Deborah Koff Ross: “Thank you, Chairman Culberson, and thank you for presenting this bill. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of an…”

“Thank you, Chairman Culberson, and thank you for presenting this bill. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of an important amendment that will be offered by my colleague, Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer, to defund the Department of Justice program known as Operation Choke Point. Created under the guise of a program to root out banking fraud and money laundering, Operation Choke Point has been used by administration bureaucrats to pressure and force banks to end relationships with legitimate businesses it considers objectionable or a ``reputational risk.'' This administration has targeted legitimate small businesses such as firearm and ammunition dealers, cigar shops, pawn stores, payday lenders, and others. The backdoor effort to target legitimate law- abiding businesses it does not like and to coerce banks to choke off relationships with these legitimate businesses is contrary to our Nation's fundamental principles of freedom. In voting to defund Operation Choke Point, I will be voting to rein in this out-of-control administration and its assault on small, legal, legitimate businesses.”