Ann Wagner

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill.

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1548, the Improving Access to Small Business Information Act. I thank my colleagues from both sides of the aisle, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim), the author of this legislation, and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer), for working on this commonsense piece of bipartisan legislation that will help ensure America's small businesses and entrepreneurs are heard at the SEC. H.R. 1548 provides a simple fix that will allow the SEC's Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, or the Advocate, to become a more impactful voice in support of American entrepreneurs and capital formation. Each year, the Advocate and its staff host events around the country to support small businesses and to better understand their most pressing issues when it comes to raising capital. Such interactions help the Advocate analyze the potential impact of policy changes likely to affect small businesses and their investors. Under current law, however, the Advocate may not collect information--such as through surveys or studies--from small businesses and entrepreneurs without triggering the burdensome requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act. This, in turn, introduces a host of bureaucratic hurdles the Advocate must navigate in carrying out its mission. By clarifying that such actions of the Advocate are not a collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act and providing exemptions from the most burdensome aspects of the Paperwork Reduction Act, H.R. 1548 enables the Advocate to engage with American small businesses with less friction. With fewer hurdles in place, the Advocate will gain a better understanding of the capital formation challenges that small businesses face, which will result in better policymaking decisions here in Washington, D.C. Madam Speaker, H.R. 1548 is a balanced and thoughtful bill that cuts unnecessary and onerous red tape to allow the SEC's Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation to become a more effective champion in support of American small businesses and capital formation. For this reason, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1548, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim), the author of this piece of legislation, and my friend and colleague.

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, so I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I would simply urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1548, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1096) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps, and to support programs at the Marine Corps Heritage Center.

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bergman), one of the authors of this coin legislation for the U.S. Marine Corps and a great friend, colleague, and patriot.

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, as a proud Army mom whose son is a graduate of West Point, I insist that the lieutenant general take my son, Raymond, the good captain, to the mint also. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time, and I am prepared to close.

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I thank my congressional colleagues for their work on this bill, Captain Seth Moulton and General Jack Bergman. Their steadfast commitment and determination to commemorate the Marine Corps truly shows once a marine, always a marine. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. Jackson Lee. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1096, a bill authorizing the U.S. Treasury to mint commemorative coins in honor of the Marine Corps' 250th Anniversary in 2025 and to support programs at the Marine Corps Heritage Center. The 250th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps Commemorative Coin Act will allow Americans to continue their substantial contributions toward the preservation of the Marine Corps history without any costs to the taxpayers. November 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the Navy Marine Corps' founding at Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, on November 10, 1775. Since its founding, the Marine Corps has gone on to safeguard our freedom in every climate and region, and in almost every war our nation has fought. As this House may fervently remember, the coin minted in 2005 for the 230th anniversary of the Marine Corps turned out to be one of the most popular in U.S. Mint history. The revenue from that coin supported the funding of the construction of the National Museum of the Marine Corps--an award-winning cultural institution which continues to welcome visitors from around the world. No reason to doubt that a coin marking the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps will be just as popular. Revenue from the 250th Anniversary coin will support Marine Corps Heritage Foundation's historical and cultural programs that preserve, showcase, and educate the public on Marine Corps, history, traditions, and culture and support to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. H.R. 1096 will also help to take the history, tradition, culture, and values of the Marine Corps beyond the museum's walls to Americans across the country. Today's Marine Corps is an integrated air-ground team, capable of rapidly deploying to any conflict or crisis location in the world. The men and women of the Marine Corps, Always Faithful, remain our nation's finest examples of Honor, Courage, and Commitment for nearly 250 years. This legislation is an opportunity for Congress to help Americans honor the Marine Corps legacy of bravery and selfless service on a national scale, in a way that won't cost taxpayers a single cent. I am honored to join with a bipartisan group of Marine veterans, and other veterans of the armed forces serving in Congress, in supporting a legislation that directs the Treasury Department to issue more than one million coins in 2025 for the commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps.

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2593) to create an interdivisional taskforce at the Securities and Exchange Commission for senior investors, as amended.

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 835) to amend the Securities Act of 1933 to codify certain qualifications of individuals as accredited investors for purposes of the securities laws, as amended.

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 835, the Fair Investment Opportunities for Professional Experts Act. I thank my colleagues from both sides of the aisle, Congressmen Hill, Schweikert, Vargas, and others, for working on this important piece of bipartisan legislation that will expand the pool of eligible investors who can build wealth through private placements. The current ``accredited investor'' definition restricts access to investments in private markets to a select few, largely based on income or net worth. This excludes many individuals who have other types of expertise or experience that would make them sophisticated investors. According to SEC estimates, only 13 percent of U.S. households actually qualified as accredited investors in 2016, and only a small percentage of accredited investors are Black or Latino. This shows that the current definition disproportionately excludes minorities from accessing investment opportunities. H.R. 835 expands the definition to include individuals with certain licenses, educational qualifications, or job experience, opening up more investment opportunities for those who are knowledgeable in specific fields. I should also note that this bill passed on suspension by voice vote in the 115th Congress. Mr. Speaker, passing H.R. 835 will help level the playing field for minority entrepreneurs who often struggle to secure funding due to lack of access to accredited investors. It will also help diversify the pool of eligible investors, providing more investment opportunities but also unlocking new sources of innovation and economic growth. Mr. Speaker, for this reason, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 835, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill), the author of this bill, who is also the chairman of the Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Inclusion Committee.

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I would just simply urge my colleagues to support H.R. 835, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry), the chairman of the full Financial Services Committee.

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2608, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga), the author of the bill, who is also chairman of the Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee of the Committee on Financial Services.

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.