Rep. Matt Gaetz was one of 20 Republicans who voted “no” on the reauthorization of an anti-trafficking law Wednesday. The Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Act of 2022 Reauthorization passed the House for reauthorization by an overwhelming majority of 401 votes to 20. The act combats human trafficking — particularly sex trafficking — through tough penalties for perpetrators and support services for victims. It was first enacted as the Victims of Human Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, when it passed the House and Senate with virtually no opposition, and has been reauthorized several times without significant debate. Gaetz has been under federal investigation since 2020 over whether he had sex with a minor and paid to cross state lines, the New York Times first reported. Paying a minor to travel interstate for sex would count as sex trafficking. Gaetz has not been charged with anything and has consistently denied any wrongdoing. A former associate, Joel Greenberg — who Gage once called his “winger” — pleaded guilty to six charges, including sex trafficking of minors, Politico reported. Greenberg’s sentencing has been delayed in order to cooperate with the investigation into Gaetz, according to the agency. Gaetz did not immediately respond to Insider’s question about the vote, which took place outside normal US business hours, about why he voted no. In comments to Insider on Wednesday in response to a joke from an aide to Mike Pence about the matter, a representative for Gaetz described the idea that she had been involved in sex trafficking as “pure conspiracy theory.” Gaetz did not speak during a 40-minute debate on the day of the vote. In 2017, Gaetz cast the only “no” vote on another anti-trafficking bill, the Pensacola News-Journal reported at the time. The law mandated the creation of anti-trafficking resources in the Department of Transportation. In that case, Gaetz pointed to his own actions in Florida, which he said improved prosecutors’ ability to prosecute sex traffickers, the paper said. He also said handling it at the federal level was “mission creep” on issues that should be handled by the states, according to the newspaper. The full list of those who voted “no” on Wednesday is:

Brian Babin (TX) Andy Biggs (AZ) Lauren Boebert (CO) Mo Brooks (AL) Ken Buck (CO) Andrew S. Clyde (GA) Matt Gaetz (FL) Louie Gohmert (TX) Paul A. Gosar (AZ) Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA) Andy Harris (MD) Jody B. Did (GA) Thomas Massie (KY) Tom McClintock (CA) Mary E. Miller (IL) Troy E. Nehls (TX) Ralph Norman (SC) Scott Perry (PA) Chip Roy (TX) Van Taylor (TX)

Roy was the only “no” voter to speak in the debate. He called the issue “critically important” but suggested he had not reviewed the bill and that “other factors at play, around speech and spending and other things” influenced his decision. He said he did not want his vote to be taken as “an indication that he does not support the intent of the bill.”