Some of the most important work I conduct in Congress, on your behalf, is in the two committees on which I serve. It’s in these committees where important legislation is shaped, improved or expanded upon before it comes before the full House of Representatives for consideration.

At many of these committee hearings, I get to hear from people who are most affected by the issues we are considering. These committees also provide me with an opportunity to question federal officials about issues important to folks in Missouri and across the nation.

I am honored to serve as vice chairman of the House Small Business Committee and as a member of the House Financial Services Committee, and both of these panels are a good fit with my past experiences as a bank examiner, a small businessman and a community banker. My background, including my time as a Missouri legislator, has prepared me well in dealing with the many important and complex issues tied to our small businesses and financial institutions as well as provided me with a keen understanding of the committee process as a whole.

The Small Business Committee was established to protect and promote small businesses and it has jurisdiction over issues related to small business financial aid, regulatory flexibility and paperwork reduction. The panel also has oversight over the Small Business Administration and any federal program that affects small business.

In the current Congress, the Small Business Committee is already tackling issues that have negatively impacted employers and employees including a hostile regulatory environment perpetuated by the current administration and the crippling impact of tax increases and Obamacare. We must not forget that while small businesses employ about half of all private sector employees in our country and create about 60-70 percent of new jobs, regulatory compliance costs small businesses 36 percent more than it costs large businesses.

The Financial Services Committee has jurisdiction over the nation’s financial services and housing sectors including banking, insurance, real estate, public and assisted housing, securities, and domestic and international monetary policy. Conducting strong, efficient, effective oversight of the federal agencies, including the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department, and programs within the panel’s jurisdiction is vital. We must carefully monitor and examine these agencies and the programs so that we can continue to protect your money from waste, fraud, abuse, duplication and mismanagement. Only by asking the tough questions and demanding the correct answers in committee and beyond, can we hold government accountable to the people that it serves.

Our committee conducts careful oversight of the financial regulators and ensures they can sensibly exercise their authority without unduly hampering the ability of consumers and businesses to obtain credit that is, again, available and affordable. We will review the impact of federal regulations with the goal of reducing those regulations that are unnecessary, duplicative, or overly burdensome, and we will explore ways to ensure access to financial services for all Americans.

While committee work can be grueling in terms of personal preparation and the complexity of the issues we deal with, it is critical that as your voice in Congress I do my homework and my due diligence so I know which questions to ask and what issues to consider on your behalf. As your 3rd District representative, I look forward to taking on the tough issues and making sure the topics that are important to you are considered fairly, honestly and transparently.