Matt Gaetz, under investigation for possible sex trafficking, was among 20 Republicans to vote against reauthorizing a sex-trafficking law

• Rep. Matt Gaetz was among 20 Republicans to vote against the renewal of an anti-trafficking bill.

• The bill, renewed without fuss since 2000, offers protections against sex trafficking.

• Gaetz is under investigation for possible sex trafficking. He denies all wrongdoing.

Rep. Matt Gaetz was one of 20 Republicans who voted "no" to reauthorizing an anti-human trafficking law on Wednesday.

The Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022 was approved in the House for reauthorization with a massive majority of 401 votes to 20.

The act combats human trafficking — particularly sex trafficking — through severe penalties for perpetrators and support services for victims.

It first came into law as the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, when it passed the House and Senate with almost no opposition, and has been reauthorized multiple times without significant challenge.

Gaetz has been under federal investigation since 2020 over the question of whether he had sex with a minor, and whether he paid for her to cross state lines, as The New York Times first reported. Paying for 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 — whom Gaetz once called his "wingman"— has pleaded guilty to six charges, including sex trafficking a minor, Politico reported. Greenberg's sentencing has been delayed in order to cooperate with the investigation into Gaetz, per the outlet.

Gaetz did not immediately respond to Insider's query about the vote, made outside normal US working hours, about why he voted no.

In comments to Insider on Wednesday in response to a quip by a Mike Pence aide about the matter, a Gaetz spokesperson described the idea that he had engaged in sex-trafficking as a "debunked conspiracy theory."

Gaetz did not speak in a 40-minute debate on the day of the vote.

In 2017, Gaetz cast the only "no" vote on another anti-trafficking law, as the Pensacola News-Journal reported at the time.

The law enshrined the creation of anti-trafficking resources within the Department of Transportation. In that instance, Gaetz pointed to his own actions in Florida which he said improved prosecutors' ability to bring cases against sex traffickers, the paper reported.

He also said that handling this at the federal level was "mission creep" on issues that states should handle, per the paper.

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. Hice (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 at the debate. He called the issue "critically important" but suggested he hadn't reviewed the bill and that "other factors at play, involving the floor and spending and other stuff" affected his decision.

He said he did not want his vote to be taken as "an indication of not supporting the purpose of the bill."

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