious actors.

Veterans
Another top priority for me during my time in Congress is supporting our nation’s veterans to ensure they receive the benefits and healthcare they have earned and deserved. From day one, I have had combat veterans on my team in Arkansas to ensure that my work on behalf of Arkansas’s veterans is being done by another service member who has been in their shoes. I am proud to have four veterans on my team – including two currently serving with the Arkansas National Guard – and during my six years have proudly employed seven veterans, including two female veterans.

I have the largest veterans casework team in Arkansas, and our work on behalf of Arkansas’s veterans is second-to-none. My veterans team and I have closed more than two thousand cases for central Arkansas veterans and recovered over $20 million -- $5 million 2019 alone -- in back pay and earned benefits for Arkansas’s veterans from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Further, we have been able to obtain nearly 150 lost or missing military medals back service members and families, including four Silver Stars for a helicopter crew that had risked their life to rescue the crew of a downed C-130 during the Vietnam War.

I also was able to obtain for the family of Pvt. Leroy Johnston medals deserved but denied dating back to World War I. Because of racial inequities, Pvt. Johnston’s military records were doctored and he was not awarded the medals he had earned. After this success, I introduced a bill to require a review of the records of African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, Jewish American, and Native American war veterans who appeared to have been denied recognition due to discrimination. The World War I Valor Medals Review Act – now law – will have a tremendous impact on the lives of the descendants of service member wrongly denied their due recognition.

I also have supported numerous bills, including the VA Accountability Act and the VA MISSION Act, to improve care for veterans, provide the VA Secretary with sweeping new authority to fire corrupt or incompetent employees for cause, recoup bonuses, and hold employees accountable for their actions. We have also worked to enact into law important policies that reform construction project management at the VA and funding that will help to improve the appeals process for VA claims, offer more education opportunities for veterans, and address the backlog of disability claims for our nation’s heroes. Working with and for Arkansas’s veterans has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my work serving you in the People’s House.

Also, it has been an honor to vote for bills – now laws – long-fought for by our veterans community including fixing the Widow’s Tax, to ensure that the widows of veterans who died from service connected conditions do not have their survivor benefits taxed, and extending benefits to additional Blue Water Vietnam Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during their service in Vietnam.

Homeland Security and Immigration Reforms
Border security has always been an important issue for Arkansans, and I made it a priority from day one to see our southern border firsthand to learn about its complex challenges. This is why I have been to the border six times in my five years in Congress, and I have visited a different part of the border each time. I learned that because each sector along the border is unique in geography, economy, and traditions, we must design coordinated, effective physical security, including a wall, fencing, sophisticated technology, and combine that with robust customs and border patrol manpower. Together, we can have a successful long-term secure border.

Our immigration system is broken, and I will continue to support immigration proposals that include strong funding for border security; a merit-based immigration system; improving our visa system; and, establishing employment verification systems. America is a nation of immigrants, and many of our country’s most successful businesses are run by first- and second-generation immigrants. My happiest occasions as your Congressman are when I’ve spoken at U.S. naturalization ceremonies in Arkansas and have had the opportunity to welcome these new Americans to their country and congratulate their families. I am moved by the trials and tribulations of those new Americans who came to our country the right way, through a long and arduous legal process, and for them, I will continue to push for reform in our immigration system and support legal immigration.

Conservation and our National Parks
For five decades I have been an avid outdoorsman and believe that we must protect our public lands, such as national parks and wilderness, so that her future generations can learn about our nation's history and see the beauty of our extraordinary country.

I had this in mind when I introduced H.R. 2611, the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act, which exemplifies my commitment to history, preservation, and conservation. I was joined in sponsoring this important measure by the House and Senate Arkansas delegation and my friend, civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis (D-GA). The bill passed by unanimous consent in the House and Senate and was signed into law by the president. This measure expands the National Historic Site designation to the houses across the street from Central High School because of the importance of the streetscape in the events that unfolded in September 1957. Already, this bill is helping to preserve these homes to ensure they will forever stand is a living monument to the Little Rock Nine’s brave actions to integrate Central High School.

In 2018, I successfully drafted and passed legislation that expanded the Flatside Wilderness Area located in Perry County. My goal was to make the area more accessible to visitors and to ensure the Flatside Wilderness remains an integral part of what makes Arkansas the “Natural State”. President Trump signed my Flatside Wilderness Act into law on January 10, 2019. In the act, I named the 640-acre addition for former second congressional district Congressman Ed Bethune, a distinguished conservationist and the legislative father of the original Flatside Wilderness Act, which was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. The act also initiated a study by the U.S. Forest Service of approximately 2,000 acres adjoining the Flatside Wilderness to determine if these qualify for inclusion as well.

I was proud to be an original cosponsor on the land and water conservation fund (LWCF) legislation that improves public lands management, protects cherished landscapes, and increases public access for recreation while protecting private property rights. This bill also included a permanent reauthorization of the LWCF. It was signed into law on March 12, 2019.

Also, I was very pleased to be an original cosponsor of the Restore our Parks and Public Lands Act, which will reduce the maintenance backlog of the National Park Service and ensure our National Parks remain attractive places for all Americans to visit. This bill was included as a part of the Great American Outdoors Act, which has passed the Senate, and will come back to the House for approval in July.

China
China under the leadership of Communist party leader and authoritarian Xi Jinping has the goal of being the leading economic and military power in the world. We’ve seen this with its aggressive expansion in the South China Sea and East China Sea, and China has consistently increased its military budget since Xi took power in 2013. China’s history of intellectual property theft from American businesses and the American military has been well documented for several decades, and China’s “one belt, one road” initiative takes advantage of developing nations by offering financial opportunities with caveats that require the host nation to pledge or give up things like rights to critical natural resources or strategic locations. We’ve seen these “debt traps” in Africa, SE Asia, and even in our own backyard in South America.

Over the past three decades, the United States and our allies around the world have given the Communists in China plenty of opportunities to be a constructive participant in the world order, but frankly, we’ve seen that China has no desire to follow these norms. This was proven true with the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus. We will never know how many lives would have not been lost around the world had China taken the outbreak of Coronavirus seriously from the beginning.

I have used my position as the Lead Republican on the House Financial Services Subcommittee for National Security, International Development and Monetary Policy, to reign in some of China’s economic levers. The House passed my bill, the Ensuring Chinese Debt Transparency Act, which pushes for greater transparency of financing provided by China to another country through our international financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund. This bill will allow developing countries greater transparency about the costs of doing business with China before they agree to financial help from the Communist government. Further, in response to the current pandemic, I have introduced the Securing America’s Vaccines for Emergencies (SAVE) Act, which would require the president to develop a strategy under the Defense Production Act to better secure the critical supply chains for our medicines, vaccines, personal protective equipment, and medical devices.

Finally, it’s becoming more apparent to the world that China is a pervasive abuser of human rights and religious freedom, the protection of which is a foundational principle of American foreign policy. It is in that regard that President Trump recently signed two bills into law related to this issue. The first, is the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, which imposes sanctions on individuals responsible for human rights abuses against China’s Muslim Uyghur population. The video evidence of China putting Muslim Uyghurs on trains is shocking and the comparison to Nazi Germany putting Jews on trains during the Holocaust is undeniable. The second bill President Trump has signed into law is the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which imposes sanctions on those responsible for failing to preserve Hong Kong’s autonomy. President Trump has already used the power he was given in these bills to sanction Chinese companies and members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

It is important that now, more than ever, that we continue to work with our allies to hold the CCP accountable for its aggressive conduct while at the same time recognizing the critical need to engage the people of China.

Russia
Over the past four years, Americans have read must about Vladimir Putin and Russia and the threat to American elections. Putin is a bad actor, and Russia as a nuclear power is a distinct and destabilizing force in Western Europe and the Middle East. We've certainly witnessed that in the catastrophic Obama foreign policy errors of allowing Russian to invade the Ukraine, take over and occupy Crimea, and become an essential co-conspirator in the murder and mayhem occurring in Syria.

For our part, the United States has passed significant sanctions legislation including the Sergei Magninsky Act, which is named for a Moscow accountant killed by Putin in a corruption scandal. More than 50 individuals are designated under this law for human rights abuses and corruption. The success of this law being used against Russia is one reason I supported the Global Magnitsky Human Rights and Accountability Act in the 114th Congress. This bill applied the same sanctions penalties for human rights abuses and corruption across the globe.

Further, the Trump administration has levied sanctions against sectors of the Russian economy and key Russians in the Russian Federation. The United States has imposed sanctions related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine to nearly 700 individuals through the Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Act, which I supported in 2017. We have also sanctioned Russian officials and the Russian intelligence agency for its malicious cyber activities, including interference in U.S. elections. We also have sanctioned Russia for propping up illegitimate and dictatorial regimes in Syria and Venezuela. The economic pressure that the United States is putting on Russia today is significant.

Given all that, it's essential that you understand that although Russia is one of the largest physical countries in the world occupying some 6.6 square million miles of territory, it remains a commodity-dependent, vulnerable country. Likewise Russia has a GDP that is roughly the same as Spain, which has a third the population, and a per capita GDP a quarter of Germany, which has half the population.

Moreover, the country is a demographic basket case with low life expectancy of age 66 for men and low birth rates.1 And, analysts expect that by 2040 the Russian national population will shrink below 120 million (compared to 141.7 million today) with ethnic Russians actually being only a tiny majority. This economic insecurity, increased global isolation, and demographic chaos accounts for Putin’s extreme aggression and intimidation of the border states that made up the former Soviet Union.

I believe the goals for any future relationship between the United States and Russia should include:

• Allied unity within NATO
• Resolution of the Syrian civil war and political crisis
• Resolution of the conflict of the Donbass region of Ukraine
• Honest engagement with the United States and China on arms-control issues
• Increased pressure on Putin and his regime through use of financial and economic sanctions

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Jobs, Taxes & the Economy
Across almost the entire political spectrum, Americans support reforming the tax code. A broken tax code affects all of us in Central Arkansas. When businesses suffer from a broken tax code that limits growth, it affects all of us. When I ran for Congress in 2014, I committed to seeking solutions that lead to job creation and rising income and wages for hardworking Americans. I am working to champion skilled and vocational job creation and expand good training and career opportunities for all Arkansans.

As a former local business owner and community banker, I know the limitations that our current tax code places on our local economic growth. I am committed to finding solutions to our tax code, which is why I co-sponsored H.R. 27, the Tax Code Termination Act, which would repeal most of our current tax code by the year 2020 and require Congress to have a new federal tax system in place by July 4, 2019. Our families, businesses, and entrepreneurs all want—and deserve—a tax code that is not only fair and simple, but one that will also spur economic development and growth. I wanted to see who would defend the status quo.

In 2016, House Republicans outlined an approach to tax reform that would cut taxes for most Arkansas families, and let nine out of ten Arkansans have a simpler method of filing during tax time. Also, we proposed an overhaul of business taxation to close loopholes, broaden the base, and make the U.S. tax system internationally competitive. Also, importantly, for our families our tax revisions doubled the child tax credit and provided needed funds for health care and other family needs. This has resulted in higher wages, new job creation and career opportunities, and companies investing millions in new plants and equipment in America and not overseas.

Encouraging Work
With the benefits of rightsized regulatory reforms and now the family tax cuts and restructuring of our tax system, our economy is growing and we need more people in the workforce. America still has the lowest labor force participation rate since the 1970’s. This means Americans age 25-54 aren’t working full time. Our great country needs these workers! The dignity of work is a core value for our families and a deep rooted part of our American culture.

We need to encourage students to stay in school and graduate. I support skilled training initiatives that benefit high school students and high school graduates, who don’t want to pursue a four-year college degree, but need to get more skills and apprenticeships to fill the job openings in Arkansas.

We need those mid-career men and women that feel stuck in their jobs to have the opportunities to learn new skills to successfully shift career goals. For example, I met a former homebuilder, who is now a radiation technologist with a major healthcare system. His two apprenticeships and additional training allowed him to make the change while being paid.

We need those on public assistance programs to have the chance to work as they transition from dependence to independence. Solid work requirements for all able-bodied people on welfare will lift people out of poverty.

We need transitional housing and skills development for those ex-offenders coming out of incarceration. I was pleased to see the President highlight this during his 2018 State of the Union speech. I’ve sponsored H.R. 799, the Shift Back to Society Act, which establishes a pilot program with historically black colleges and universities to provide education programs for offenders that are transitioning out of prison and back into the community.

Government Spending and Debt
Washington spending is out of control and bankrupting our country. The federal government needs to quit trying to fix everything with a top-down, one-size-fits-all approach and instead shift power back to state and local governments. Right now, the federal government is too big and spends too much. I have re-introduced the “Golden Fleece” award to expose the most outrageous wasteful government spending in Washington.

To get our spending under control, we must reform mandatory spending programs, cut low-priority spending, and stop performing functions best left to state and local governments or the private sector. We need a cultural change in which the federal government is a smaller, more efficient, effective, and a much less expensive and intrusive part of Americans’ lives. Getting collective action by a majority of Congress and the President is difficult. With two-thirds of all federal spending mandatory and not subject to the Congressional appropriations process, citizens need to be educated on this critically important goal.

While in Congress, I have co-sponsored two versions of balanced budget amendments to the U.S. Constitution to bring our spending in line. We must take the necessary steps to ensure that all taxpayer dollars are being used wisely, and we can no longer kick the can down the road on mandatory spending. Our children and grandchildren depend on us to solve our debt problem and give them a brighter future.

Social Security, Medicare and Financial Security
Social Security is a promise that the federal government has made to hardworking Arkansans, who have paid into the program and have earned these benefits. I am committed to strengthening Social Security for today’s seniors and future beneficiaries. Further, I believe we must protect and strengthen Social Security, while eliminating fraud and abuse in this program.

The 2016 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds estimated that the Social Security retirement trust fund will be exhausted by 2034. Congress must do more to effectively reform Social Security, prevent unprecedented cuts to benefits, and ensure that Social Security beneficiaries receive the benefits that they have earned and paid into.

In 2017, I introduced H.R. 1540, the Social Security Disability Insurance Return to Work Act, which would modernize the Social Security Administration’s classification of disability beneficiaries. The bill incentivizes returning to work for beneficiaries, who have recovered from their disability, such as an illness. According to the Congressional Research Service, the employment rate among working-age individuals with work-limiting disabilities has fallen from 24.4 percent in 1981 to 14.4 percent in 2013. Many disability beneficiaries are unlikely to return to work even if they have recovered and are ready to go back to work. In 2013, only 0.4 percent of all beneficiaries were removed from disability rolls due to re-employment. Due to the low return to work rates, it is essential that Congress act to implement an efficient, consistent, and accurate disability determination in order to encourage return to work and save taxpayer dollars.

I am committed to look for other long-term solutions, and I will work with my colleagues to institute common sense, bipartisan solutions to ensure the availability of essential Social Security benefits to seniors and disabled individuals both now and in the future.

Healthcare
Recently, the Congress reauthorized the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for six years. As a former member of the board of directors of Arkansas Children’s Hospital, I know the benefits of this important program for our families. CHIP is strongly supported by a bipartisan majority and by me.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare was more than just a malfunctioning website. Big government, “one size fits all” $2.2 trillion solutions simply do not work in our large, complex country. Overly broad statutes have too many unintended consequences. Particularly, this law is harming Americans by providing fewer choices, higher healthcare costs, and countless tax increases. It is also chipping away at the critical physician/patient relationship. We need to replace it with reforms that lower healthcare costs for all Arkansans. We need to reject the ever-expanding culture of dependency and encourage our able-bodied citizens to pursue lives of virtue, hard work, and civic service. President Obama promised us we “could keep our plans,” that our insurance premiums would fall, and health care access would improve. The reality is that time and time again over the past three years I have heard your complaints about increases in premiums, shockingly high deductibles leading to loss of health care coverage, and costs that are out of reach for many families.

Our healthcare system faces some serious problems; we need targeted, surgical, carefully considered reforms that acknowledge the complexity of our health care system. I have repeatedly voted to repeal this broken healthcare law and start over with reforms that actually lower healthcare costs, protect pre-existing conditions, and improve access for all Arkansas families. I will not defend the status quo. Our families deserve better.

Education
Like our health care system, changes are needed in the American education system. I believe the lack of equal access to a quality education is the civil rights issue of our day and that we must demand success, accountability, and results in every classroom. Some of these key approaches were in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that the Congress passed in 2015, plus additional flexibility for state and local districts. I have taken a lead role in helping historically black colleges educate Arkansans released from prisons, so they can become productive members of our society.

I believe strongly that all our children – those college bound and those that will begin their career directly after high school – need quality direction and curriculum that helps prepare them for their “pursuit of happiness.” That’s why I am so pleased to promote policies that encourage concurrent credit and skilled workforce programs – two strategies that better prepare our young people, increase affordability of education, and build the talent we need for our state’s growing economy.

I meet regularly with our Second District School superintendents, students, and teachers to discuss ways that I can best advocate for them in Washington.

National Security
Our strong national security is an essential issue facing the Congress and our nation. As a member of the House Financial Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance, I have used my expertise to provide our national security personnel the resources they need to fight and defeat terror at home and around the globe. The mission of ISIS is not only to terrorize third world and developing countries, but also to come to the U.S. and other western nations—as we have seen in San Bernadino, California and Paris, France. ISIS strives not only to take the lives of innocent people, but to destroy our way of life, faith, religious beliefs, and rights. Fortunately, the President brought new leadership to the allied fight against ISIS. The U.S. led direct, coordinated strategy has destroyed the Caliphate’s command and control and freed their territory across Iraq and Syria.

As a businessman with over three decades of financial, management, and banking experience, I have worked diligently with my colleagues to find solutions that will improve traditional interdiction of terror finance in the banking, trade, and business sectors. Further, I used my experience to help design legislation to reform our Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) laws.

Additionally, I voted for H.R. 2810, the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House of Representatives and is an important measure that funds our national defense priorities at home and abroad. This bill gives our troops a much deserved pay raise (the first pay raise in eight years) and pumps money into training. Our current combat readiness is at dangerously low levels.

Importantly, I was pleased to assist in securing funding for the much needed modernization of the C-130 Hercules fleet, the backbone of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard airlifters at the Little Rock Air Force Base (LRAFB). As Congress continues to address the important issues facing American security and military, I will continue to support the needs of our military to provide a strong national defense for the United States.

Further, I led the push for the Air Force and Air National Guard to maintain a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) that is located on LRAFB. By keeping this important national security investment worth more than $10 million facility at LRAFB, the Air Force was able to establish a new training mission located at the SCIF and, in the future, will be able to expand the cyber missions in Central Arkansas.

Veterans
I believe it is imperative that we ensure that our veterans get the medical treatment they need in a timely and efficient manner. Those who have served our country deserve the best care and caretakers to maintain their health. So far in the 115th Congress, nine bills have been signed into law that hold Washington bureaucrats accountable for failing to adequately care for our veterans. These bills improve backlogs and wait times, improve VA workforce recruitment and training, and fund more than $2 billion for the Veterans Choice Fund.

During my first term in office, I ordered a report from the Office of the Inspector General to investigate cost overruns for the Little Rock VA Hospital construction project. The report found rampant and widespread mismanagement, delays, and VA financial mismanagement of taxpayer dollars—a $1.5 million dollar cost overrun for the implementation of $8 million of solar panels at the Little Rock VA. This VA financial mismanagement pattern has been found throughout the county. If it is a project as complex as hospital construction in Denver or one as simple as the appropriate installation of solar panels, the VA continues to waste taxpayer dollars as a result of mismanagement. I believe those dollars could be better spent on much needed administrative services to speed benefit analysis and claims processing. We must continue to monitor VA construction activities to ensure avoidable financial mismanagement and waste ceases. Besides an increased eye on VA overspending, we must make sure our veterans receive the VA benefits they deserve, great care, timely service, and decrease the massive care backlog. It is my priority to make sure the VA continues to be held accountable on all of these fronts.

Homeland Security and Immigration Reforms
Today’s national security begins with our ability to defend our nation’s borders from the flow of illegal traffic. I am an outspoken and positive voice on the issue of border security in the Congress. We must use all tools to reduce potential threats at our border. When I listen to our federal and state officials and officers who are on the front lines of our borders and speak with our border security and immigration offices, I have learned about the challenges and complexities they face on the border. I made three trips along the U.S.-Mexico border during my first term in Congress. It was important to see and understand the complexities of all sections of our southern border and that is why I will continue to participate in border visits.

People from all over the world are traveling to Mexico, discarding their travel documents, crossing the U.S. border, and taking advantage of American goodwill and regulations by using “credible fear” rights of persecution in their home country. I believe we must maintain our status as a beacon of hope for those who would like to flee a life of persecution in another country. However, we must be vigilant to protect Americans here at home and prevent those who are coming to our nation from abusing our laws or causing harm to the American people.

The House of Representatives is considering several bills pertaining to immigration reform. It is of utmost importance and priority that our final immigration bill provides a fair and equitable solution for those individuals in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; reforms our agriculture visa program to make sure those immigrants working in our nation’s agriculture industry are in our country legally; provides for increased security measures along our nation’s southern border; and empowers our border patrol to keep bad actors, such as terrorists or members of transnational gangs, out of our country.

Conservation and our National Parks
I am an avid outdoorsman and believe that we must protect our public lands, such as National Parks and wilderness, so that our future generations can learn about our nation’s history and see the beauty of our country.

I had this in mind when I introduced H.R. 2611, the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act, which exemplifies my commitment historic preservation and conservation. The bill passed by a unanimous vote in the House and Senate and was signed by the President. This important bill will help preserve the Central High neighborhood, which will forever stand as a living monument to the Little Rock Nine’s brave actions to integrate Central High School.

I am also working to expand the Flatside Wilderness area, which is located in Perry County in Arkansas’s Second Congressional District. My goal is to make the area more accessible to visitors and ensure Flatside Wilderness remains an integral part of what makes Arkansas – “The Natural State.”^[10]

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023

The117th United States Congress began on January 3, 2021 and ended on January 3, 2023. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in theU.S. House of Representatives (222-213), and theU.S. Senate had a 50-50 makeup. Democrats assumed control of the Senate on January 20, 2021, when PresidentJoe Biden (D) and Vice PresidentKamala Harris (D), who acted as a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, assumed office. We identified the key votes below usingCongress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Nay	Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act   TheInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) was a federal infrastructure bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on November 15, 2021. Among other provisions, the bill provided funding for new infrastructure projects and reauthorizations, Amtrak maintenance and development, bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation, clean drinking water, high-speed internet, and clean energy transmission and power infrastructure upgrades. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[58]Click here to read more.	Passed (228-206)
Nay	American Rescue Plan Act of 2021   TheAmerican Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 11, 2021, to provide economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key features of the bill included funding for a national vaccination program and response, funding to safely reopen schools, distribution of $1,400 per person in relief payments, and extended unemployment benefits. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[59]Click here to read more.	Passed (220-210)
Nay	Inflation Reduction Act of 2022   TheInflation Reduction Act of 2022 (H.R. 5376) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 16, 2022, to address climate change, healthcare costs, and tax enforcement. Key features of the bill included a $369 billion investment to address energy security and climate change, an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, allowing Medicare to negotiate certain drug prices, a 15% corporate minimum tax, a 1% stock buyback fee, and enhanced Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforcement, and an estimated $300 billion deficit reduction from 2022-2031. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[60]Click here to read more.	Passed (220-207)
Nay	Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act   The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (H.R. 3617) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to decriminalize marijuana, establish studies of legal marijuana sales, tax marijuana imports and production, and establish a process to expunge and review federal marijuana offenses. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[61]	Passed (220-204)
Nay	For the People Act of 2021   TheFor the People Act of 2021 (H.R. 1) was a federal election law and government ethics bill approved by the House of Representatives. The Congressional Research Service said the bill would "expand voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It [would also limit] removing voters from voter rolls. ... Further, the bill [would address] campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices." The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[62]Click here to read more.	Passed (220-210)
Nay	Assault Weapons Ban of 2022   The Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives that sought to criminalize the knowing import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding devices (LCAFD). The bill made exemptions for grandfathered SAWs and LCAFDs. It required a simple majority vote in the House.[63]	Passed (217-213)
Yea	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (S. 1605) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 27, 2021, authorizingDepartment of Defense acitivities and programs for fiscal year 2022. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[64]	Passed (363-70)
Yea	James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023   The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (H.R. 7776) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2023. The bill required a 2/3 majority in the House to suspend rules and pass the bill as amended.[65]	Passed (350-80)
Nay	American Dream and Promise Act of 2021   The American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (H.R. 6) was an immigration bill approved by the House of Representatives that proposed a path to permanent residence status for unauthorized immigrants eligible for Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure, among other immigration-related proposals. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[66]	Passed (228-197)
Yea	Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022   The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (S. 3373) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 10, 2022, that sought to address healthcare access, the presumption of service-connection, and research, resources, and other matters related to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[67]	Passed (342-88)
Nay	Chips and Science Act   The Chips and Science Act (H.R. 4346) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 9, 2022, which sought to fund domestic production of semiconductors and authorized various federal science agency programs and activities. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[68]	Passed (243-187)
Nay	Women’s Health Protection Act of 2021   The Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives. The bill proposed prohibiting governmental restrictions on the provision of and access to abortion services and prohibiting governments from issuing some other abortion-related restrictions. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[69]	Passed (218-211)
Yea	SAFE Banking Act of 2021   The SAFE Banking Act of 2021 (H.R. 1996) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives that proposed prohibiting federal regulators from penalizing banks for providing services to legitimate cannabis-related businesses and defining proceeds from such transactions as not being proceeds from unlawful activity, among other related proposals. Since the House moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill in an expedited process, it required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.[70]	Passed (321-101)
Nay	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 2471) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 15, 2022, providing for the funding of federal agencies for the remainder of 2022, providing funding for activities related to Ukraine, and modifying or establishing various programs. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[71]	Passed (260-171)
Nay	Equality Act   The Equality Act (H.R. 5) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that proposed prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system, among other related proposals. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[72]	Passed (224-206)
Nay	Respect for Marriage Act   TheRespect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 13, 2022. The bill codified the recognition of marriages between individuals of the same sex and of different races, ethnicities, or national origins, and provided that the law would not impact religious liberty or conscience protections, or provide grounds to compel nonprofit religious organizations to recognize same-sex marriages. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[73]Click here to read more.	Passed (258-169)
Nay	Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023   The Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 6833) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2022. It provided for some fiscal year 2023 appropriations, supplemental funds for Ukraine, and extended several other programs and authorities. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[74]	Passed (230-201)
Nay	Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act   The Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act (H.R. 7688) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to prohibit individuals from selling consumer fuels at excessive prices during a proclaimed energy emergency. It would have also required the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether the price of gasoline was being manipulated. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[75]	Passed (217-207)
Nay	Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021   The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 (H.R. 8) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to prohibit the transfer of firearms between private parties unless a licensed firearm vendor conducted a background check on the recipient. The bill also provided for certain exceptions to this requirement. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[76]	Passed (227-203)
Nay	Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act   TheFreedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act was a federal elections bill approved by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate in a failed cloture vote that sought to, among other provisions, make Election Day a public holiday, allow for same-day voter registration, establish minimum early voting periods, and allow absentee voting for any reason, restrict the removal of local election administrators in federal elections, regulate congressional redistricting, expand campaign finance disclosure rules for some organizations, and amend the Voting Rights Act to require some states to obtain clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice before implementing new election laws. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[77]Click here to read more.	Passed (220-203)
Nay	Bipartisan Safer Communities Act   TheBipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938) was a firearm regulation and mental health bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 25, 2022. Provisions of the bill included expanding background checks for individuals under the age of 21, providing funding for mental health services, preventing individuals who had been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor or felony in dating relationships from purchasing firearms for five years, providing funding for state grants to implement crisis intervention order programs, and providing funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[78]Click here to read more.	Passed (234-193)
Nay	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.   This was a resolution before the 117th Congress setting forth anarticle of impeachment saying thatDonald Trump (R) incited an insurrection against the government of the United States on January 6, 2021. The House of Representatives approved the article of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of the charges. The article of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House.[79]Click here to read more.	Passed (232-197)
Nay	Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022   TheElectoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act was a bill passed by the 117th Congress in the form of an amendment to a year-end omnibus funding bill that was signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022. The bill changed the procedure for counting electoral votes outlined in the Electoral Count Act of 1887. Elements of the bill included specifying that the vice president's role at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes is ministerial, raising the objection threshold at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes to one-fifth of the members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, identifying governors as the single official responsible for submitting the certificate of ascertainment identifying that state’s electors, and providing for expedited judicial review of certain claims about states' certificates identifying their electors. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[80]Click here to read more.	Passed (225-201)

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021

The116th United States Congress began on January 9, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in theU.S. House of Representatives (235-200), and Republicans held the majority in theU.S. Senate (53-47).Donald Trump (R) was the president andMike Pence (R) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below usingCongress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Yea	Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020   The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020 (H.R. 1044) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives seeking to increase the cap on employment-based visas, establish certain rules governing such visas, and impose some additional requirements on employers hiring holders of such visas. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill as amended.[81]	Passed (365-65)
Nay	The Heroes Act   The HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to address the COVID-19 outbreak by providing $1,200 payments to individuals, extending and expanding the moratorium on some evictions and foreclosures, outlining requirements and establishing finding for contact tracing and COVID-19 testing, providing emergency supplemental appropriations to federal agencies for fiscal year 2020, and eliminating cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatments. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[82]	Passed (208-199)
Nay	For the People Act of 2019   The For the People Act of 2019 (H.R.1) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to protect election security, revise rules on campaign funding, introduce new provisions related to ethics, establish independent, nonpartisan redistricting commissions, and establish new rules on the release of tax returns for presidential and vice presidential candidates. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[83]	Passed (234-193)
Yea	CARES Act   The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 27, 2020, that expanded benefits through the joint federal-state unemployment insurance program during the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation also included $1,200 payments to certain individuals, funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and funds for businesses, hospitals, and state and local governments. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.[84]	Passed (419-6)
Nay	Equality Act   The Equality Act (H.R. 5) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to ban discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity by expanding the definition of establishments that fall under public accomodation and prohibiting the denial of access to a shared facility that is in agreement with an indiviual's gender indenitity. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[85]	Passed (236-173)
Nay	Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019   The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 (H.R. 8) was a bill approved by the House that sought to ban firearm transfers between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[86]	Passed (240-190)
Nay	American Dream and Promise Act of 2019   The American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R.6) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to protect certain immigrants from removal proceedings and provide a path to permanent resident status by establishing streamlined procedures for permanant residency and canceling removal proceedings against certain qualifed individuals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[87]	Passed (237-187)
Yea	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (S. 1790) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, setting policies and appropriations for the Department of Defense. Key features of this bill include appropriations for research/development, procurement, military construction, and operation/maintenence, as well as policies for paid family leave, North Korea nuclear sanctions, limiting the use of criminal history in federal hiring and contracting, military housing privatization, and paid family leave for federal personnel. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[88]	Passed (377-48)
Yea	Families First Coronavirus Response Act   The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 18, 2020, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing access to unemployment benefits and food assistance, increasing funding for Medicaid, providing free testing for COVID-19, and requiring employers to provide paid sick time to employees who cannot work due to COVID-19. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.[89]	Passed (363-40)
Yea	Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019   The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (H.R. 1994) was a bill passed by the House Representatives that sought to change the requirements for employer provided retirement plans, IRAs, and other tax-favored savings accounts by modfying the requirements for things such as loans, lifetime income options, required minimum distributions, the eligibility rules for certain long-term, part-time employees, and nondiscrimination rules. The bill also sought to treat taxable non-tuition fellowship and stipend payments as compensation for the purpose of an IRA, repeal the maximum age for traditional IRA contributions, increase penalties for failing to file tax returns, allow penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans if a child is born or adopted, and expand the purposes for which qualified tuition programs may be used. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[90]	Passed (417-3)
Nay	Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act   The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to address the price of healthcare by requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate prices for certain drugs, requiring drug manufactures to issue rebates for certain drugs covered under Medicare, requiring drug price transparency from drug manufacturers, expanding Medicare coverage, and providing funds for certain public health programs. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[91]	Passed (230-192)
Yea	Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020   The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 1865) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, providing appropriations for federal agencies in fiscal year 2020. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[92]	Passed (297-120)
Yea	Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019   The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 (S. 1838) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on November 27, 2019, directing several federal departments to assess Hong Kong's unique treatment under U.S. law. Key features of the bill include directing the Department of State to report and certify annually to Congress as to whether Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous from China to justify its unique treatment, and directing the Department of Commerce to report annually to Congress on China's efforts to use Hong Kong to evade U.S. export controls and sanctions. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.[93]	Passed (417-1)
Nay	MORE Act of 2020   The MORE Act of 2020 (H.R. 3884) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to decriminalize marijuana by removing marijuana as a scheduled controlled substance and eliminating criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana. This bill required a simple majority vote from the House.[94]	Passed (228-164)
Yea	Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020   The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 6074) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 6, 2020, providing emergency funding to federal agencies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Key features of the bill include funding for vaccine research, small business loans, humanitarian assistance to affected foreign countries, emergency preparedness, and grants for public health agencies and organizations. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill.[95]	Passed (415-2)
Yea	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.J.Res. 31) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on February 15, 2019, providing approrations for Fiscal Year 2019. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[96]	Passed (300 -128)
Yea	John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act   The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (S. 47) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Doanld Trump on March 12, 2019. This bill sought to set provisions for federal land management and conservation by doing things such as conducting land exchanges and conveyances, establishing programs to respond to wildfires, and extending and reauthorizing wildlife conservation programs. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.[97]	Passed (363-62)
Yea	William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (On passage)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote in the House to override Trump's veto.[98]	Passed (335-78)
Yea	William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Overcoming veto)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote in the House to override Trump's veto.[99]	Passed (322-87)
Yea	Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019   The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (S.24) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on January 16, 2019, that requires federal employees who were furloughed or compelled to work during a lapse in government funding to be compensated for that time. The bill also required those employees to be compensated as soon as the lapse in funding ends, irregardless of official pay date. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill.[100]	Passed (411-7)
Nay	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (Article 1)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry. The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. The articles of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House.[101]	Guilty (230-197)
Nay	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (Article 2)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry. The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. The articles of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House.[102]	Guilty (229-198)

Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018

For detailed information about each vote, clickhere.

• Votes on domestic policy (click to expand)

  VotedYea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Conference report) (HR 2)

   Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018

  Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance through fiscal year 2023.^[103]

  VotedYea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2 (second vote))

   Bill Passed (213-211) on June 21, 2018

  Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance. It also proposed modifying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as the food stamp program.^[104]

  VotedYea on: Securing America’s Future Act of 2018 (HR 4760)

   Bill Failed (193-231) on June 21, 2018

  Proposed funding a border wall, limiting legal immigration, a mandatory worker verification program, allowing DACA recipients to apply for legal status, and preventing separation of families at the border.^[105]

  VotedYea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2)

   Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018

  Reauthorizes through FY2023 and modifies some Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.^[106]

  VotedYea on: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HR 36)

   Bill Passed (237-189) on October 3, 2017

  Proposed amending the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus was 20 weeks or more. The bill provided exceptions for an abortion: (1) that was necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.^[107]

  VotedYea on: Kate's Law (HR 3004)

   Bill Passed (257-167) on June 29, 2017

  Proposed increasing criminal penalties for individuals in the country illegally who were convicted of certain crimes, deported, and then re-entered the U.S. illegally.^[108]

  VotedYea on: No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (HR 3003)

   Bill Passed (228-195) on June 29, 2017

  Proposed withholding federal funds from states and localities that chose not to follow federal immigration laws.^[109]

  VotedYea on: American Health Care Act of 2017 (HR 1628)

   Bill passed (217-213) on May 4, 2017

  Proposed modifying the budgetary and fiscal provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.^[110]

• Votes on economic affairs and regulations (click to expand)

  VotedYea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 6157)

   Bill Passed (361-61) on September 26, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.^[111]

  VotedYea on: Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 5895)

   Bill Passed (377-20) on September 13, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.^[112]

  VotedYea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 6157)

   Bill Passed (359-49) on June 28, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.^[113]

  VotedYea on: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 5895)

   Bill Passed (235-179) on June 8, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.^[114]

  VotedYea on: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S 2155)

   Bill Passed (258-159) on May 22, 2018

  Proposed exempting some banks from the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act^[115]

  VotedYea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1625)

   Bill Passed (256-167) on March 22, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes.^[116]

  VotedYea on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892)

   Bill Passed (240-186) on February 9, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018.^[117]

  VotedYea on: Further Extension Of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1892)

   Bill Passed (245-182) on February 6, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018.^[118]

  VotedYea on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)

   Bill Passed (266-150) on January 22, 2018

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018.^[119]

  VotedYea on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)

   Bill Passed (230-197) on January 18, 2018

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 16, 2018.^[120]

  VotedYea on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1370)

   Bill Passed (231-188) on December 21, 2017

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018.^[121]

  VotedYea on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

   Bill Passed (227-203) on December 19, 2017

  Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.^[122]

  VotedYea on: Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes (HJ Res 123)

   Bill Passed (235-193) on December 7, 2017

  Proposed funding the government until December 22, 2017.^[123]

  VotedYea on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

   Bill Passed (227-205) on November 16, 2017

  Proposed amending the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses.^[124]

  VotedYea on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)

   Bill Passed (216-212) on October 26, 2017

  Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027. (This bill proposed adopting the Senate's budget resolution.)^[125]

  VotedYea on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)

   Bill Passed (219-206) on October 5, 2017

  Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027.^[126]

  
  

  VotedYea on: Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3354)

   Bill Passed (211-198) on September 14, 2017

  Proposed providing FY2018 appropriations for the federal government. It combined 12 appropriations bills.^[127]

  VotedNay on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (Included amendments to suspend the debt ceiling and fund the government) (HR 601)

   Bill Passed (316-90) on September 8, 2017

  Proposed suspending the debt ceiling and funding the government until December 8, 2017, and providing funding for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts.^[128]

  VotedYea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 601)

   Bill Passed (419-3) on September 6, 2017

  Proposed providing $7.85 billion for disaster relief requirements, including response and recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey.^[129]

  VotedYea on: Financial CHOICE Act of 2017 (HR 10)

   Bill passed (233-186) on June 8, 2017

  Proposed amending the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, among other acts.^[130]

  VotedYea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (HR 244)

   Bill passed (309-118) on May 3, 2017

  Proposed a $1.2 trillion budget to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2017.^[131]

• Votes on foreign policy and national security issues (click to expand)

  VotedYea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (HR 5515)

   Bill Passed (351-66) on May 24, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities^[132]

  VotedYea on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 695)

   Bill Passed (250-166) on January 30, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations for military functions administered by the Department of Defense and for other purposes, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018.^[133]

  
  

  VotedYea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018—Conference report (HR 2810)

   Bill Passed (356-70) on November 14, 2017

  Proposed authorizing FY2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths.^[134]

  VotedYea on: Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3219)

   Bill Passed (235-192) on July 27, 2017

  Proposed making appropriations for defense, military construction, Veterans Affairs, the Legislative Branch, energy and water development, and for other purposes for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2018.^[135]

  VotedYea on: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (HR 3364)

   Bill Passed (419-3) on July 25, 2017

  Proposed providing congressional review and measures to counter aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes.^[136]

  VotedYea on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180, second vote)

   Bill Passed (380-35) on July 28, 2017

  Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes.^[137]

  VotedYea on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180)

   Bill Failed (241-163) on July 24, 2017

  Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes.^[138]

  VotedYea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 2810)

   Bill Passed (344-81) on July 14, 2017

  Proposed authorizing fiscal year 2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It did not provide budget authority.^[139]

  VotedYea on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 1301)

   Bill passed (371-48) on March 8, 2017

  The $577.9 billion fiscal year 2017 defense spending bill proposed $516.1 billion in base budget funding and $61.8 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism funding.^[140]

114th Congress

The first session of the114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.^[141][142] For more information pertaining to Hill's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections.^[143]

Economic and fiscal

Trade Act of 2015

See also:The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015

Trade adjustment assistance
On June 12, 2015, theHouse rejected thetrade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure inHR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015—by a vote of 126-302.Trade adjustment assistance (TAA) is a federal program providing American workers displaced by foreign trade agreements with job training and services. The measure was packaged withtrade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority. TPA is a legislative procedure that allows Congress to define "U.S. negotiating objectives and spells out a detailed oversight and consultation process for during trade negotiations. Under TPA, Congress retains the authority to review and decide whether any proposed U.S. trade agreement will be implemented," according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Hill was one of 158 Republicans to vote against TAA.^[144][145]
Trade promotion authority
On June 12, 2015, theHouse passed thetrade promotion authority (TPA) measure inHR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives thepresident fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent toCongress without the opportunity for amendment or filibuster. Although the House approved TPA, it was a largely symbolic vote given the measure was part of a package trade bill includingtrade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. Hill was one of 191Republicans to support the measure.^[146][147]
Trade promotion authority second vote
After thetrade adjustment assistance (TAA) andtrade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass theHouse together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment toHR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—on June 18, 2015. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208, with all voting members of the House maintaining their original positions on TPA except forTed Yoho (R-Fla.). Hill was one of 190Republicans to vote in favor of the amendment.^[148][149]
Trade adjustment assistance second vote
TheHouse passedHR 1295—the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015—on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. TheSenate packagedtrade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House rejected the TAA measure inHR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015. Along withtrade promotion authority (TPA), whichCongress passed as part ofHR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—TAA became law on June 29, 2015. Hill was one of 132Republicans to vote against HR 1295.^[150][151]

Defense spending authorization

On May 15, 2015, theHouse passedHR 1735—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 269-151. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Hill voted with 227 otherRepublicans and 41Democrats to approve the bill.^[152] The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. PresidentBarack Obamavetoed the bill on October 22, 2015.^[153]

On November 5, 2015, theHouse passedS 1356—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 370-58. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included $5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison.^[154][155] Hill voted with 234 otherRepublicans and 135Democrats to approve the bill.^[156] On November 10, 2015, theSenate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and PresidentBarack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015.^[157]

2016 Budget proposal

On April 30, 2015, theHouse voted to approveSConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 226-197. The non-binding resolution was designed to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. All 183Democrats who voted, voted against the resolution. Hill voted with 225 otherRepublicans to approve the bill.^{[158][159][160]}

2015 budget

On October 28, 2015, theHouse passedHR 1314—the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—by a vote of 266-167. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017.^[161] Hill voted with 166Republicans against the bill.^[162] It passed theSenate on October 30, 2015.^[163] PresidentBarack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015.

Foreign Affairs

Iran nuclear deal

See also:Iran nuclear agreement, 2015

On May 14, 2015, theHouse approvedHR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required PresidentBarack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review.Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove, or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Hill voted with 222 otherRepublicanrepresentatives to approve the bill.^[164][165]

Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
On September 11, 2015, theHouse rejectedHR 3461—To approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 162-269. The legislation proposed approvingthe nuclear agreement with Iran. Hill voted with 243Republicans and 25Democrats against the bill.^[166][167]

Suspension of Iran sanctions relief
On September 11, 2015, theHouse approvedHR 3460—To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 247-186. HR 3460 prohibited "the President, prior to January 21, 2017, from: limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying any such sanctions; or removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Department of the Treasury." Hill voted with 244Republicans and twoDemocrats for the bill.^[168][169]

Presidential non-compliance of section 2
On September 10, 2015, theHouse passedH Res 411—Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 245-186. Section 2 of theIran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. HouseRepublicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. Hill voted with 244Republicans for the resolution.^[170][171]

Export-Import Bank

On October 27, 2015, theHouse passedHR 597—the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015—by a vote of 313-118. The bill proposed reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and allowing it to resume offering assistance in the form of loans and insurance to foreign companies that wanted to buy U.S. goods.^[172] Hill voted with 116Republicans and oneDemocrat against the bill.^[173]

Domestic

USA FREEDOM Act of 2015

On May 13, 2015, theHouse passedHR 2048—the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015—by a vote of 338-88. The legislation revisedHR 3199—the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005—by ending the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from theForeign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Hill voted with 195Republicans and 142Democrats to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015.^[174][175]

Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

On May 13, 2015, theHouse passedHR 36—the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act—by a vote of 242-184. The bill proposed prohibiting abortions from being performed after a fetus was determined to be 20 weeks or older. The bill proposed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Hill voted with 237Republicans in favor of the bill.^[176][177]

Cyber security

On April 23, 2015, theHouse passedHR 1731—the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015—by a vote of 355-63. The bill proposed creating an information sharing program that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. It also proposed including liability protections for companies.^[178] Hill voted with 219Republicans and 135Democrats to approve the bill.^[179]

On April 22, 2015, theHouse passedHR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116.^[180] The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Hill voted with 201Republicans and 105Democrats in favor of the bill.^[181]

Immigration

On November 19, 2015, theHouse passedHR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137.^[182] The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. Hill voted with 241Republicans and 47Democrats in favor of the bill.^[183]

Candidate

Officeholder

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