CD2 debate: Hill, Jones oppose nationwide abortion ban

Republican U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, and his Democratic opponent, retired Army Col. Marcus Jones, both expressed opposition to a nationwide abortion ban in their 2nd Congressional debate Monday (Oct. 7) on Arkansas PBS.

Hill said the U.S. Supreme Court has sent the issue back to the states.

“I would never vote for a nationwide ban for abortion,” he said. “I don’t know that there’s any support on either side of the aisle in significant ways for that proposal.”

Hill said his views on abortion have always provided for exceptions in cases of rape, incest and when the woman’s life is in danger. He said he has voted against allowing late-term abortions nationally.

Jones also said he would not vote for an abortion ban and said Hill has not voted to support women’s rights. He said his 19-year-old daughter has fewer rights than her grandmother did in a state with no exceptions for rape, incest or fatal fetal anomalies.

“A strong nation respects women’s rights. It does not invade their exam room,” he said.

Jones criticized Hill for voting against a comprehensive immigration reform bill earlier this year. He said immigrants currently here should be brought into the system, and they should be working, paying taxes and on a track to citizenship.

Hill said that particular bill set an arbitrary limit of 5,000 illegal border crossings, which hasn’t been done in the past. He supported a different bill he said reformed the immigration, asylum and parole reform system. He said he has voted for immigration and border security reform in several Congresses.

Asked about rural health care challenges in Arkansas, Hill said a lack of competition nationally is creating consolidation and a lack of competition, while the federal government’s involvement has driven up health care costs. Jones said rural hospital administrators say they are concerned about Medicaid reimbursements. As a representative, he said he would become a cosponsor of the Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act increasing the reimbursements they receive.

A number of the provisions of the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act are set to expire at the end of 2025. Asked about extending the tax cuts, Hill said there must be bipartisan agreement on what will preserve growth. He said the act, which he voted for, benefited all Arkansas families and increased the percentage of families who could take the standard deduction from seven in 10 to nine in 10. Jones said the tax cuts reduced revenues and largely went to corporations and the wealthiest 1%. He said he favored retaining the tax cuts for Americans making less than $400,000.

Regarding Social Security’s looming trust fund issues, Hill pointed to a commission in the 1980s as an example of a bipartisan solution that extended the system’s health. Jones said he would support an increase in the FICA tax cap from $168,600 up to $400,000.

Also in the debate, Hill said he is not a fan of tariffs. He said he spoke out against steel and aluminum tariffs imposed during the Trump administration. He said tariffs raise prices, hurt small businesses and stress the supply chain. He said tariffs are a stick to bring other countries to the negotiating table.

Jones said he doesn’t support blanket tariffs, saying a small business owner in Faulkner County told him the steel and aluminum tariffs had hurt his business. He said they are a sales tax passed on to the consumer.

Hill said the United States must support Israel and said the current hostilities there are rooted in the Obama and Biden administration freeing Iran from sanctions. He said he was at a Kuwait air force base where he saw Little Rock Air Force base personnel helping deliver aid to Gaza.

Jones said the United States must support Israel while ensuring humanitarian assistance gets to Gaza. He said the decision by the Trump administration to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal left the United States with neither carrot nor stick. Ultimately, a two-state solution is needed, he said.

The two agreed on the importance of supporting Ukraine. Jones said he worked three years in NATO from 2017-20 and was involved in forming the mobilization efforts and contingency plans being used now. He said it is “absolutely in our interest to continue to support Ukraine,” saying that European-American trade is too important to be disrupted by Vladimir Putin.

Hill said he supports U.S. engagement with European allies to “draw the line in Ukraine” for the economic and trade reasons Jones mentioned and also to defend Europe. He accused Biden of slow-walking munitions, equipment and sanctions for Ukraine and relying too much on building consensus with European allies.