| Dear Friend, Let me be clear, I will do all that I can to see the reauthorization of RECA, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, signed into law. I have made it known to House leadership, including the Speaker, that RECA passage is vitally important to the St. Louis region, and to tens of thousands of other families nationwide affected by the nuclear programs. Time is of the essence, and I am fighting for RECA’s inclusion in the next Congressional funding bill that must be passed by March 22nd.
I am asking my Missouri House colleagues to join me in an effort to House and Senate Leadership and the Appropriations Committees to help victims of our WWII nuclear programs in the St. Louis and St. Charles areas. Read more on my RECA efforts here. Last week, President Biden gave an out of touch State of the Union address that ignored the very real problems facing our nation. Missouri families are hurting from the high costs of groceries and gas, and crime has forced convenience stores to shut their doors, limiting options for so many and leading to the decline of our communities. President Biden’s reckless policies have opened the flood gates for illegal immigrants to swarm across our border, and with them human traffickers and illegal drugs like fentanyl. Drug overdoses are skyrocketing and have torn apart so many families. America needed to hear from a President who will close the border, stop recklessly spending your taxpayer dollars, and put criminals behind bars. Read my full statement on President Biden’s State of the Union address here.
My guest for the State of the Union address was Mark Schmitz, father of Missouri’s own Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz who tragically died in the terrorist bombing in Kabul during President Biden’s reprehensible flight from Afghanistan. Mark was one of many Gold Star families in attendance who lost children during the Abbey Gate bombing. I am utterly disappointed, but not surprised, President Biden refused to apologize to them for his decision that led to the death of their children.
The House passed, and the President signed into law, Appropriations legislation that keeps our government open and advances several of my priorities, including important funding for law enforcement and victims of child sexual abuse and sexual assault. I was proud to lead the efforts to include robust funding for Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces, the Debbie Smith Rape Kit Backlog program, and the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. These vital programs will help survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation get the justice they deserve by ensuring the perpetrators of these horrific crimes are identified, apprehended, and put behind bars. This bill also prioritizes funding for the Victims of Child Abuse Act so Children’s Advocacy Centers have the resources they need to support victims of abuse at an incredibly vulnerable time in their lives. Read my full press release here.
I appreciated meeting with Tim Tebow and discussing my Child Online Safety Modernization Act, legislation that requires online platforms to report the sex trafficking of children. I am grateful he was in Washington last week to testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee on the proliferation of child sexual abuse material and what we can do to better protect children and rescue victims of this horrific crime. 
Thank you to Major General Levon Cumpton of the Missouri National Guard for briefing me on the Guard’s recent deployments to the Southern Border, as well as its important missions in the Middle East. Major General Cumpton commands over 12,000 Soldiers, Airmen, and state and federal employees, and I appreciated his insight on ongoing operational issues. 
I questioned Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell last week on the commercial real estate exposure of banks. I asked the Chair if he thought it would be more productive for Fed supervisors and regulators to keep their eye on the ball with regards to commercial real estate and other real estate investments, rather than continue to pursue its flawed capital requirements proposal. Watch his response here.
Sincerely, 
Ann Wagner
Member of Congress | 
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