Hill sees solution to avoid government shutdown; hopeful for Farm Bill progress

U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, sees a path to avoid a government shutdown next month, and he’s hopeful that a short-term fix can be passed to support a farming economy in crisis.

In an interview for Talk Business & Politics D.C. Edition, Hill said there’s a good chance that a handful of appropriations bills can be agreed to by the Senate and House allowing for a smaller continuing resolution to buy more time for the remaining funding debates. Congress wants to avoid an Oct. 1 government shutdown.

“I believe they’re making progress. We are a little below FY 25 spending macro in the House, maybe $50 billion or less than the money that was appropriated for in a $7 trillion budget,” said Hill. “I can’t speak for everybody, but people know there’s no value in a government shutdown and that’s not going to accomplish anything. I think if we could sign into law what we have passed and then extend a CR [continuing resolution] modestly into November, that would be a good compromise.”

During the August recess, Hill said he heard from a large swath of farmers in his district about the economic pain occurring in the agricultural sector. The Second District Congressman said he supports some form of emergency relief to allow for elements of the One Big Beautiful Bill to kick in by late 2026.

“Among some farmers and some crops under some circumstances – I want to say that I’m willing to consider that,” he said.

Hill, a former banker and chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said the ripple effect of the farming downturn has repercussions for other industries.

“I’ve spoken up many times in our House meetings about the impact on the financial services industry in addition to the farmers, because our farmers are dependent on getting external financing and you’ve got to have the ability to repay those loans,” he said. “I was in that ag lending business, as you recall, from 1999 until 2014. I know it well. I know the trauma and when you have the war in Ukraine that has really hurt input prices, the Biden inflation has hurt input prices, and you’ve had prices from large crops depress prices too… and you have some uncertainty too in that area [tariffs and trade], which is of concern.”

When asked if a Farm Bill will get passed in quick order to provide more permanent relief, Hill was uncertain.

“I don’t know the answer to the question. I think that’s what Senator Boozman and [House Ag] Chairman Thompson have got to think through as we go through this funding cycle over the next few weeks,” said Hill.

Hill offered comments on Friday’s anemic U.S. jobs report, which showed only 22,000 jobs created in August. His response spoke to potential interest rate cuts and the independence of the Federal Reserve Bank, which has been challenged by President Trump.

“I think the softness in the economy, despite what the stock market’s done or even bank lending advancing, if you look at those macro statistics, it’s been softening during the course of the year, both in employment and in borrowing capacity for consumers,” he said. “So that softening, I think does open the opportunity for the Fed to do a rate cut, which we’ve talked about before. I felt like the Fall was a possibility because we’d have the first half of the year thoroughly vetted both in employment and in inflation expectations. I think the Fed has seen that inflation expectations are anchored closer to their 2% and the numbers they’ve seen come in have been declining or stable and now you have a weaker employment. So I think that does portend a rate cut.”

Rep. Hill also discussed stablecoin policy, Congressional redistricting, and releasing the Epstein files.