U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo. 2nd District, is keeping an eye on several issues while she and other members of the U.S. House are back home in their districts this week. The U.S. Senate, meanwhile, is in session and grappling over the stopgap spending bill the House passed last week in order to keep the federal government open.
Pending government shutdown
U.S. Senate Democrats are balking at funding the Department of Homeland Security following two fatal shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis this month. Wagner said in an exclusive interview with Missourinet that the Homeland Security department is more than just ICE.
“If the Democrats want to shut down the government over defunding ICE, I think they’re going to have a really difficult time explaining to those that are trying to fly why TSA is not working, why FEMA disaster relief is not going out,” she said. “And we have half of the country under, you know, a national alert because of the snow and the bitter cold.”
Wagner also said federal funding for Homeland Security should not hinge on whether Secretary Kristi Noem resigns or is fired by the president. She’s under fire for the deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis, including one who formerly lived in Kansas City.
Helping human trafficking survivors
Meanwhile, Wagner is touting a new law she co-sponsored that will shield survivors of human trafficking from being prosecuted as criminals in federal court. It applies to victims who were coerced into committing non-violent crimes while being held captive.
“Many of them, they can’t find a job, they can’t find housing, they can’t finish their education,” Wagner said. “They need critical assistance with services and things.”
The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act was signed last week by President Trump. It passed both the U.S. House and Senate with strong bipartisan support.
NATO relations “ruptured” over Greenland?
After months of negotiations and threats ranging from tariffs to military invasion, Greenland will remain a part of Denmark while the United States will gain expanded access to the world’s largest island. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has accused President Trump of causing a “rupture” in the long-standing relationship between the U.S. and its NATO allies. Wagner strongly disagrees.
“I think that President Trump and his leadership has done nothing but strengthen NATO,” she told Missourinet. “We’ve gotten them to finally wake up. (Pres. Trump) started it in his first term and certainly doubled down in his second term in terms of them paying attention to their own defense.”
Wagner serves on the U.S. House Select Committee on Intelligence. Before being elected to Congress she served as U.S. Ambassador to Luxemburg, a NATO member.
Iran
The U.S., Israel, and other western powers continue to monitor ongoing unrest in Iran, which has been embroiled in mass protests by citizens against the Islamic regime that runs the country. President Trump has hinted at military action against the Iranian government as reports of thousands and perhaps tens of thousands of protesters having been killed.
Wagner said Iran should take our president seriously.
“No one’s going to stand by and watch the slaughter of these innocents,” she said. “I know he’s moved assets into the region. I know that we have moved some of our U.S. personnel out of the region. So, we’ll see in the coming days. That’ll be his call.”
Wagner said so far, she has not been briefed by the Trump Administration on any definitive plans to launch military strikes against Iran.
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