Ann Wagner

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I missed the second vote series as I was accompanying constituents Elizabeth Snyder and Justin Sparks to the White House where they met Vice President Mike Pence and discussed the tragic murder of Elizabeth's husband, St. Louis County Police Officer Blake Snyder. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 105, NAY on Roll Call No. 106, NAY on Roll Call No. 107, and NAY on Roll Call No. 108.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. I thank Chairman Hensarling for the time. I thank my colleague, Mr. Huizenga, the chair of the Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee, for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to cosponsor the SEC disclosure rule for resource extraction, which is an important tool for Congress to use in disapproving excessive red tape brought by Washington bureaucrats. The previous administration placed crushing regulatory burdens on the American people. In 2015 alone, Federal regulations cost almost $1.9 trillion--nearly $15,000 per American family. This particular SEC regulation, which was issued by the Obama administration, regarding resource extraction disclosures will make it more expensive for our public companies that are involved with energy production to be competitive overseas with foreign state-owned companies. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this resolution of disapproval. The SEC has estimated that ongoing compliance costs for this rule could reach as high as $591 million annually and fully admit that it has the potential to divert capital away from other productive opportunities, like growing a business and creating jobs. Securities law should not be used to advance foreign policy objectives, particularly when the compliance cost of implementing those objectives is so expensive--with no added benefit of investor protection. While this rule had already been vacated before the U.S. District Court of D.C. in 2013, I am happy that, through this resolution of disapproval, Congress--we the people--can now weigh in as well on this harmful rule. I urge the passage of this resolution.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Tennessee, Diane Black, for her wonderful leadership on this issue along with Congressman Smith, also, for his wonderful leadership. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support for the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. The Hyde amendment has received bipartisan support for 40 years because it is a testimony to the freedom of conscience for all Americans and the dignity of the unborn. I am heartbroken that opposition to the amendment has become a political gimmick. All human beings--the born, the unborn, the young, the old, the sick, and the healthy--are entitled to a government that promotes their dignity, their conscience, and their gift of life. This bill spells out Congress' commitment to all people--including children--across our Nation that the profits of Big Abortion should not be pilfered off the hard work of the American citizen. No tax dollar should be spent on the destruction of human life. In passing this bill and making the Hyde language permanent, we affirm that protecting children and mothers is our most precious duty as Members of Congress. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for life.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman Hensarling, the gentleman from Texas, for his leadership on this issue and on so many regulatory reform issues that we will be addressing this week and in the future. Mr. Chair, I am proud to sponsor and bring to the floor H.R. 78, the SEC Regulatory Accountability Act. This legislation fits perfectly with the theme of the week here in the House to advance key regulatory reform ideas as a change of pace from the outgoing administration. For the past 8 years, the amount of regulatory burden that has been placed on Americans and small businesses has been crushing. In 2015, Federal regulation cost almost $1.9 trillion. That is nearly $15,000 per household in a hidden compliance tax. The Obama administration issued over 600 economically significant rules, which are those that have an economic impact of over $100 million. As a result of this wave of regulations, we have been part of the slowest economic recovery in our lifetimes. We now have an opportunity to enact policy that ensures smart regulation going forward so that we are doing things in the best and most efficient way. The people have spoken, Mr. Chair. Business as usual in Washington is over and it is time to do things differently. There is, indeed, a better way. This legislation is really about what everyday Americans do when they are making major life decisions in weighing the costs and the benefits, the pros and the cons. Whether it is buying a car, buying a home, deciding whether to take out a loan to go to school, everyone must consider the core economic factors when making important life decisions. The SEC Regulatory Accountability Act places statutory requirements on the SEC when issuing rulemaking that ensures that, first, they identify the problem that regulation is trying to address; second, they weigh the cost and benefits to ensure that the benefits justify costs of compliance; and thirdly, they identify and assess whether there are any available alternatives to rulemaking. Additionally, this bill contains a provision that requires the SEC to review its existing regulations every 5 years, at the minimum, to determine whether any such regulations are outdated, ineffective, or excessively burdensome, as well as requiring the SEC to modify, streamline, repeal, or even to expand regulations based on that review. As a regulator of our capital markets, the SEC has an immeasurable influence on our economy and the ability of small business and entrepreneurs to be able to access capital in order to innovate, grow, and most of all, create jobs. I strongly believe that this legislation is nonpartisan and common sense and what our government regulators should have been doing in the first place. The American people deserve a break from the irresponsible regulation they have grown accustom to over the past 8 years. There is a better way. I ask my colleagues to support this commonsense piece of legislation and urge passage of it through the House.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I stand today to express my extreme disappointment in the Obama administration's betrayal of Israel. The administration's destructive decision to undercut Israel has given leverage to anti-Israel boycotters and anti-Semites across the world. This act screamed of personal vengeance and hostility, directly harmed American interests, and undermined peace in the Middle East. It was a cowardly and foolish parting shot for an administration that flagrantly ignores serious global challenges--Syria, Aleppo, ISIS, Iran, China, Russia, and the list goes on. By abstaining from the vote to censure Israel, President Obama vetoed the U.S.-Israel alliance and violated the faith of the American people. I look forward to a new day, to a new administration that will support Israel and refuse to abandon our allies on the world stage.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. New Hampshire: John Langdon, Nicholas Gilman. Massachusetts: Nathaniel Gorham, Rufus King. Connecticut: William Samuel Johnson, Roger Sherman. New York: Alexander Hamilton. New Jersey: William Livingston, David Brearley, William Paterson, Jonathan Dayton. Pennsylvania: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Mifflin, Robert Morris, George Clymer, Thomas FitzSimons, Jared Ingersoll, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris. Amendment I: ``Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.''

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, for the past 8 years, President Barack Obama has used his pen and phone to create a fourth branch of government that overreaches through executive orders and Federal rules and regulations. But today is a new day--a day when this Congress begins to dismantle this fourth branch of government and drain the swamp in Washington. Through the entirety of this President's administration, Republicans have fought against out-of-control growth of Federal bureaucracy and rules and regulations that have suffocated the American economy. The last time I checked, the President's job was to enforce existing laws and work with the elected Members of Congress whose responsibility it is to pass laws as the people's representatives. Instead, I believe he has undermined not only our Constitution but also the American people through this executive power grab. It is time to get rid of the Washington-knows-best, top-down, one- size-fits-all rules like the EPA's waters of the U.S., the Clean Power Plan, the Department of Labor's overtime rule and restrictions on your retirement savings. These regulations have consequences, and what these bureaucrats do have, consequences. In 2015 alone, the Federal Government leveled 3,400 regulations on Americans. Those regulations cost us $1.9 trillion in lost productivity and growth--a cost of $15,000 per American household. Now, for the first time during my tenure serving the Second Congressional District of Missouri, Congress has a unique opportunity. This week we will pass a bill that I have had the pleasure of cosponsoring and voted for twice before--the REINS Act, and I expect it to become law. The REINS Act puts power back in the hands of the people as Congress--the people's House--can implement an up-or-down vote on any new major rule before they can take effect. Congress should decide what rules are necessary for our constituents--not unelected bureaucrats. We will also pass this week the Midnight Rules Relief Act which will allow Congress to stop the Obama administration's last minute regulations from taking effect as they turn out the lights and head out the door. The American people spoke loud and clear: They want results. They are tired of working harder for less money and tired of wondering how they will make ends meet at the end of every month. They have had enough and are tired of the constant chipping away of their freedoms. Taken together, these two bills clearly demonstrate that this Republican Congress is unified and will work with President-elect Trump to help alleviate the day-to-day burdens felt by Americans across the country. By passing these bills, we are demonstrating that we are listening to our constituents and we are telling them that their elected representatives are in charge, not Washington bureaucrats.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I simply ask my colleagues to support this commonsense piece of legislation that instills transparency and accountability for our government when negotiating with their foreign counterparts.

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 5143, the Transparent Insurance Standards Act of 2016, with my good friend and colleague from the State of Missouri, Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer. Dodd-Frank reversed a nearly 150-year precedent of the U.S. insurance industry being regulated primarily by the States. From property- casualty, life, reinsurance, health, and even auto, the Obama administration and Dodd-Frank created a more invasive role for the Federal Government to intervene in this industry. Where this has become apparent is during the negotiations of international agreements regarding insurance standards, where our foreign counterparts, particularly in the European Union, are trying to force us to adopt their standard and forgo our State-based insurance regime. Most concerning is that many of these meetings take place behind closed doors with little accountability or transparency while our Federal Government says they are negotiating on behalf of our best interests. H.R. 5143 would enhance congressional oversight into these deliberations by establishing requirements to be met before the Federal Government can agree to the adoption of any final international insurance standards or covered agreements. Setting these procedures in place ensures that Missouri policyholders and customers will be protected from premium increases by having to adopt international standards that don't apply or make sense here in the United States. Americans are sick and tired of the Federal Government making choices on their behalf without proper input and oversight. Congress needs to be more involved in these negotiations that could have substantial impacts on policyholders across the country. I have two letters of support from companies in Missouri that represent over 40,000 customers and employees in the State. The companies state that this bill will help prevent costs from being driven up in Missouri, and I would like to include these letters in the Record. Cameron Insurance Companies, August 19, 2016. To: Members of the Missouri Congressional Delegation Dear Representatives: On behalf of Cameron Mutual Insurance Company and the 39,370 policyholders/employees in Missouri, I am writing to ask for your support. During the next few months, U.S. negotiators and their international counterparts are scheduled to meet behind closed doors around the globe approximately three dozen times to make strategic decisions on new international capital and regulatory standards. The U.S. is under pressure from international regulators to adopt their standards. These types of changes have the very real potential to drive up costs here at home. It is important that the U.S. defend its effective system of insurance regulation. Our U.S. negotiators should not agree to new standards that could eventually weaken U.S. consumer protections, reduce competition, and, according to economist Robert Shapiro, cost homeowners insurance consumers up to an additional $100 per year. H.R. 5143, the Transparent Insurance Standards Act of 2016, introduced by Missouri's own Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, provides critically important checks and balances regarding negotiations on international insurance standards by requiring transparency, accountability, and consultation with Congress, and allowing for public input. The bill passed the House Financial Services Committee in June. It is critical for Congress to act on this legislation now and I am asking you to defend U.S. insurance markets and to preserve our effective, consumer-focused, state-based system of insurance regulation. Please contact House leadership and the Financial Services Committee leadership and request a September House floor vote on H.R. 5143. Transparency, accountability, and consultation with Congress and the public is a simple and reasonable approach to ensure our system is not undermined by closed-door international regulatory fora. H.R. 5143 strengthens the U.S. voice by requiring U.S. state and federal negotiators reach consensus on advocacy positions and supporting them by shining a light on the negotiations. Sincerely, Brad M. Fowler, President/Chief Executive Officer, Cameron Mutual Insurance Company.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of legislation that begins making strides toward enhancing our ability to combat some of the toughest diseases of our time--the 21st Century Cures Act. From improving the development and approval process of drugs and devices, to bettering our ability to diagnose and treat diseases like Alzheimer's and diabetes, this legislation will have a positive impact on countless lives. I further applaud provisions in the bill that address mental health issues and opioid abuse, both crises that tear families apart in my home district of St. Louis and across our Nation. However, I also rise today to say that passing this bill must not be the end of our efforts, but, rather, the beginning--the beginning as we look towards a better day for thousands of children fighting against pediatric cancers. Mr. Speaker, the 21st Century Cures Act legislation outlines that rare and pediatric diseases and conditions should remain a biomedical research priority. While the bill provides an additional $4.8 billion to the National Institutes of Health, I see little that suggests a sufficient amount of this money will be dedicated to pediatric research and care. This past October, I had the opportunity to tour the Cardinals Kids Cancer Center at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis and meet with families affected by pediatric cancer, including the Leslie family. The Leslies' son, Caleb, was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer, when he was just 10 years old. Despite the incredible strength that Caleb showed in his more than 2-year fight with cancer, he ultimately lost the battle on July 22, 2015. I was shocked when the Leslies told me that childhood cancer receives only 4 percent of the National Cancer Institute's annual research budget--only 4 percent--an absurdly small amount of money for a population with countless life years ahead of them. In fiscal year 2016, the NCI was appropriated $5.21 billion, and only $208 million of this went toward childhood cancer research. Childhood cancer does not discriminate based on gender, race, or social class. These are diseases that could affect any of our children at any time. It is my hope that going forward, as both a lawmaker and a mother of three children, that we can prioritize NCI research funding to give every child a fighting chance at a healthy and happy future. I am committed to giving families like the Leslies solace, solace in knowing that maybe one less family will have to suffer the tragic loss that they endured.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Midnight Rules Relief Act, which would halt President Obama's ability to rush through politically motivated regulations during the remainder of his term. It is clear that this administration will do everything possible to stop President-elect Donald Trump by jamming through as many backdoor regulations as possible before the clock runs out. Last week, the American people spoke. They made it clear that they want to get our economy moving again. President-elect Trump must have the opportunity to enact policies without regulatory hindrance from the previous administration. Mr. Speaker, since taking office, the President has ignored Article I of the Constitution and the will of the American people. For the past 8 years, the President has used his pen and phone to create a fourth branch of government, imposing executive orders and Federal rules and regulations to benefit his own radical political agenda. In 2015 alone, the Federal Government implemented 3,400 regulations on Americans that cost us $1.89 trillion in lost productivity and growth--a cost that averages nearly $15,000 per American household. These regulations from unelected, unaccountable government bureaucrats are unfair and unjust. Mr. Speaker, my constituents in Missouri are desperate for greater security and economic opportunity. This comes with elevating, not undermining, the spirit of self-governance for which our Nation was founded. As a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives--the people's House--we must pass the Midnight Rules Relief Act to ensure that we are protecting the American people from reckless regulations that will continue to cripple our economy and target the pocketbooks of all Americans. Transparency is critical when we pass important legislation that will directly affect our constituents. If the President has the ability to impose major regulations without the necessary time for congressional scrutiny and oversight, we are not doing our jobs to represent and protect our constituents. Mr. Speaker, I have spent my time in Congress fighting for our families, fighting to repeal regulations that are hindering business growth, and fighting to provide a voice for the voiceless. It is our duty to pass this legislation and continue to fight against the President's irresponsible agenda and give our new President, Donald Trump, the support that he has earned.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of my constituents to express my outrage about the White House's ransom payment to Iran. On January 17, 2016, the Obama administration announced that it would give the Islamic Republic of Iran a total of $1.7 billion to settle a 1979 arms deal. However, they failed to announce that, the day before, the administration had delivered an advance payment in cash of $400 million in unmarked bills to Iran in exchange for four American hostages. In fact, the American people did not learn that the White House had made this secret ransom payment at all until this past August. The Obama administration's decision to violate our Nation's own historic policy against ransom payments has established a frightening precedent for the future. The President's willingness to bend to Iran's demands and use unmarked bills demonstrates to the world a fundamental weakness that emboldens our enemies while ceding to the demands of state sponsors of terrorism. American soldiers, diplomats, and citizens living and traveling abroad are less safe this year than they were last year. And global beliefs and perceptions of American leadership and intentions--among our allies and, more disastrously, among the bad actors in the world-- have been forever altered. Indeed, Iran is already celebrating its leverage over the United States. One commander of an Iranian Revolutionary Guard militia exulted that ``taking this much money back was in return for the release of the American spies.'' Since the January ransom payment, Iran has, unsurprisingly, arrested additional Americans. The American people deserve answers about why the President felt it was acceptable to give nearly $2 billion to radical extremists supporting terrorism across the Middle East and beyond. That is why this month I interrogated officials at a Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing. My colleagues and I questioned the timing of the secret payment, the White House's insidious and foolish decision to use unmarked bills, and implications on terrorism in the region. But the administration refused to answer my simple questions that would give Americans the answers they deserve. Instead, officials said they could only share information behind closed doors. I took them up on that offer, and I and my colleagues had that 2- hour-long, closed-door, classified meeting. After that briefing, I am now more certain than ever, Mr. Speaker, that the Obama administration paid an irresponsible and dangerous ransom to Iran. Why is the Obama administration so desperate to cover up the details of its ransom payment from the American people? The White House has made a reckless national security decision to bend entirely to the demands of Iran without assurances that Iran would not use this money for its military. Keep in mind that the Iranian military blatantly funds Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations. Shockingly, the administration told me publicly that, even if they had received assurances from Iran, they wouldn't have trusted the country to keep its promises. Why, then, would we have given $400 million in unmarked bills to the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism? Why would the Obama administration accommodate and fund a foreign military that funds terrorism around the world? Why didn't the White House write legally binding restrictions on the use of the money into the settlement agreement? Why did we agree to the settlement with a state sponsor of terrorism in the first place? The entire $1.7 billion was reportedly transferred to the Iranian military to fund a 90 percent increase in Iran's military budget. This is public information, and the Obama administration dismissively pretends that no one can use the Internet. The Obama administration's gift to the Iranian military is a disgrace to America's allies in the Middle East, especially to Israel. It is a degradation of America's counterterrorism efforts and geopolitical leadership. It is a failure to protect Americans abroad and the new prisoners who have been detained in Iran. As a member of this free Nation's assembly of the people, I will hold our President accountable for his deception and negligence and will work to reverse this dangerous precedent that this administration has made for the future of our country.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman of the Financial Services Committee. I am proud to sponsor the Accelerating Access to Capital Act, H.R. 2357. I would also like to thank and congratulate my colleagues, Representative Emmer and Chairman Garrett, for their legislation as well. Regulatory burden is one of the reasons why we are still in the slowest recovery of our lifetime since the financial crisis. Small businesses are finding it more and more difficult to find financing in order to grow and expand their business. Dodd-Frank has made traditional bank lending for small businesses more scarce. Smaller companies that wish to go to the capital markets are finding compliance and regulatory requirements too extensive and far too costly. This legislation builds upon other efforts by this committee to provide simplified disclosure and reduce burdens for smaller companies in order to lower the cost of raising capital. Specifically, this would extend to smaller reporting companies the ability to utilize Form S-3, a much more simplified registration for companies that have already met prior reporting requirements with the SEC. Allowing small companies to use this form would provide significant benefits with its shorter length, allowing forward incorporation by reference and the ability to offer securities off the shelf, which are all things that larger companies are currently able to enjoy. Streamlining disclosure will lower compliance costs associated with filing redundant paperwork, which will in turn allow companies to direct more resources to growing their business. Fuel Performance Solutions, which is a fantastic company based in my hometown of St. Louis, has spent the last 10 years working on exciting fuel products that could potentially save Americans money at the pump and reduce harmful emissions. In order to fund this research in breakthrough technology, Fuel Performance Solutions eventually decided to register with the SEC and go public to raise more capital and expand their business. The company conducted a study, Mr. Chair, and found that, instead of filling out a 100-page registration form which takes about 4 to 6 weeks to complete, this legislation would allow them to fill out a 20-page form which only takes 2 days to complete. As a result, they would have incurred less legal fees, less accounting, and less investment banking fees and saved close to $225,000. Additionally, under this job growth legislation, they could have received SEC approval in days, rather than months, and thereby obtain certainty in regard to funding their business. I am proud that the greater Metropolitan St. Louis region is the fastest growing startup scene in the country. But we must provide opportunities for these businesses and many others to grow and drive and thrive in the marketplace. Extending these cost-saving provisions to smaller companies that large companies are currently able to enjoy is absolutely critical and can make the difference in their ability to issue an additional offering, expand their business, and create more jobs. The Accelerating Access to Capital Act will do just that. I urge the passage of this legislation.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I am honored to stand before the House today to speak on the Conscience Protection Act. I am speaking today on behalf of the over 55 million children who are unable to speak for themselves. I grieve their deaths. Abortion not only brutally ends the life of children, it also forever changes the lives of their mothers. Because of the negative outcomes of abortion for mothers and children, many healthcare providers choose not to participate in this abhorrent practice. We must protect healthcare providers who reasonably--and conscientiously--object to participating in abortion. At a speech in 2009, President Obama said clearly: ``Let's honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion.'' But that is no longer the practice of this administration. Today, across the country, in flagrant violation of Federal law, churches are being forced to buy healthcare plans that pay for abortions, and nurses have been forced to assist in abortions. The Conscience Protection Act would stop the government from discriminating against providers that exercise their right of conscience. It would ensure that those who have been penalized for exercising this right are allowed their day in court. Madam Speaker, nobody should be forced to choose between their values or their job. Our country was founded on the right of conscience. We cannot abandon them now.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Representative Fitzpatrick, the chair of our terrorism task force here, along with Representative Lynch, Representative Sinema, and others, for moving forward on this issue and legislation. I stand today in support, and I am proud to have been a cosponsor of this important legislation that would require the President to develop an all-encompassing government strategy to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. The National Strategy for Combating Terrorist, Underground, and Other Illicit Financing Act addresses this important problem by developing a comprehensive strategy that includes many different components and capabilities of our Federal Government and allies. From my time working on the terrorism finance task force, we have heard testimony from members of various government agencies and from the private sector who play a role in fighting this issue abroad. As a former United States Ambassador who has worked to stop international terrorist financing, it is clear that coordination and communication between these agencies can be improved to block terrorist financing. ISIS, along with other terrorist groups, continues to find creative and new ways to obtain financing, oftentimes using our regulated financial system as a means to launder that money. This legislation, H.R. 5594, ensures our government is taking all actions necessary to stop this growing terrorist threat, and I urge its passage.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Restoring Access to Medication Act, introduced by my good friend and colleague, Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins. Mr. Speaker, for far too long, Missouri families have suffered from the never-ending financial burdens and health consequences imposed by the Affordable Care Act. From limited access to physicians to skyrocketing premiums, ObamaCare has failed our country and our people. For years, Missouri families have used health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts as an important tool to save and help pay their medical expenses, including over-the-counter drugs. In the United States, more than 20 million individuals and families have taken advantage of HSAs and FSAs. They have counted on them to help protect against unexpected healthcare expenses and better plan for medical costs throughout the year. Under ObamaCare, the administration did its best to get rid of these HSAs and FSAs by limiting the amount of savings people could contribute to them and how that money could be used. They even mandate that funds in HSAs and FSAs cannot be used to purchase over-the-counter medications without a prescription from a physician. Simply put, this administration added yet another layer of ``Washington knows best'' red tape to how to spend your money and how to manage your health care. As a mother of three, I remember sick children, cold and flu seasons, and late-night runs to the drugstore for cough syrup and fever reducers. I know that these unexpected expenses directly impact families that are fighting to make ends meet. Adding another doctor's visit just so you can use your already saved money to purchase over- the-counter medications is unfair, it is wrong, and it is downright senseless. The Restoring Access to Medication Act will repeal this portion of the law that unfairly targets pocketbooks and reduces access to everyday medications like aspirin and allergy relief. This legislation will put Americans back in the driver's seat, restoring control of the family's day-to-day health expenses and needs. Mr. Speaker, in addition to this legislation increasing access to over-the-counter medications that families need, it allows Americans to, most importantly, increase the amount of money they contribute to their health savings accounts. While doubling the amount both individuals and families can contribute to their accounts in 2017, this new law will also have a net decrease of $2.2 billion for our Federal budget over the fiscal years 2016 through 2026. Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled that the House has passed this bipartisan, commonsense legislation which places the healthcare needs of families above the liberal interests of bureaucrats in Washington. It will save families money and put them further in control of their healthcare decisions, something the ever-failing Affordable Care Act will never do.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, for the past 7\1/2\ years, this President has ignored Article I of the Constitution and the will of the American people. The balance of power detailed in the Constitution is very clear: Congress writes laws; the President executes those laws. But through controversial executive orders and questionable regulations and selective enforcement of laws, the President has time and again bypassed our government's critical system of checks and balances to drive his own personal agenda of Big Government and big regulation. Congress must reset this balance, reclaim its legislative power, and reestablish the integrity of Article I of the Constitution. The most blatant attack on our Constitution is his executive order to suspend immigration laws for nearly 4 million people who are in our country illegally. In acting alone, the President has made clear his desire for amnesty for illegal immigrants, in direct violation of the laws of this Nation. We are a nation of immigrants. But more importantly, Mr. Speaker, we are a nation of laws. This issue will only be resolved when the executive branch enforces existing law and works with the elected Members of Congress instead of sidestepping the Constitution and disrespecting the will of the people. Mr. Speaker, Americans are desperate for greater security and economic opportunity. This comes with elevating, not undermining, the spirit of self-government, on which our Nation was founded. This is not a Republican or a Democrat issue. This is an American issue, and it touches the core of our system of government. It is time that we restore and protect Article I of the Constitution and put the people first.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the signing of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. We are grateful for the accomplishments of the legislation over the past year. The JVTA has reinvigorated our Nation's commitment to fighting sex trafficking. The legislation sought to undercut demand for sex trafficking by holding buyers and advertisers of trafficking accountable for their choices. Under the SAVE Act--my legislation that was signed into law as part of the JVTA legislative package--we have given prosecutors the tools they need to fight these Web sites and businesses that support human trafficking by knowingly advertising victims for profit. Right now, tens of thousands of demented online advertisements are openly selling children into sexual enslavement. Predators in our communities are going online and having children delivered to their hotel rooms as easily as they would a pepperoni pizza. Today, human trafficking is moving from the streets to the Internet, making it more accessible and more insidious. The SAVE Act fights this sick explosion of trafficking on the Internet. The SAVE Act is already demonstrating that it is an indispensable tool to attack online trafficking. Backpage.com and other exploitive Web sites, which enable human traffickers by allowing them to post ads selling the bodies and the souls of our children, are angry that the U.S. is now holding the advertisers of human trafficking accountable. Backpage.com claims that their ability to post children for sex online is a matter of free speech. It is not a matter of free speech, Mr. Speaker. It is a flagrant violation of the dignity and the basic constitutional rights of these abused and vulnerable children. Facilitating the purchase of children for sex is not a right; it is a crime, and it is a crime of the most heartless and evil proportions. In December 2015, backpage.com filed a lawsuit against the SAVE Act in the United States District Court of the District of Columbia, and they specifically named me, Ann Wagner, in their case. They are suing us because the SAVE Act has upset their pocketbooks and hindered them from making money off human trafficking sales. I take it as a huge success that we are finally moving in the direction where adults, Web sites, and businesses that exploit victims of human trafficking cannot profit and will not be given a free pass for their despicable crimes. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act creates a legal framework to ensure that those who sell children and young women for sex, those who buy children for sex, and those who profit from human trafficking will be held accountable for their choices. But this law will be rendered useless until the Department of Justice moves to fully implement it. To our knowledge, the Department has not opened any new investigations to target advertisers of trafficking. The JVTA clarifies those who solicit and patronize victims of trafficking can and should be prosecuted as sex trafficking offenders under 18 U.S. Code section 1591. Failing to prosecute buyers perpetuates demand for trafficking and allows offenders to abuse our children with impunity. But while buyers have been arrested over the past year, we have seen very few convictions. Exactly how many convictions? We don't know because the Department of Justice has not released this information. We do know that many buyers have inexplicably been allowed to walk. America's children are not objects to be bought and sold and abused by predators. They are children who we, as adults, have the duty to fiercely, fiercely protect. We are also waiting on the Department of Justice to levy a $5,000 assessment on convicted human traffickers, convicted buyers who exploit victims, and offenders of similar crimes. We passed the JVTA 1 year ago, but the Department has neglected to assess the vast majority of these offenders--perhaps all of these offenders--despite a number of related convictions. These fines are meant to help populate the Domestic Trafficking Victims' Fund to provide assistance for victims of trafficking and child pornography and develop prosecution programs. We are waiting on the Department of Justice to establish and populate this fund to get survivors the services that they need. In short, there is much work to be done and we will not just walk away. It is our most fundamental responsibility to fight to protect our most vulnerable from sexual enslavement. This is our most basic duty.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

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

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Chair, in closing, I just want to say that NGA chose St. Louis because the location best supports the agency's mission. The superiority of the urban setting is ideal for recruiting and retaining a highly skilled workforce. When focusing on the most technological, academic, and professional environment to ensure our Nation's security, the NGA chose St. Louis. The decision has been made, and my amendment supports the NGA's decision. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman and my colleague from the First District of Missouri. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman Dent for letting me offer this very important amendment. I thank my colleagues from the entire Missouri delegation--Mr. Clay, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Graves, Ms. Hartzler, Mr. Long, Mr. Luetkemeyer, and Mr. Smith--for their steadfast support and bipartisan cosponsorship. This amendment is critical to meeting the current and future mission requirements of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and its replacement West headquarters in north St. Louis. This amendment allocates $801,000 for land and transfer acquisition activities associated with acquiring the land for the headquarters, conforming with the Senate's MILCON-VA bill. After an exhaustive process, the NGA identified the north St. Louis city site as a superior location because of its ability to provide the most technological, academic, and professional environment for the agency to develop the capabilities and solutions necessary to solve the country's most vital intelligence and national security challenges. Mr. Chair, the City of St. Louis is providing the land for this project at no cost to the Federal Government. Its selection ensures that NGA West's 70-year history in St. Louis continues and that the 2,000 NGA West employees who live in Missouri remain in close proximity to the headquarters. The St. Louis region has a proven track record in national defense and technology capabilities that make it an ideal choice for NGA's new home. I ask that my colleagues vote in favor of this amendment to ensure NGA West can continue to perform its critical role in our national security within a community that understands its needs and strongly supports its mission. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri's First District (Mr. Clay).

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Nurturing and Supporting Healthy Babies Act, which will improve care for babies who are so sadly suffering from exposure to opioids while in their mother's womb. Hospital usage for opioid overuse in Missouri increased 137 percent between 2005 and 2014, with the highest rates being in the St. Louis region. We must do everything we can to combat this epidemic from all angles. Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely heartbreaking to stand in front of you knowing that in the United States an opioid-dependent baby is born every 20 minutes, immediately suffering from withdrawal: trembling, crying inconsolably, and clenching their tiny muscles as they gasp for breath. My principal mission as a Member of this Chamber is to provide a voice to the voiceless, and it is our duty to defend the most vulnerable. Ensuring babies have access to care and allowing them to recover from these horrible physical and emotional circumstances is not only common sense, but, Mr. Speaker, it is simply the right thing to do. Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 4978, and I thank Representative Evan Jenkins for introducing this legislation.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. I thank the chairman for his leadership and for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a resolution to stop the Department of Labor from attacking Americans' savings. Mr. Speaker, investing in the future and saving for retirement can be some of the most personal and consequential decisions that families make. With three children to raise, my husband and I worked tirelessly to put food on the table each day while squeezing what we could into a retirement account. For those families today living paycheck to paycheck, we must provide more opportunities to save for the future, not limit them. Mr. Speaker, this is about Main Street, not Wall Street. The DOL's fiduciary rule is simply ObamaCare for retirement savings. It is clear that this top-down, Washington-knows-best power grab will only hurt those it claims it will protect: low- and middle-income families that are looking for sound investment advice in the midst of a savings crisis. Today, sadly, 45 percent of working-age families do not have any retirement savings. Nearly half of our workforce is not saving for retirement. For those who are saving, the average retirement balance is only $3,000 for working-age families and $12,000 for families nearing retirement. Every American should have access to sound investment advice, but the Department of Labor is going too far, increasing costs for advice and ultimately putting low- and middle-income, hardworking families at a severe disadvantage. Congress must act to stop this intrusion on Americans seeking to do the right thing regarding their savings responsibility. Rarely in Washington do Democrats and Republicans find common ground on issues, but with the Department of Labor forcing more than 1,000 pages of investment regulations on American families, we have joined together with bipartisan concern. Mr. Speaker, the choice is simple: either you stand with low- and middle-income families saving for the future or you stand with yet another Big Government takeover by this administration. Mr. Speaker, the resolution that we will vote on today will stop this rule and give Americans the freedom--the freedom--to choose how they plan for and invest in their future. Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to pass this resolution.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Chabot of Ohio for introducing this bipartisan piece of legislation as well as my colleagues on the Financial Services Committee, Congressman Hurt of Virginia and Congresswoman Sinema of Arizona, for sponsoring the legislation. H.R. 4498, the Helping Angels Lead Our Startups Act, provides an important fix to our securities regulations that removes friction between entrepreneurs and the potential investors that are looking to support startup companies. When we think about angel investing or venture capital, we naturally think of the Silicon Valley tech scene or the financial powerhouse of New York City. However, more and more startups all across the country are using important changes under the JOBS Act in order to raise financing no matter where they are located. In fact, as reported in the St. Louis Business Journal, St. Louis has the Nation's fastest growing startup scene. As more and more investors are drawn to the St. Louis area, these early-stage investments are critical for helping keep these companies in Missouri and creating more local Missouri jobs. Yet, while St. Louis' startups have experienced tremendous growth recently, small businesses and startups everywhere are still having difficulty in obtaining financing and investment in today's economy at a crucial stage when they are trying to grow and expand. The HALOS Act will make a small change that makes it easier for small businesses to find those vital investments. It would exempt demo days from general solicitation requirements that would put a burden on entrepreneurs and that would make it more difficult for investors to provide financing. For those companies that are not yet ready to go public, it is important that they are given the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to those who are interested in learning more. I urge passage of this bipartisan piece of legislation.