Sheila Jackson Lee

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I am going to conclude my remarks by indicating that I want to, again, express my appreciation for the work that we have done. As a Houstonian, and as the chairman indicated, we are Texans, we see this, we have seen it, we live with our neighbors, but, more importantly, we live with our friends on the border. Members of Congress are our friends, are our neighbors, and they are a part of this great Nation as well. It gives me a special sense of pride and responsibility to be able to work with their needs. As someone who has representation over one of the largest ports, along with some of my other colleagues in Houston, the Houston port, these are very important issues. I think America needs to realize that when we safeguard our ports, provide for these agents, and give them an infrastructure of authorization, we affirm them. We are securing the homeland. I think the border towns have handled this humanitarian crisis with great valor and a great sense of what America is all about. We need to respond to their needs, but we also need to address this question from a perspective of the humanitarian issue that it is and a balanced perspective of securing the border. I think we have begun that process with this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to support it. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3846, the ``United States Customs and Border Protection Authorization Act.'' I am proud to be an original cosponsor of the bill, sponsored by my Subcommittee Chairman, the gentlelady from Michigan, Mrs. Miller. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is among the largest and most significant of the Department of Homeland Security's components. CBP is charged with ensuring the security of America's borders while facilitating legitimate trade and travel. Despite the essential nature of CBP's mission, it has not been authorized in law since the reorganization of the Department of Homeland Security announced by Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff nine years ago this month. It is imperative that CBP is authorized in law to ensure that Congress can conduct proper oversight of the agency and its programs. This legislation does just that. I am pleased that the bill includes several amendments offered by Democratic Members during consideration by the Homeland Security Committee. I was particularly pleased that the Committee accepted an amendment I offered to help address the recent surge in the number of unaccompanied children entering the U.S., at increasingly younger ages, particularly in my home state of Texas. This issue requires immediate attention from Congress, given that the welfare of so many children is at stake. I am also pleased that during Committee consideration an amendment offered by the gentlelady from California, Ms. Sanchez, was adopted to enhance CBP's oversight of and adherence to short-term detention standards at its facilities. While these facilities are not intended to house individuals for long-term immigration detention, it is imperative that basic standards are adhered to in order to ensure the health and wellbeing of people, including children, in CBP custody. I am also pleased that the Committee accepted an amendment offered by the gentleman from California, Mr. Swalwell, stating that CBP may not enter into or renew a trusted traveler program agreement with a foreign government unless that government reports lost and stolen passport data to INTERPOL. We know that passengers on Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 were traveling on stolen passports. While the U.S. has relatively limited ability to ensure foreign governments utilize INTERPOL's database, encouraging them to report their own lost and stolen passports improves the quality of INTERPOL's lists used by the U.S. to screen travelers to and from our country. That said, I was disappointed that the Committee did not accept an amendment I offered to increase by an additional 2,000 the number of CBP officers deployed at our ports of entry. Congress recently provided the resources necessary to hire 2,000 additional CBP officers, but still more are needed. I understand current budgetary constraints, but so many of the challenges CBP faces at our ports of entry are related to or affected by persistent staffing shortages. Congress has a responsibility to do its part to alleviate those shortages and I hope to continue to work with my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, on this important issue. That said, I strongly support the bill and am pleased that Customs and Border Protection will, for the first time, be authorized in its current form. In closing, I would like to thank the gentlelady from Michigan, Mrs. Miller, for the bipartisan process. I believe we produced a solid bill that should garner broad bi- partisan support in the House today. I am particularly pleased that at this time when there is so much rancor about the Administration's response to the influx of fleeing unaccompanied children at our Southwest Border, we are standing together to authorize resources for the CBP to continue to do its part. With that Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3846, the United States Customs and Border Protection Authorization Act.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me offer just a few thoughts. I am delighted to associate myself with a very important point that the chairman of the committee made, and I will use the terminology ``authorization equals affirmation.'' It is important for us in this Congress to affirm an agency that is handling some of the most precious responsibilities, alongside of the intelligence community, alongside of the United States military, Defense. It is Homeland Security. That is why this is a first start toward making sure that we are, in fact, looking to affirm or reauthorize the importance of this particular agency. What I would say is that, when we were crafting this bill along with my chairwoman as she introduced this legislation, we were somewhat before this rising surge, and we began to think about what we needed to do to get in front of it. I am very glad that I laid the framework in my language in the bill dealing with having DHS find out what are the causes, how do we address the issue of unaccompanied children that are coming. We might have used the term ``surge.'' It was a surge, but it wasn't at that point. I believe that facts are crucial, and I think it is important that this bill will encourage some of the things that have already been done. The President has met with the three Presidents of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador to determine and assess what the reasons are, how extreme the violence is. The stories are horrific. And then, of course, to separate out the children who are running toward the men and women in green and begin to look at the border and securing the border, which none of us quarrel with. We realize that there have been some strides--we have worked with the Mexican government--but we also know that drug cartels, drug smugglers, sex traffickers, and human traffickers still prevail, because bad guys are always prevailing. We have to make sure that mixed into those bad guys that have those particular desires are not terrorists that will come and disturb this community or this Nation. I think this bill lays a good framework for us to collaborate with so many others. I want to thank Chairman Miller for the bipartisan nature of the work on this bill, and the bills that originate from our committee. I would like to say that this is only the beginning. I am looking forward to our committee partnering with Judiciary, and that we look to a reauthorization of ICE, which is a partner to the work that is being done on Homeland Security. I think it can be done. We have set a good model here today. As we make our way through the Department of Homeland Security, we have set a very good model on how we can affirm the vitality, the vigorousness, and the crucialness of these subagencies in providing for domestic security. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H.R. 3846, the United States Customs and Border Protection Authorization Act. Mr. Speaker, I am a proud original cosponsor of the bill sponsored by my subcommittee chairman, the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller). We are working throughout this Congress in a bipartisan manner, and it seems that our particular subcommittee has been particularly energized by a number of issues that have come to the attention of the American people. This is an authorization bill that is long overdue. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is among the largest and most significant of the Department of Homeland Security's components. CBP is charged with ensuring the security of America's borders while facilitating legitimate trade and travel. I want to take a moment, Mr. Speaker, to just offer my appreciation for the hardworking men and women that come under CBP. They are on the border. They are on the northern and southern borders. They are in our ports, both airports and seaports, and so I think it is appropriate for us to take a moment and express our appreciation. Might I also, just as another aside, express my appreciation for the transportation security work of the TSOs. As we were working on their issues, we lost one of our very brave agents in the last year. All of them should be appreciated. Again, despite the essential nature of CBP's mission, it has not been authorized in law since the recognition of the Department of Homeland Security announced by Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff 9 years ago this month. It is imperative that CBP is authorized in law to ensure that Congress can conduct proper oversight of the agency and its programs. This legislation does just that. I am very pleased to have been part of crafting legislation that really responds to an important need: giving the guidelines and infrastructure and structure to make sure that we have a security arm of the DHS that really works, that we appreciate, and that has a guideline to operate effectively. I am pleased that the bill includes several amendments offered by Democratic members during consideration by the Homeland Security Committee. Again, I want to thank Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Thompson of the full committee for their bipartisan efforts, working with Chairman Miller and myself on this legislation. I was particularly pleased that the committee accepted an amendment I offered to help address the recent surge in the number of unaccompanied children entering the U.S. at increasingly younger ages, particularly in my home State of Texas. Let me be very clear: this is a humanitarian crisis and an issue that I think we are finding our way forward on, and I hope as we are passing this legislation, we will also pass the emergency supplemental that is needed for this issue and many others. This issue requires immediate attention from Congress given that the welfare of so many children is at stake. I am also pleased that, during committee consideration, an amendment offered by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez) was adopted to enhance CBP's oversight of an adherence to short-term detention standards at these facilities. While these facilities are not intended to house individuals for long-term immigration detention, it is imperative that basic standards are adhered to in order to ensure the health and well-being of people, including children in CBP custody. So many of us have gone to the border in years past. I have been in many detention facilities over the years as I have served on this committee. We know that standards are important for whatever facility that we have. Whether they are detention facilities for adults who are coming across illegally or other resources that are needed, we must have a standard. I am also pleased that the committee accepted an amendment offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Swalwell) stating that CBP may not enter into or renew a Trusted Traveler Program agreement with a foreign government unless that government reports lost and stolen passport data to Interpol. We know that passengers on Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 were traveling on stolen passports, and that enormous tragedy is still unsolved. While the U.S. has relatively limited ability to ensure foreign governments utilize Interpol's database, encouraging them to report their own lost and stolen passports improves the quality of Interpol's list used by the U.S. to screen travelers to and from our country. That said, I was disappointed the committee did not accept an amendment I offered to increase, by an additional 2,000, the number of CBP officers deployed at our ports of entry. I think we are seeing that there have been a number of State efforts that this number of CBP officers might have countered, and I look forward to us continuing to pursue opportunities to increase those numbers. Congress recently provided the resources necessary to hire 2,000 additional CBP officers, but still more are needed. I understand current budgetary constraints, but so many of the challenges CBP faces at our ports of entry are related to or affected by persistent staffing shortages. Congress has a responsibility to do its part to alleviate these shortages, and I hope to continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on this important issue. That said, I strongly support the bill and am pleased that Customs and Border Protection will, for the first time in the years that they have been organized, in 2014, under the present chairman and myself, the ranking member, be authorized in its current form. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3696, the National Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2014. I would like to thank Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Thompson for their leadership on the protection of our nation's critical infrastructure. Several Jackson Lee amendments were included in the H.R. 3696, the ``National Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2014.'' I submit to the committee for its consideration the following five amendments that would: Identify the best methods for developing exercise to challenge the security measures taken to protect critical infrastructure from cyber attacks or incidents; Assure efforts to conduct outreach to education institutions to promote cybersecurity awareness; Provide better coordination for cyber incident emergency response and recovery; Explore the benefits of establishing a visiting scholars program; and Prioritized response efforts to aid in recovery of critical infrastructure from cyber incidents. The Jackson Lee amendments improved H.R. 3696: The first Jackson Lee amendment supports discussions among stakeholders on the best methods of developing innovative cybersecurity exercises for coordinating between the Department and each of the critical infrastructure sectors designated under section 227. The second Jackson Lee amendment directs the Secretary to conduct outreach to universities, which shall include historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, Native American colleges and institutions serving persons with disabilities to promote cybersecurity awareness. The third Jackson Lee amendment directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to make available Department contact information to serve as a resource for Sector Coordinating Councils and critical infrastructure owners and critical infrastructure operators to better coordinate cybersecurity efforts with the agency related to emergency response and recovery efforts for cyber incidents. The fourth Jackson Lee amendment directs the Department of Homeland Security to determine the feasibility and potential benefit of developing a visiting security researchers program from academia, including cybersecurity scholars at the Department of Homeland Security's Centers of Excellence. The fifth Jackson Lee amendment directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to collaborate with Sector Coordinating Councils, Information Sharing and Analysis Centers, Sector Specific Agencies, and relevant critical infrastructure sectors on the development of prioritized response efforts, if necessary, to support the defense and recovery of critical infrastructure from cyber incidents. Global dependence on the Internet and particularly the interconnected nature of the cyber-space makes cyber security a very difficult public policy challenge, but H.R. 3696 is making a significant step forward in addressing cyber security threats. Cyber thieves work around the clock to probe and breach computer systems resulting in the largest unlawful transfer of wealth in history. H.R. 3696 emphases on public/private partnerships and information sharing is a critically important first step in combating illegal, damaging and expensive data breaches. This legislation already addresses many useful and essential cybersecurity tools and initiatives such as: enhanced education, increased research, information sharing, data breach security and technical assistance strategies. H.R. 3639 will allow the Department of Homeland Security to partner with and support the efforts of critical infrastructure owners and operators to secure their facilities and guide the agency in its work to create resources to support the global mission of infrastructure protection, which is vital to the nation. I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 3696.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise is strong support of H.R. 4838, which designates the railway station located at 2955 Market St. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, commonly known as the ``30th Street Station,'' as the ``William H. Gray III 30th Street Station.'' This is a fitting tribute to the late Congressman William H. ``Bill'' Gray III, who was a legislator, a politician, a pastor, a teacher, a public servant, and a larger-than-life patriot. Congressman Bill Gray was born on August 20, 1943 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but he spent most of his childhood in Florida, where his father was president of Florida Normal and Industrial College, which later became Florida A & M University. Congressman Gray, like his father, was a strong supporter of education and leading advocate for strengthening America's educational systems. He earned several degrees: a bachelor's degree in 1963 from Franklin and Marshall College, a Master's of Divinity in 1966 from Drew Theological Seminary, and another Master's in Church History from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1970. Additionally, he was awarded more than 65 honorary degrees from America's leading colleges and universities. At an early age, he accepted his calling to become a preacher, and from that day, he proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus in the church, in the community, and even in the halls of Congress. His faith was unshakable. It was evident that he lived his life based upon what he preached. Congressman Gray was the pastor of Bright Hope Baptist Church in Philadelphia for more than 25 years, a church pastored by his father and grandfather. Elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1978, Congressman Gray was a persistent voice for equal rights, educational access, and opportunity for all persons, in the United States and abroad. In 1985, Congressman Gray became the first African American in history to chair the House Budget Committee, where he introduced H. R. 1460, the ``Anti-Apartheid Action Act of 1985,'' which prohibited loans and new investment in South Africa and imposed sanctions on imports and exports with South Africa. In 1989, Congressman Gray was elected by his colleagues Chairman of the Democratic Caucus and later that year was elected Majority Whip. As the first African American to hold these two senior leadership positions, Bill Gray's success inspired a generation of African American elected officials. In 1991, Congressman Gray resigned from Congress to become the president and chief executive officer of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Approximately one-half of the more than $1.6 billion raised in UNCF's history was collected during Congressman Gray's tenure. During the Clinton Administration, Congressman Gray served as President Clinton's special adviser on Haiti. As a result of his commitment to Haiti, Congressman Gray and President Clinton received the Medal of Honor from Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Mr. Speaker, there is only one word to convey the sweep and scope of Congressman Gray's life of service: giant. He was a giant of Philadelphia, of the Congress, and in the history of our country. By designating ``30th Street Station'' to ``William H. Gray 30th Street Station,'' the American people, not just the residents of Philadelphia, will be reminded of Congressman Gray's illustrious legacy of public service to his city, his state, his country, and the world. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of H.R. 2430.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees and as founder and co-chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus I rise in strong support of S. 1799, the Victims of Child Abuse Reauthorization Act 2014. This bill authorizes the Children's Advocacy Program for FY 2014-18 and modifies the program to improve the fiscal accountability of those receiving grants under the program--including required audits, requirements for nonprofit organizations and limitations on conference expenditures. It also permits surplus amounts in the Crime Victims Fund to be used only for specific purposes: a victim notification system and the improvement of services for crime victims in the federal criminal justice system. Throughout my tenure in Congress and as founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I have advocated on behalf of victims of abuse, especially children, who are the most vulnerable and innocent victims. There is no greater crime that an individual can commit than the crime of child molestation and child abuse. The perpetrators of this crime rob children of their innocence. Moreover, victims of child molestation are profoundly affected for the rest of their lives. As parents, elected officials and concerned citizens, we have an obligation to condemn this violence, work for stronger enforcement of the law and provide adequate funding for programs to assist children who may have experienced such abuse. Although child sexual abuse is reported almost 90,000 times a year, the numbers of unreported abuse is far greater because the children are afraid to tell anyone what has happened, and the legal procedure for validating an episode is difficult. It is estimated that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will have experienced an episode of sexual abuse while younger than 18 years. Protection from child sexual abuse in the United States is principally the responsibility of state and local governments. Each of the 50 states has enacted laws defining child sexual abuse and mistreatment, determining when outside intervention is required, and establishing administrative and judicial structures to deal with mistreatment when it is identified. In my home city of Houston, child safety continues to be a top priority. Houston has the largest child population in Texas with more than 1 million children which presents unique challenges. In 2012, 52,000 children in Houston, Texas were victims of abuse and neglect. This bill will provide the funding necessary for Child Advocacy Centers to continue serving child victims of violent crimes to the highest possible standard. An increase in funding will enable Child Advocacy centers to be better equipped in helping law enforcement hold perpetrators of these child abuse crimes accountable. Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) are community based public-private partnerships dedicated to a team of professionals pursuing the truth in child abuse investigations. A recently conducted cost-benefit analysis found that the use of a Children's Advocacy Center in a child abuse case saved, on average, more than $1,000 per case compared with non CAC communities due to the efficiencies gained through this tested evidence-supported model. Mr. Speaker, this bill will make a difference and deserves the overwhelming support of this body. The primary mission of a Children's Advocacy Center is to prevent further victimization by ensuring that investigations are comprehensive and meet the age appropriate needs of the child. Communities with Children's Advocacy Centers demonstrate increased successful prosecution of perpetrators, reduction in re-abuse rates for child victims, as well as better access to medical and mental health care for the victims. The sheer volume of child abuse victims being served by these Centers warrants continued funding at a level which will maintain these programs and allow for future development in underserved areas. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in protecting our children and those suffering from abuse by supporting S. 1799.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me welcome the young African leaders that are here from all over Africa. They came because they view America as a working government, a government of democracy and collaboration and coalition. So I welcome them. But I also ask my colleagues to show them that government and pass the emergency supplemental now. The issues at the border, the unaccompanied children, are not the fault of President Obama or any of us who believe in immigration reform. They are the fault of people fleeing violence, prepared to flee from losing their lives. Just like the unfortunate circumstances in Nigeria, where Boko Haram is terrorizing people, people are fleeing for their lives. Boko Haram needs to be addressed because they have just kidnapped the Vice Prime Minister's wife in Cameroon. And, as well, we need to bring about some solution to the devastation of Ebola in Liberia, brought to my attention. Mr. Speaker, there are many issues. We should not go home. We should address them and not point the blame. We need to get to work and do what is right by the people of the world and the American people.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about H.R. 4935, The Child Tax Credit Improvement Act of 2014. The Child Tax Credit Improvement Act indexes the credit and the limitations to inflation to help parents keep more of their hard earned money to use for the mounting expenses of parenting. Under the bill, the amount of the child tax credit would be indexed for inflation and the marriage penalty would be eliminated by increasing the joint filing phase-out threshold to exactly double that of single filers. A product of the 1997 Tax Act, the Child Tax Credit complements the Earned Income Tax Credit and helps to further buttress the case that the road to prosperity winds through the tax code by reducing poverty, encouraging work, and strengthening families with children. The changes proposed earlier this year by both President Obama and Chairman Camp highlight some of the challenges that these programs face including the complexity surrounding combining work and child tax incentives, definitions of qualifying children, and some of the deficiencies these tax benefits have with respect to childless workers. But the version of the bill reported by the Ways & Means increases the deficit by $114.9 billion. In addition, a provision was added in the Rules Committee requiring taxpayers to have a Social Security Number to claim the refundable portion of the child tax credit, reducing the value of the underlying bill by $24.5 billion. As a result, the final version of the bill increases the deficit by $90.4 billion. I want to continue to work on tax legislation which benefits the 18th District and enhances the Child Tax Credit, so that the working families across this great nation you have advocated for may lift themselves out of poverty, and seek the American Dream but this version is not an improvement but instead is a step back. In fact Mr. Speaker, while I proudly serve on the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees, in April, I hosted a briefing on the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit, which demonstrates the importance of this provision in helping to fight poverty and allowing many Americans in Texas and elsewhere to have a better shot at the American Dream. This briefing was led by two experts, Elaine Maag from the Urban Institute and Margot Crandall-Hollick of the Congressional Research Service which was organized, along with two other briefings on International Taxation and Retirement Tax provisions, by my Economic Policy Counsel, Darrell Rico Doss. And in spite of the fact that it took place during recess and we did not serve food--my staff assures me that we had an excellent turnout and an even better briefing because of Elaine and Margot who addressed a spellbound audience of Hill staff and others on the intricacies of the two tax credits. Why? Because the Child Tax Credit was significantly expanded by the Bush tax cuts, and further expanded, especially for low-income taxpayers, by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Many, though not all of these expansions were subsequently made permanent by the American Taxpayer Relief Act. That expansion of the credit occurred under two presidents--illustrating its bipartisan nature. But only in this Congress--led by an intransigent GOP Majority would this critical poverty-busting tax provision be politicized to the point that I suspect the vote will largely be along party lines. Today, as the House considers this GOP child tax credit bill which does the opposite of what is needed: it would provide permanent tax cuts to many affluent families, while letting the Child Tax Credit disappear for many low-income working families after 2017. After 2017, H.R. 4935 would effectively eliminate the Child Tax Credit for 5 million families, while cutting it for 6 million more. A single parent with two children working full-time at minimum wage would lose her entire tax credit of $1,725. Meanwhile, a couple with two children with income of $150,000 would receive a Child Tax Credit $2,200 larger than today. In addition, H.R. 4935 would immediately eliminate the Child Tax Credit for millions of American children whose parents immigrated to this country, including U.S. citizen children and ``Dreamers,'' and would push many of these children into or deeper into poverty. Here are the three key features of this GOP child tax credit bill (more information about each of these features is below): It fails to make permanent a key improvement in the Child Tax Credit enacted in 2009 that makes more low-income working families eligible for the credit and that will expire in 2017 unless Congress acts. It indexes the current maximum credit of $1,000 per child to inflation, which benefits only those with incomes high enough to receive the maximum benefit. It extends the Child Tax Credit up the income scale--on a permanent basis--so more families with six-figure incomes will benefit. So, today after Rep. Paul Ryan unveiled his so-called ``antipoverty'' plan, my Republican colleagues bring up this bill that is estimated to result in pushing 12 million people--including 6 million children--into or deeper into poverty, by failing to extend the key 2009 Child Tax Credit improvement which will expire in 2017. First, this bill hurts low-income working families by failing to make permanent the key provision enacted in 2009 that made more low- and moderate-income working families eligible for the CTC and enlarged the CTC for others who had been receiving only a partial credit. This provision expires in 2017. If this provision expires on schedule, as this GOP bill allows: A single mother with two children in Houston who works full time throughout the year at the minimum wage and earns $14,500 would lose $1,725 in 2018, as her Child Tax Credit would be eliminated. Mr. Speaker, about 12 million people including 6 million children in 2018 will be pushed into, or deeper into, poverty. Again, it is hypocritical of House Republicans--who have let emergency unemployment insurance expire for more than 3 million Americans, refused to provide a permanent fix to the sustainable growth rate (SGR) for Medicare payments to doctors, and failed to replace the irrational, across-the-board spending cuts imposed by the sequester all on arguments over offsets--to bring this bill to the Floor without paying for it. As I cast my vote this morning the fact is not lost on me--and I am sure many other Members in this body--that four months ago the Republican Leadership let emergency unemployment insurance expire for more than 1.3 million Americans--many at the end of their proverbial economic rope. Many of these unemployed live in the 18th Congressional District of Texas, comprising Houston and outlying areas. Mr. Speaker, this is more than irresponsible but recklessness in the guise of looking out for families. I have to ask a burning question--what happened to deficit reduction? However, the choice made by House Republicans to address these provisions one by one, while adding their cost to the deficit, represents an irresponsible approach that will only make fixing our broken tax system harder and put further fiscal strain on federal, state, and local programs. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to vote for children and families--but this bill must be paid for--because if they are not--future generations will suffer because of the unsustainable debt. Let us get back to being fiscally responsible and helping America's families by enacting smart, pragmatic tax policy.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, as a senior member of the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 105, a resolution prohibiting the President from deploying or maintaining United States Armed Forces in sustained combat roles in Iraq unless specifically authorized by Congress by statute enacted after the date of adoption of the resolution. The war in Iraq caused a lot of unearned suffering in Iraq and here at home. This is the same war, Madam Speaker, whose proponents misrepresented to the nation would last no more than six months and likely less than six weeks. This same war in Iraq, we were led to believe by the Bush Administration, would cost less than $50 billion and would be paid out of the ample revenues from Iraq's oil fields. The war in Iraq, the American people were promised, should have ended years ago with Americans troops greeted as liberators by jubilant Iraqis throwing rose petals at their feet. As I and my colleagues in the Progressive Caucus and the Out of Iraq Caucus forecast at the time, the starry-eyed, rosy scenarios laid out by President Bush, Vice-President Cheney, and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld would come to pass in fantasy land, but not in the cold, hard world of reality which they refused to live in. The war in Iraq lasted longer than America's involvement in World War II, the greatest conflict in all of human history. But there was a difference. The Second World War ended in complete and total victory for the United States and its allies. But then again, in that conflict America was led by FDR, a great Commander-in-Chief, who had a plan to win the war and secure the peace, listened to his generals, and sent troops in sufficient numbers and sufficiently trained and equipped to do the job. As a result of the colossal miscalculation in deciding to invade Iraq, the Armed Forces and the people of the United States suffered incalculable damage. The war in Iraq claimed the lives of 4,484 brave servicemen and women. More than 24,600 Americans were wounded, many suffering the most horrific injuries. American taxpayers paid more than $800 billion to sustain this misadventure. The depth, breadth, and scope of the misguided, mismanaged, and misrepresented war in Iraq is utterly without precedent in American history. It was a tragedy in a league all its own. And it must never be repeated. That is why I strongly support H. Con. Res. 105 and urge all my colleagues to join me.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, today, in my district, we buried Dr. Evelyn E. Thornton, the first African American to graduate from the University of Houston with a Ph.D. in math and a leader in civic matters and education. Because of my responsibility of speaking at this civic leader's funeral home going service, I missed the following votes. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On rollcall vote No. 442, I would have voted ``no'' on the motion on ordering the previous question on H.R. 4935 and H.R. 3393; On rollcall vote No. 443, I would have voted ``no'' on H. Res. 680, a rule providing for the consideration of H.R. 4935, Child Tax Credit Improvement Act, and H.R. 3393, Student and Family Tax Simplification Act; On rollcall vote No. 444, I would have voted ``yes'' on an amendment to H.R. 4984, Empowering Students Through Enhanced Counseling Act, offered by Mr. Kilmer and Mr. Hinojosa; On rollcall vote No. 445, I would have voted ``yes'' on a motion to recommit H.R. 4984, Empowering Students Through Enhanced Counseling Act; On rollcall vote No. 446, I would have voted ``yes'' on final passage of H.R. 4984, Empowering Students Through Enhanced Counseling Act; On rollcall vote No. 447, I would have voted ``yes'' on H.R. 5111, to improve the response to victims of sex trafficking, by Representative Beatty; On rollcall vote No. 448, I would have voted ``yes'' on a motion to recommit on H.R. 3933, Student and Family Tax Simplification Act; On rollcall vote No. 449, I would have voted ``no'' on H.R. 3393, Student and Family Tax Simplification Act; and On rollcall vote No. 450, I would have voted ``yes'' on H.R. 3230, Veterans' Access to Care Through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, today, I was on official business in Houston, honoring the life of Dr. Evelyn Thornton. She was a great American. Dr. Thornton was the mother of two wonderful daughters: Yvonne Denise, a trained lawyer; and Wanda, an outstanding physician honored by all. Dr. Thornton, who lost an eye in her early twenties, went on to be the first African American to receive a Ph.D. from the University of Houston, a school that African Americans could not go to for many, many years. She was a member of the Links and Alpha Kappa Alpha, but what she was known for is 40 years of teaching. Evelyn was an educator who lifted the lives of young people at Prairie View A&M. She was a graduate of Texas Southern University, got married, had grandchildren, great-grandchildren, daughter-in-laws and a son-in-law, Russell, a leader in the community. What was most noted is the simplistic style that Evelyn had of humility and her willingness to serve the people. I would say that today we laid to rest in Houston a great American, Dr. Evelyn E. Thornton, whose contributions should continue to be remembered.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. I can't thank you enough for leading this Special Order. Again, the passion that you have shown in your service here in the United States Congress really speaks to what Americans send their representatives to the Congress for, to be problem solvers. I am going to use the word ``pray.'' I pray that there is a reformed Chairman Ryan, Congressman Ryan, because I have come from my district, you go to your district, and we see the pain. I see the pain of those who have not been able to secure an unemployment insurance extension. I live with the value of the earned income tax credit. I am going to spend a little time on that. My son, some many years ago as a young man, volunteered with the HOPE Project. He went to New Orleans right after Hurricane Katrina and was able to work with the victims--the survivors, they like to be called, and they were--of Hurricane Katrina in applying for their earned income tax credit. It was a lifeline for people who had worked. So I just want to end on this note by thanking you, by saying that there are people who are waiting for the Congress to act, to pass the earned income tax credit, raise the minimum wage, extend unemployment insurance, pass the middle class package of the Democrats, and work on behalf of the American people.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, July 24, 2014, I was unavoidably detained attending to representational activities in my congressional district, including attendance at the memorial service of a distinguished educator and community leader, and thus unable to return in time for rollcall votes 442 through 450. Had I been present I would have voted as follows: 1. On rollcall No. 442 I would have voted ``no.'' (Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule providing for consideration of both H.R. 4935 and H.R. 3393.) 2. On rollcall No. 443 I would have voted ``no.'' (H. Res. 680, Rule providing for consideration of both H.R. 4935, Child Tax Credit Improvement Act and H.R. 3393 Student and Family Tax Simplification Act.) 3. On rollcall No. 444 I would have voted ``yes.'' (Kilmer/Hinojosa/ Bachus/Petri/Tsongas Amendment to H.R. 4984, Empowering Students Through Enhanced Counseling Act, ensuring each individual is aware of financial management resources provided by the Treasury Department's Financial Literacy and Education Commission.) 4. On rollcall No. 445 I would have voted ``yes.'' (Motion to Recommit H.R. 4984, Empowering Students Through Enhanced Counseling Act.) 5. On rollcall No. 446 I would have voted ``yes.'' (Final Passage of H.R. 4984, Empowering Students Through Enhanced Counseling Act, Rep. Guthrie--Education and the Workforce.) 6. On rollcall No. 447 I would have voted ``yes.'' (H.R. 5111, To improve the response to victims of child sex trafficking Rep. Beatty-- Education and the Workforce.) 7. On rollcall No. 448 I would have voted ``yes.'' (Motion to Recommit H.R. 3933, Student and Family Tax Simplification Act.) 8. On rollcall No. 449 I would have voted ``no.'' (Final Passage of H.R. 3393, Student and Family Tax Simplification Act, Rep. Black--Ways and Means.) 9. On rollcall No. 450 I would have voted ``yes.'' (Democratic Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 3230, Veterans' Access to Care Through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014. Motion offered by Mr. Peters of California would instruct conferees to recede from disagreement with section 702 of the Senate Amendment, which is related to the approval of courses of education provided by public institutions of higher learning for purposes of the All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program and the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program conditional on in-State tuition rates for veterans.)

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Having just come back from my community where two women and families have been killed through the violence of domestic violence, they live no more--but what about those who are soldiers who put on the uniform who are experiencing a lifelong experience of injuries and psychological trauma? Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this motion to instruct offered by my colleague, Ms. Brownley. What more can we do or how much less can we do for women and men who put on the uniform who are suffering from sexual trauma? It must be part of the Veterans' Affairs health reform.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me add my appreciation to Ms. Brownley for her leadership on this issue and for the women that are on the floor who are members of the Veterans' Affairs Committee and members of the Armed Services Committee, who really have led this issue, which I believe all of America understands. Let me thank Mr. Lamborn, who is from Colorado and a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, and as we debate this motion to instruct, a personal plea to Mr. Lamborn, that this is truly a reasoned response to the heinous number of women and some men in the United States military who have experienced traumatic sexual assault and trauma. This is a simple motion to instruct. It asks us to cede to the provision in the Senate, which allows for the care, health care, under the veterans health care system, of those who have experienced sexual trauma. As Ms. Brownley has indicated, I am a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, and we address these questions through the Judiciary Committee on issues of domestic violence and sexual assault and find ways, of course, to be able to respond to women who have been victimized. We took a long time to pass the Violence Against Women Act, but the whole idea was to include an infrastructure to protect women who are frightened to come forward and to acknowledge the criminality of domestic violence and violence against women. Can we do no less for the women in the United States military who put on the uniform and took an oath to swear allegiance to the United States and to extend their bodies on the front lines to be able to protect this Nation, can we not do any less than to offer to them simple health care when they come forward on sexual trauma? Just a few years ago, I provided a PTSD center at one of my nonveteran or nonmilitary hospitals. It was overwhelmingly received by veterans who were off campus and wanted to go to a place that was not as congested as a veterans hospital, but I will tell you that PTSD is truly a health phenomenon. The distinctive sexual trauma that some of my colleagues have mentioned that women have hidden and never spoken about for years should not be rejected when they come forward finally because we have opened the system to be able to secure health care. They should not be, in essence, directed to a life of drug abuse and alcohol abuse because they are fearing. They should be able to get health care. So I ask my colleagues, 26,000 and growing and others who are also involved, this is an important motion to instruct, and I congratulate, again, Ms. Brownley. My heart breaks--as she served as the ranking member on the Health Subcommittee on Veterans' Affairs--my heart breaks that when you are abused, when your face is abused, when your body is abused, that is a health crisis.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2430, the ``Hinchliffe Stadium Heritage Act of 2013.'' I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this legislation, which makes a long overdue adjustment of the boundaries of Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park to include the historic Hinchliffe Stadium. Hinchliffe Stadium, located in Paterson, New Jersey, was the home stadium of the ``New York Black Yankees'' and the ``New York Cubans'' of the old Negro Baseball League. In the 1930s and 1940s, baseball, like most American institutions, was segregated by race prohibiting great players like Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston and Judy Johnson from displaying their extraordinary talents in the major leagues. These games featured future Baseball Hall of Famers such as Larry Doby--the first player to break the color barrier in the American League, as well as Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston and Judy Johnson. In 1942, future Hall of Famer Larry Doby played at Hinchliffe Stadium as a member of the visiting Newark Eagles. Larry Doby would go on to become the first African American to play in the American League, breaking the color line in 1948 as a member of the Cleveland Indians. In addition to being the venue for Negro League baseball games, Hinchliffe Stadium also hosted boxing matches, auto races, professional football games, and other notable events. In 1963, Paterson Public Schools assumed ownership of Hinchliffe Stadium and utilized it for high school sports. Over time, however, the maintenance funds diminished and the stadium fell into disrepair, ultimately closing in 1997. Hinchliffe Stadium was recently listed as one of the country's most endangered historic places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and would benefit greatly, as would the nation, were it included in the National Park System. H.R. 2430 will readjust the boundaries of the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, which overlooks the Paterson Great Falls, to include the adjacently located Hinchliffe Stadium. By expanding the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park to include Hinchliffe Stadium, our country will retain one of the last remaining landmarks of an important chapter in the nation's history. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of H.R. 2430.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5116, ``Human Trafficking Detection Act of 2014.'' I support this bipartisan legislation which ensures that Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel the Secretary deems appropriate are trained to effectively detect, intercept, and disrupt human trafficking in a manner relevant to their professional roles and responsibilities. As the ranking member on the House Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the men and women of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency who do yeoman work on the front lines in combating human trafficking and rescuing its victims. Mr. Speaker, worldwide there are at least 20.9 million adults and children human trafficking victims living as forced low-wage workers and exploited as objects of sexual pleasure; and 1.4 million persons are victims of national and transnational sex trafficking. I have long advocated declaring unconditional war on human trafficking and I am pleased that the Homeland Security Committee is taking a leading role in this effort. The legislation before us will result in a significant enhancement of DHS's capability to combat human trafficking and does so in a way that allows the department necessary flexibility in providing training. Departmental personnel may be trained in-class or through virtual, computer-based learning programs. In either case, the training provided will include methods for: 1. identifying specific indicators of human trafficking victims and perpetrators; and 2. where appropriate, approaching victims of trafficking in a manner that is sensitive to the potential victim and includes steps to avoid alerting potential perpetrators of human trafficking. The legislation requires the Secretary to certify to the relevant committees that all described personnel have received the training, as well as submit a report to the committees on the overall effectiveness of the program, as well as the number of reported cases by DHS personnel and which of those cases were confirmed cases of human trafficking no later than one year after enactment. Mr. Speaker, trafficking in humans, and especially domestic child trafficking, has no place in a civilized society. Those who engage in this illicit trade should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Approximately 600,000 and 800,000 victims are moved across international borders every year and subjected to compelled service and millions more are enslaved domestically within their own countries. Mr. Speaker, Texas has one of the longest international borders in the world, a 1254 mile border it shares with Mexico, our good neighbor to the South. Texas also has a major federal highway Interstate I-10 which traverses the Southern United States from the state of Florida to the state of California. Human trafficking is a problem for the United States because the U.S. State Department estimates that approximately 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States, the largest number of people trafficked into the United States come from East Asia and the Pacific and the next highest numbers coming from Latin America and Europe. I support H.R. 5116 because it is another important tool in the national arsenal to combat and eradicate the scourge of human trafficking. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of H.R. 5116.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2283, ``Human Trafficking Prioritization Act of 2014.'' I support this bipartisan legislation which modifies the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to elevate the status of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking to that of the Bureau to Combat Trafficking in Persons, which shall be headed by an Assistant Secretary of State. The office produces the annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report), which is Congress' primary resource for human trafficking reporting, analysis and recommendations for the United States and 186 countries around the world. The TIP Report also contains tier rankings of each country on which it reports, which are used to help protect victims, prevent trafficking and prosecute traffickers. Mr. Speaker, I agree with many thoughtful observers that the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking would be even more effective in carrying out the duties mandated by Congress in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 if its status was elevated from that of ``Office'' to a ``Bureau'' within the department hierarchy and the title of its chief administrator elevated from ``director'' to Assistant Secretary of State.'' Human trafficking is a problem for the United States because the U.S. State Department estimates that approximately 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States, the largest number of people trafficked into the United States come from East Asia and the Pacific and the next highest numbers coming from Latin America and Europe. It is estimated 2.8 million children living on the streets of this nation are at risk for trafficking into the sex industry. Children who are abused or victims of molestation are most vulnerable. If they are lured into human trafficking they are isolated from the rest of the world and start living lives controlled by pimps, escort and massage services, private dancing clubs, pornographic clubs and much worse. Mr. Speaker, this bill requires the Secretary of State to report to Congress within 90 days of enactment on how long each assistant secretary designation has been in existence, and whether the designation was legislatively mandated or authorized. According to a Northwestern Journal of International Human Rights Report Mexican authorities are working to address the problem of trans- border human trafficking, but the country's ``legal framework remains largely untouched and hence limited in its crime-fighting scope and effectiveness.'' According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Houston, Texas is one of the nation's largest hubs for human trafficking, with over 200 active brothels in Houston and two new ones opening each month. Houston has also surpassed Las Vegas for the dubious distinction of having the most strip clubs and illicit spas serving as fronts for sex trafficking. Human trafficking in Texas is not limited to Houston. During the 2011 Dallas Super Bowl, 133 underage arrests for prostitution were made and during this year's massive effort ``Operation Cross Country'' led by the FBI, several pimps were arrested. In 2006, the Department of Justice National Conference on Human Trafficking identified the I-10 corridor as one of the main routes for traffickers. Interstate I-10 links the major Texas urban areas Houston, San Antonio and El Paso and dozens of mid- and small sized towns in between. Mr. Speaker, one of the most important things that can and must continue to be done is to raise public awareness of the continuing prevalence of modern day slavery and human trafficking. Raising the visibility and status of the governmental entity charged with the responsibility of documenting the problems, successes, and remaining challenges confronting the United States and the international community in eradicating the scourge of human trafficking is a positive step forward in achieving this goal. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of H.R. 2283.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5111, ``An Act to Improve the Response To victims Of Child Sex Trafficking.'' I would like to congratulate Representative Beatty for her work. Youth sexual exploitation and trafficking is a major issue in this country that affects more than 293,000 young Americans. As a Representative of Texas, this issue is close to my heart as my state is plagued by this problem. For example, multiple sporting events, conventions, and other large festivities make Houston a prime location for trafficking. Another metric demonstrating the high level of trafficking in Houston is the high volume of calls to National Trafficking Hotline coming from Houston. I have worked on this issue for a very long time as a member of the Anti-Human Trafficking Caucus and recognize the enormous damage that human trafficking does to its victim and to society. There have been many efforts made to improve how our system addresses the issue of sex trafficking. However, there is still a great deal of work to be done to reframe the issue as one of abuse and exploitation of children rather than one of teenage prostitution. The legal definition of sex trafficking states that ``any individual induced or caused to engage in commercial sex activity who is under 18 is a victim of trafficking,'' But what about those who are teenagers and voluntarily engage in this sort of activity? We need to update the Missing Children's Assistance Act so that it better recognizes these young people as victims of a serious crime and reports the information accordingly. Under current law, (42 U.S.C. 5773 (b)(1)(P)), the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children operates a cyber tipline to provide online users and electronic service providers a means of reporting Internet-related child sexual exploitation in many areas, including child prostitution. Children, who are sex trafficked or sexually exploited, even if they are in their teens, are victims. They are not criminals and should not be categorized as such. H.R. 5111 would replace the term ``child prostitution'' with ``child sex trafficking'' in order to reinforce that children who are sex trafficked or sexually exploited are victims whose situation should be taken seriously when reported on the online tipline. I believe that this bill is a step in the right direction for recognizing the broad impact of sex trafficking in the United States and assisting those who are exploited by it. I urge all members to join me in supporting H.R. 5111 so we can all work towards a society where we no longer have to worry about our children being exploited by the sex trade.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, may I determine what time is left, please.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. First of all, let me thank the managers of this legislation, who have really brought together an important concept, and I just want to call the name of the bill: the Advancing Competency- Based Education Demonstration Project. Mr. Chairman, first of all, I am a big supporter of pilots because pilots provide information, and information generates a concrete program. Mr. Polis, thank you so very much for bringing up my amendment, and thank you both, the chairman and the ranking member, for supporting this amendment. Let me be very keen on what it is both to Chairman Kline and to Mr. Polis. This is to take what you have and to add to it or, I might say, to make it better. The reason is that information is a gift. If you have information, you can do a lot of things. Mr. Chairman, I work with a lot of Historically Black Colleges, so the Jackson Lee amendment would direct the Secretary of Education, prior to any deadlines for colleges or universities to submit applications for the consideration in the pilot program, to conduct outreach to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic- serving institutions, Native American-serving, nontribal institutions, institutions serving students with special needs, and institutions located in rural areas to provide information to them on the opportunity to apply to carry out a pilot demonstration project under this bill. It is a whole gamut of individuals and colleges that this bill is directed to engage. Yes, there is general information, but I will tell you, when information is targeted, there are great successes that occur. In my State alone, Texas ranks 43 out of 50 in State rankings with a 61.3 percent high school graduation rate. This statistic alone shows the need for dramatic improvements in our own system. However, there are great institutions that serve Native Americans, Hispanic-serving and African American, such as Texas Southern University and A&M. This outreach to them would provide these educators with working class residents the opportunity to get the right kind of information in order to develop competency-based education. Texas Southern University has a technology program that trains young people for the new industries of today. They have a School of Public Affairs named after Barbara Jordan and Mickey Leland, our colleagues here in the United States Congress. They have a transportation department, which is very much geared toward the new opportunities for transportation. Then, of course, they are into science, as I indicated, as well as technology and math. We have sent out these brilliant graduates, and this pilot program in helping their faculty and helping the university would be a great start. My amendment is to give them the knowledge to be part of the solution. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is information to be part of the solving of the problems. I want more students to graduate from high school, and I want them to have opportunities broad based. Let me close on this note. Many people ask about the value of Historically Black Colleges, Hispanic-serving, Native American institutions. Do you know what, Mr. Chairman? There are enough students who are not in college today who will fill all of the universities. All of these universities have a rightful place, and the history of Historically Black Colleges in their traveling through the years of postslavery is a great opportunity to continue to serve. Now, with Native American-serving institutions and Hispanic-serving institutions, I am delighted that this amendment is put before this body. I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment, which will create more opportunity and more outreach. With that, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Chair, I am pleased to offer the Jackson Lee Amendment that adds critical language to this bill. I would like to thank Chairman Kline and Congressman Polis for their work in managing the debate on the rule for H.R. 3136. I thank my colleague Congressman Polis for his authorship of the bill and his leadership in working in a bipartisan way with the Education Committee to provide on this legislation that would address the education needs of non-tradition College and university students. I appreciate and thank the bipartisan work the Education Committee staff who worked with my staff on the Jackson Lee Amendment, and for the Education Committee's support of the Jackson Lee Amendment. The Jackson Lee amendment is simple, and would further the goals of the bill. The Jackson Lee Amendment would direct the Secretary of Education prior to any deadlines for colleges or universities to submit applications for consideration in the pilot program to conduct outreach to historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Native American-serving, non-tribal institutions, institutions serving students with special needs, and institutions located in rural areas to provide information to them on the opportunity to apply to carry out a pilot demonstration project under this bill. Texas ranks 43rd out of the 50 in state rankings with a 61.3 percent high school graduation rate. This statistic alone shows the need for dramatic improvements to Texas' education system. There will be adults who will benefit from the programs supported by this bill by creating education options that consider that some adults who may want to pursue a degree may need to first receive a GED. The Texas Southern University located in my Congressional District will benefit from the outreach in making timely information available to the institution regarding the competency-based education demonstration projects Pilot program created by the bill. TSU is uniquely situated in the heart of a community that it has served the education needs of for decades. Institutions like TSU provide great educations to working class residents of Houston that is affordable, which means they often do not have Washington, DC based offices and may not receive notice of this opportunity unless efforts are made to conduct outreach to them. Because of TSU's size it is within their scope and experience to develop a competency-based education pilot program that breaks the learning process down into stages that will attract students who may be unemployed, underemployed or considering a career change from the surrounding residential community where the TSU is located. The institutions that may benefit from the inclusion of the Jackson Lee Amendment could reach students who are late in life--but still dream of earning a degree, but think that it is far out of reach. Education programs that support training in a trade would be strengthened through this bill by ensuring that students are job ready upon completion of a certification or education program. Mr. Chair, I ask that my colleagues support the Jackson Lee Amendment the H.R. 3136, the Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 3136, the ``Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act.'' I thank Chairman Sessions and Ranking Member Slaughter of the House Rules Committee for their management of the debate on the rule for H.R. 3136. I thank Congressmen Polis and Salmon for their bipartisan work to draft this bill that the House is considering. Chairman Kline and Congressman Polis, thank you for managing the debate the debate on H.R. 3136. I appreciate and thank the bipartisan effort led by Chairman Kline, Ranking Member Miller, Ranking Member Foxx, and the sponsors of H.R. 3136. My appreciation to the Education Committee staff who worked with my staff on the Jackson Lee Amendment and for the Education Committee's support of the Jackson Lee Amendment to H.R. 3136. As founder and co-chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus I am committed to seeing that every child and young person has the opportunity to grow up in a stable and safe home. The first step for a safe and healthy childhood is the stability of the lives of adults in the lives of children. I will speak more on the Jackson Lee Amendment when it is considered by the full House later today. The Jackson Lee Amendment would direct the Secretary of Education to conduct outreach to a number of underrepresented institutions regarding the federal education pilot grant program prior to the deadline for applications to be submitted for consideration for grant funds under the pilot program. This bill does not do everything that I would hope that a higher education bill would do, but it is a step in the right direction. It would create more opportunities for Americans to have access to more high quality education; flexible higher education opportunities that can meet their education needs--which can open up a world of opportunities for older college students or those who struggle to receive degrees while raising children and working full time jobs. H.R. 3136, the Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act will support federally funded pilot programs at secondary schools for Competency-Based Education programs that work to create certainty when a student progresses through a program that they are ready for the next step in their education. We know that not everyone learns in the same way or at the same pace, but it is important that learning occurs. Adults have added pressures when they want to pursue education to compete for better paying jobs. These programs may offer options that are not based on the traditional semester approach to classroom work, but on the steps that must be completed to move from one level of a training or education program to another. Competence in any subject should be the foundation of education of students. If a student is returning to the classroom after years of work experience, this approach would best prepare them for being job ready upon graduation. Competence-Based Education plans will aid students to master the lessons learned and enhance the student's educational experience, which will result in the maximum benefit to the student. The challenge for the United States in the coming years is the STEM challenge--we have far more jobs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics available than people who are trained or educated to fill them. The future of the economy is in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math careers. The growth in STEM jobs is 3 times faster than job growth in non-STEM jobs. Minority college students who major in STEM higher education make 25% more than minority graduates with non-STEM educations. Minority students who take STEM jobs make 50% more than minority non- STEM graduates. Women pursuing STEM higher education drop out of programs with higher grades than males who remain and graduate. More than two-thirds of all STEM positions are filled by someone with a STEM degree. Because of the current shortage of STEM workers for STEM positions and the projected need for STEM trained employees, the Federal government is in a race to attract and retain STEM employees. According to Booze Hamilton's The Biggest Bang Theory, nearly a 25% of federal government employees are people who work STEM positions. Stem workers earn 26% more than non-STEM graduates. By 2018 we will need: 710,000 Computing workers, 160,000 Engineers, 70,000 Physical Scientists, 40,000 Life Science workers, and 20,000 Mathematics workers. Mr. Chair, I ask that my colleagues vote in support of H.R. 3136.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4449, the ``Human Trafficking Prevention Act.'' Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for their stewardship in bringing this legislation to the floor and for their commitment to expanding the training and capability of Federal government personnel in detecting and combating human trafficking and assisting its victims. Throughout my tenure in Congress and a founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I have advocated on behalf of victims of human trafficking, especially children, who are the most vulnerable and innocent victims. I am also committed to ensure that law enforcement agencies have the tools, resources, and training necessary to identify, apprehend, and prosecute criminals who ruthlessly traffic in people. H.R. 4449 strengthens the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 by amending it to require training related to trafficking in persons for all State Department personnel. Specifically, the bill requires the following: 1. A distance learning course on trafficking in persons issues and the Department of State's obligations under the Act to be completed by embassy reporting officers, regional bureaus' trafficking in persons coordinators, and their supervisors; 2. Specific trafficking-in-persons briefings for all ambassadors and deputy chiefs of mission before they depart for their posts; and 3. Annual reminders to all such personnel and other federal personnel at each diplomatic or consular post of the Department of State located outside the United States of key human trafficking problems, threats, methods, and warning signs. This legislation does for the State Department what the Jackson Lee to H.R. 4660, ``Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Act for 2015,'' does for the Justice Department. That amendment, adopted earlier this year by the House, provides another tool in law enforcement's arsenal to tip the balance in favor of victims by ensuring funding for the Attorney General to provide training for State and local law enforcement agencies on immigration law that may be useful for the investigation and prosecution of crimes related to trafficking in persons. Mr. Speaker, trafficking in humans, and especially child trafficking, has no place in a civilized society and those who engage in this illicit trade should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. To effectively combat human trafficking, we need to provide resources and training to government personnel to assist victims and apprehend criminals. By providing the necessary training and support, we will catch more human trafficking criminals and save lives, and prevent many other persons, including children, from becoming human trafficking victims. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4449, the Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2014.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, on Monday, I joined other Houstonians to express our sympathy by greeting citizens from the Netherlands and Malaysia after the enormous tragedy that occurred just 4 days ago, or more than 4 days ago, the shooting-down of the Malaysian flight over Ukraine territory, manned by an illegitimate government that thought it was appropriate to shoot missiles where no knowledge, allegedly, was gained or understood as to what it was, and hundreds of souls lost their lives. I hope that today, as the remains will be reaching the soil of the Netherlands, we will all take a moment to reflect on that enormous tragedy. As a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, I am, obviously, extraordinarily disturbed because it pierced the sanctity of the international airways, and it says that there is no respect, dignity, or protocol as relates to the commercial flights and international airway. That, first of all, for all countries, must be abhorrent and outrageous. And then, we must take knowledge of the atrocious behavior of Russia. And it should not be silenced; their behavior is outrageous. It is inappropriate because Mr. Putin is a head of State. Bodies of another sovereign nation lay in a field, many sovereign nations. Mr. Putin did absolutely nothing to avoid the desecration and the insult and the indignities given to those lost souls. I am reminded of crashes over the years when countries or airlines were able to take the family members, within days, to the site for prayer or acknowledgment, giving them added comfort. So I think it is important to understand, and I refer my colleagues to an article, yes, in The Wall Street Journal, on why Putin is taking major risks in Ukraine. He is still living in the world of the Soviet Union. But it is imperative to know that we have something that we can offer, besides a request of peace, reconciliation, and international investigation unfettered. We have something that we can acknowledge. Even the Transportation Secretary indicated that energy resources, natural gas, oil and gas, natural gas, LNG, are resources that we can utilize to substitute for the despotic hold that he has over Europe. The Secretary of Transportation indicated it is a creator of jobs. But we need to start having Europe turn to the United States to ensure the opportunity for freedom and ceasing this atrocious hold on Europe. Let me state, just for a moment, to acknowledge a tragedy and the terrorism of Boko Haram. I will go to the Nigerian Embassy today, Madam Speaker, to acknowledge that the girls in captivity have been held for almost 100 days. I will look to introduce legislation that will use some of the seized Nigerian assets that have been seized through criminal activity to establish a real victims funded, even though I congratulate President Jonathan for creating one, but there has been no money given to these victims. And I will say that we need to watch this place because Boko Haram has now seized a whole town in the Northern State, the very State we were in when we went to Nigeria and spoke to the Governor. Now, a whole city, like New York or Chicago or Houston, has been seized. We have elements that we can do something about: Russia and its misbehavior, mistreatment of lost souls, and the terrorists and terrorist activities of Boko Haram. I implore my colleagues to work together to find a solution so that souls may be buried in dignity and never have this happen to them again and, as well, so that Boko Haram, is in essence, brought to justice.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this day and the opportunity to be on the floor to have the Nation recognize the value of our children and the importance of protecting them. In particular, I thank Ms. Bass and Mr. Marino for their leadership of the Foster Care Caucus, work that has been so important across America, and I thank the Education Committee with Mr. Miller and Mr. Kline for aspects of this legislation. But I remember, Mr. Speaker, walking the streets of Houston with Covenant House and finding in cubbyholes homeless children, homeless teens. Many of them had aged out, and many of them during that time when the language wasn't clear had been prostituted, they were being sex-trafficked. No one was helping. So I am excited about legislation that recognizes that this act of ignoring them is child abuse, and that we need to ensure that they are not criminals and that the child welfare system understands their needs. I was the first to bring to Houston a Homeland Security hearing on human and sex trafficking. It was an emotional hearing. The stories that were being told through law enforcement and those who had been victimized as children and how their lives were ruined would raise the hairs on your head. So I support all of these human trafficking initiatives, particularly as they take children away from the criminal justice system, and I look forward to Homeland Security moving more toward understanding this through the international process, and our Nation recognizing that, as has been said before, that the unaccompanied children are themselves victims of sex trafficking and need due process protection. But we start at home. Therefore, I look forward to introducing legislation dealing with the homeland security human trafficking component in that Department, but the legislation offered by Ms. Bass and Mr. Marino, again, is a program that is long overdue. And I am grateful that we will now have a system where these children will be recognized not as criminals but will be recognized through the State child welfare system to identify and help these children that have been taken by this terrible industry, Mr. Speaker, and save their lives. The bills on the floor today will save the lives of our children. I ask support for all of the bills on human trafficking today.