| Dear Friend, Joe Biden is once again abandoning our strongest ally in the Middle East by withholding vital aid to Israel. These weapons are critical to ensuring Israel can fully dismantle Hamas, a terrorist organization whose sole goal is to destroy the Jewish people. It seems clear President Biden is making decisions based on politics, and not what is in the best interests of the U.S. or Israel. The recent announcement that the President is using aid to Israel as a cudgel to prevent them from rooting out Hamas in Rafah is an extremely dangerous move. The withholding of weapons strengthens Hamas’ position, not just militarily, but also from a negotiating standpoint.
The Biden Administration must support Israel as they fight for their very existence, not cave to the radically liberal wing of their party who are taking over buildings on college campuses. This reckless decision by Joe Biden not only hurts Israel, but it also harms American workers and those in Missouri whose jobs depend on these sales. I called on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to answer for this horrific decision. Read my full letter here.
The Jewish News Syndicate reported on this absolutely shocking news, and you can read their full article here.
I chaired a Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the U.S. Development Finance Corporation, a vital component of our government that plays a crucial role in countering China’s predatory “development” programs, including the Belt and Road. The Chinese Communist Party uses their Belt and Road initiative as a tool of economic coercion, employing debt trap diplomacy to ensnare nations and place them under the CCP’s influence. Their influence in the Western Hemisphere is rapidly growing, and our own Development Finance Corporation is vital to ensuring China does not use the developing world to its own advantage. Watch here. 
I held a Capital Markets subcommittee hearing on SEC enforcement last week. Our goal is to protect the due process rights of all market participants, increase accountability and transparency, and enhance public trust. Every Member of the Committee should be concerned when market participants lose confidence in their regulator—especially when that regulator’s job is to instill faith in our markets. Watch my full remarks here.
As part of my efforts as Vice Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I joined a bipartisan meeting with the Israeli Defense Forces and was briefed on their state of play in Gaza. We stand with our strongest ally in the Middle East and will continue to work and ensure they have the support they need to protect their citizens from Hamas.
Last week, an independent report came out detailing years of harassment at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). In light of these reports, FDIC Chair Martin Gruenberg should be fired immediately. The instances detailed in this report are despicable and are clearly the result of broken, sexist, and reprehensible top-down leadership that has failed the FDIC and all its workers. Read more on this report here.
I met with the CEO of Imagine Learning, Jonathan Grayer, to discuss the company’s education software that is used in many Missouri schools. We had an extremely informative conversation on the lessons learned from remote learning during the pandemic and how to build a more digitally integrated education system that connects the teacher, student, and parent. Imagine Learning is also developing ways to make education more engaging for children in order to keep their attention on the course work and limit distractions.
Thank you to constituents with the Missouri Realtors for visiting with us in Washington. I always appreciate getting an update on the housing market throughout our region and finding ways we can work together to help families looking to buy their first home.
As Chair of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, I have held multiple hearings this Congress where I examined the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rulemaking process. During those hearings, we heard from expert witnesses on issues within the SEC that include ineffective information technology programs, inadequate cost benefit analysis, and an overall lack of accountability. The Biden Administration’s SEC has a long record of imposing a top-down, my way or the highway regulatory process on investors, making it much more difficult for retail investors to save for their future. Last week, I was proud to announce the introduction of three bills that will help address our many concerns with the SEC’s onerous rulemaking processes. Read more on this legislation here.
Last week was Holocaust Remembrance Day and we pledged to never forget the horrors of the Holocaust. Tragically, we have seen a rise in anti-Semitism around the nation and the world, and we must remain committed to standing up against such hate. 
Sincerely, 
Ann Wagner
Member of Congress | 
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