luetkemeyer.house.gov
Washington,
September 16, 2016
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September is a busy time for families across Missouri. School is in full swing, sports practices, and other engagements keep families on the move. It isn’t any different for the House of Representatives – September means a full slate of committee work, meetings with constituents and organizations from Missouri, and voting on bills on the House floor. I am fortunate to serve on two House committees: the Financial Services and Small Business Committees. Both committees are very engaged in their respective areas and this week was no different. First, I am very pleased to report that the Financial Services Committee passed the alternative to the failed Dodd-Frank Act called the Financial CHOICE Act. The current model is not working as consumers, community banks, and credit unions are being dramatically affected. For instance, before Dodd-Frank became law, 75 percent of banks offered free checking to their customers. But, by 2015, that number had fallen to a paltry 37 percent. The Financial CHOICE Act changes that. It also puts an end to taxpayer-funded bailouts so Americans will no longer be on the hook for risky behavior. Included in this comprehensive bill are a few pieces of my legislation and one in particular would end Operation Choke Point. As you may recall, Operation Choke Point is an organized attempt from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Department of Justice to intimidate financial institutions from offering financial services to certain licensed, legally-operating industries the government doesn’t like in an attempt to choke off those industries from our country’s banking system. I’m very pleased the committee took the first step in passing this legislation and I look forward to bringing it to the whole House of Representatives so we can make real change. Next, in the House Small Business Committee, we held a hearing to discuss how the IRS has put small businesses through the audit wringer. Day in and day out, I hear from small businesses in Missouri that are struggling to stay afloat and the main driver is because of regulations coming out of Washington. What we heard from witnesses is that the IRS is becoming more aggressive and less responsive which is negatively impacting small businesses. In addition to committee activity, I had a great meeting with members of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network who came from the 3rd District. We discussed the importance of continuing to support the National Institutes of Health funding and other pieces of legislation that are important to the association. I also had a great conversation discussing agriculture with members of the Missouri Pork Association and discussing the importance of the United States and Israel relationship with members from AIPAC. Lastly, there were several important bills on the House floor this week. One important bill I proudly supported would halt detainee transfers from Guantanamo Bay to the United States. I also supported legislation which ensures the Department of Veterans Affairs is held accountable to taxpayers and veterans. Simply, this bill helps fix one of the VA’s biggest problems which is lack of accountability for misbehaving employees. It is my hope both of these important bills are quickly brought to the Senate floor for a vote. For even more information about what went on this week in the House of Representatives, make sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To find information to those links, simply head to my website at Luetkemeyer.house.gov or give any of my offices a call and my staff will direct you. Over the next few days I have lots of events scheduled and I look forward to updating you on those as well.