WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) released the following statement regarding this week’s bipartisan House passage of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act which includes the Congressman’s legislation to end Operation Choke Point, the Obama-era initiative led by the Department of Justice and FDIC that sought to eliminate financial services for legally operating businesses that were politically unaligned with the Obama Administration’s ideals. 

“While I have concerns with the underlying legislation, my provision in this bill would ensure that politically motivated regulators would not be able to attack legally operating businesses through the financial system. These businesses need financial services to survive and career bureaucrats in Washington should not be able to determine if a gun manufacturer, ATM operator, or small dollar lender can receive access to credit. Political ideology should not determine access to credit, period. No matter who sits in the White House, crippling legal businesses solely because you do not like their industry is irresponsible and unethical.”