Ted Poe

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 5 minutes. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that today we are voting on S. 534, the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017. This important legislation protects child athletes from both sexual and physical abuse. Over the past year, the Nation was horrified to learn of the decades of abuse that occurred within USA Gymnastics by Dr. Larry ``Lecherous'' Nassar. The middle name was added by me, Mr. Speaker. Last week, Nassar was sentenced to between 40 and 175 years' incarceration after pleading guilty to several counts of sexual assault. Over 150 women and girls gave victim impact statements. How a serial predator like Dr. Nassar could have preyed on so many young girls for such a long time in such a flagrant fashion is appalling. Our amateur gymnasts were failed. They were failed by the very people who are supposed to protect them and do no harm, as doctors are supposed to do. In the past weeks, we have not only seen Dr. Nassar brought to justice, but we have also seen many others held accountable for their roles of commission and omission associated with these atrocities. Though we are glad to see justice finally served in this case, we must take appropriate measures to prevent this from occurring again. This bill will do that. Under current law, the Victims of Child Abuse Act requires persons engaged in certain activities and professions on Federal lands or in Federal facilities to report child abuse. Failure to report could subject such persons to criminal penalties. This bill expands these mandatory reporting requirements to adults working at national governing boards, that is, amateur sports organizations recognized by the United States Olympic Committee, such as USA Gymnastics or USA Tennis, or at sanctioned events. The bill also charters a new organization called Safe Sport, tasked with preventing child abuse within the national governing bodies through education and handling reports of misconduct. Safe Sport will assure these national governing bodies abide by such policies and procedures to assure that predators like Dr. Nassar will never again be permitted to terrorize young athletes with impunity. I would like to thank Mrs. Brooks of Indiana for her hard work on this issue and for assembling a bipartisan team of cosponsors. Protecting our young people, including those who have sacrificed so much to represent the United States, such as Olympic athletes, is and should be a bipartisan undertaking. I commend my colleagues for their support, and I urge them to vote in favor of S. 534. Mr. Speaker, I have 133 victim impact statements of young women that were made at this sentencing, and I want to read just a few phrases from some of these strong athletes who had the courage to come forward and tell what Dr. Nassar did to them. The first one is from Donna Markham. Donna's daughter Chelsey was an athlete under the supervision of Nassar. She could not give a victim impact statement, and here is why, according to her mother, Donna: ``In 2009, she took her own life. She couldn't deal with the pain anymore. Every day I miss her. It all started with him.'' Danielle Moore: ``I hope being reduced to a prison number''--she is talking to Nassar--``will define you as it defined me for so many years. I will no longer be known as a number, and I will be Dr. Danielle Moore.'' Megan Halicek: ``As I stand here, I still flash back to the feelings of fear, laying frozen in his office, my sweating, shaking body, adrenaline pumping, painfully clutching the sides of the table, waiting for the sick treatment to be over.'' Gwen Anderson: ``I still remember him saying, `It's okay. I know you're not used to being touched there, but it will feel better.'' And here is what Gwen's coach had to say, Thomas Brennan: ``For the record, go to hell. . . . What you did to everyone else who trusted you and sent girls your way is disgusting, reprehensible, unforgivable.'' Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Members have been given access to a top secret memo by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence regarding the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The memo is disturbing. Mr. Speaker, for years I have worked to rein in FISA's abuse of Americans' constitutional rights. The memo, along with supporting evidence from other government agencies, should immediately be declassified. Despite the shutdown, the process to release this document to the American public and the media has begun. There is also an overclassification of documents by government. They have nothing to do with national security. The American people and the media must see what our government is doing in secret without America's knowledge. The memo is proof that government cannot be trusted. In the words of Thomas Jefferson, ``Educate and inform the whole mass of people. . . . They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.'' Mr. Speaker, the memo shows this is not the America our forefathers envisioned. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I applaud the recent sanctions applied to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. But there's more work to be done. Iranian proxy militias with American blood on their hands operate throughout the Middle East, especially in countries like Iraq and Syria. Mr. Sherman and I introduced H.R. 4238, the Iranian Proxies Terrorist Sanctions Act of 2017. This resolution will apply terrorist sanctions on two of the most dangerous Iranian proxy militias in Iraq and Syria. By targeting these two groups, we will combat Iran's expansionism while signaling to regional partners we will not allow their citizens to be used as Iranian pawns. Our gains against ISIS in Syria and Iraq have been followed by Iran filling the vacuum--turning our victories into defeats. MS, we must turn the tide against Iran's conquest of the Middle East. We must designate these two groups for what they are: terrorists dedicated to carrying out the bloody will of the Supreme Leader in Tehran. I urge all Members to cosponsor this important bill, H.R. 4238. And that's just the way it is

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Iran and North Korea continue to threaten the world with their nuclear ambitions. But they do not just terrorize the international community. Iran and North Korea systematically repress and persecute their own people. We all saw what the Ayatollah did to the peaceful protesters of the Green Movement in 2009. And that was nothing new. Iran has been torturing and killing its own people since 1979. Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans are held in political prisoner camps. They are beaten and tortured. Live abortions and killings of newborns are standard procedures there. We must expose these murderous regimes for what they are. More than sanctions, these regimes should fear the millions they enslave and repress. Our strategy must be expanded beyond sanctions. We need to double down on our efforts to amplify the voices of the Iranian and North Korean people who yearn to be free. Both of these regimes are illegitimate. They must be held accountable. Their victims must be heard. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my friend, Sammy Mahon, from Baytown, Texas, drives a jet-black Peterbilt tractor all over America, and he asked this logical question: Why does it take 60 votes for the Senate to make a decision? He said: Well, the rule--I can't really say what he said; I'll just use the word ``nutty.'' Why have this rule? We all learned in elementary school that 51 percent is a majority. By requiring 60 votes to make a decision, government is ruled by the few, not the majority; thus, a handful of Senators can block progress. The result? The government is shut down. The military is not paid. Lovely. The Senate inconsistently allows the majority rule in some votes but, on others, 60 percent. The Senate should strongly consider what Sammy thinks about this archaic rule: make a decision with 50 percent, regardless of what party is in charge. Sammy is right. This undemocratic rule is nutty. The sky will not fall if the Senate makes decisions by majority rule. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, bruised and battered Christian McCall's wife called the police, reporting that her husband was engaging in domestic abuse. So, on January 17, Detective Michael Doty and three other deputies who wear the badge responded to the call for help. After beating up his wife, the scoundrel took off, running away from the police. What followed was a 3-hour manhunt for the outlaw. As the law officers closed in on his trail, shots rang out from McCall. Sergeants Randy Clinton, Buddy Brown, and Kyle Cummings were all shot during the chase. We thank the good Lord that they are expected to make a full recovery. Detective Michael Doty was also shot and killed. This is his photograph. Detective Doty was a member of the thin blue line leaving the world too soon. He was 37 years old and a 12-year veteran of the York County Sheriff's Department in South Carolina. He and his twin brother enlisted in the force at the same time. Doty dedicated his life to protecting and serving. He previously worked in the drug enforcement unit as a member of the SWAT team. As his body was transported to the medical center, fellow officers lined the streets in tribute to him. He was an officer every agency would be proud to have. Each and every day, we are grateful to have officers like Michael Doty. The shooter was captured and he will face justice. America's peace officers do America's dirty work. They root out evil and go after those who would do us harm. Officers like Michael Doty are the rare breed who give their lives for the rest of us. And for that, we are grateful. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I appreciate the gentleman holding the Special Order on China. It is important that Americans know who the Chinese are, what they are up to, and what their plans are in the future. We will start with North Korea. No question about it: China could rein in North Korea and little Kim if China wanted to. They don't want to. That is why he is a menace to not only that region, but to the rest of the world. But China could rein in little Kim. They are storing millions--maybe billions--of dollars in assets in China. They could freeze those assets. They could cut off trade with North Korea. China must understand that it is in their interest that North Korea not get nuclear weapons; not necessarily our interest, but their interest. When they come to that realization--which I think it is in their interest that North Korea be reined in to make sure that they don't use nuclear weapons or continue to develop nuclear weapons or use weapons against any of their neighbors--then North Korea will cease its belligerent activities. The key lies with Beijing. If they make that decision, the world will be safer. If they don't make that decision, the world and Beijing will not be safer either. Also, I want to point out kind of their philosophy, why they act the way they do. Beijing has, first of all, little regard for the lives of the millions of Chinese citizens. China's communist regime shares more values with the communist North Korea than it does the U.S. For decades, Beijing's human rights record has been among the worst in the whole world. It has persecuted not thousands, but millions of people who are not followers of communism and Maoism. Mr. Speaker, remember, communism--because China is a communist nation, although it is not really politically correct to say that much anymore, they are a communist nation that teaches against God, and their God is the state and tells the people you have to worship the state. So when you have an atheistic regime in charge, you can see why they persecute their own people and torture not only Christians and Muslims, but Tibetans and other people who don't agree with their atheistic philosophy. We need to be sure, as a country built on religious freedom, that we call China out for its abuse and persecution of its own people. I know we trade with the Chinese. They are a big trading partner. I don't think trade and money ought to get in the way of calling China out for abusing the people who live in China and abusing their rights of religious freedom. We can't turn a blind eye to that merely because we trade with them as a major trading partner. We have learned through history that regimes that oppress their own people just seem to have ambitions beyond their own borders and subjugate those people as well. The South China Sea, most Americans probably don't even know where that is. South China Sea is an area, it is a trading lane, navigation lane. It has been a trading area.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, North Korea continues to be one of the great menaces of our time. Its relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them onto American shores, threatens the lives of millions and needlessly risks a major war. However, this evil regime has not only looked to develop nuclear arms to hold the world hostage and murder countless innocent people. It is expanding its arsenal to introduce some of the most horrific weapons of war this world has ever seen. Based on what evidence is available, North Korea has built or continues to research a broad range of chemical and biological weapons that could unleash untold savagery on its neighbors and Americans in the region. Furthermore, the regime has amassed the conventional military forces needed to rain down destruction on its southern neighbor on a scale approaching the level of carnage that a nuclear weapon can produce. Millions of people living in Seoul are within range of thousands of North Korean rockets and artillery. On immediate order from the supreme leader, these guns can bombard the South Korean capital and dozens of communities along the demilitarize zone with high explosive shells and chemical warheads, killing tens of thousands of civilians in the first hour of a conflict.The urgency of the North Korean threat cannot be understated and must be understood in full context. The regime has shown us its brutality and willingness to use globally condemned weapons. Just last year, Kim Jong Un's half-brother was assassinated using VX nerve agent in a busy Malaysian airport. VX is banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention and is more potent than any other chemical weapon devised by man. Its ability to virtually kill on contact, gives little time to treat individuals exposed. And unlike other chemical weapons, it has the ability to sit for long periods of time where it was dispersed, creating a deadly obstacle for medical professionals trying to respond to a VX attack. The recklessness of Little Kim's decision to use it in public place shows how little regard he has for innocent human life. With the availability of drone technology, the North Korean regime could easily spray the nerve agent across heavily populated areas. It is unclear how we should respond to such an incident. With nuclear weapons, we have a clearly stated policy: if you use yours, we will respond with ours. We must develop and communicate a clear strategy to how we will respond if Little Kim were to use chemical or biological weapons in his next clash with the U.S. and South Korea. When the Syrian regime conducted a chemical attack on its own people in 2013, then-President Obama did not have a clearly held 'red-line.' The Obama administration displayed little resolve and did not respond with force--instead it made a deal with the Russians so supposedly destroy the Assad regime's chemical weapons stockpiles. But last spring we saw the Syrians use chemical weapons again. Fortunately the Trump administration did not waver, and respond with sufficient force to deter further use of the deadly weapons. This example demonstrates that if we show weakness in the face of these horrific weapons, it will only invite continued use of them. We should also consider where the Assad regime acquired these weapons of mass destruction. Available evidence points to the Kim regime. And despite the Obama administrations deal with Putin, reports suggest Assad may be trying to acquire more chemical weapons from North Korea. Last August, the United Nations revealed that two North Korean shipments destined for Syria were intercepted. While it is unclear what the cargo was, we know they were intended for the Syrian agency responsible for Assad's chemical weapons program. So while Little Kim may not have ordered an attack with his chemical weapons arsenal yet, he is actively assisting those rogue actors who are using chemical weapons. Recent reports also indicate that North Korea is developing the means to produce biological weapons on a massive scale. We do not know if he has deployed these new bioweapons, but given the example he has shown with his nuclear and chemical programs, it is not unreasonable to believe they will be soon. This evil regime has repeated demonstrated that it rarely hesitates when pushing the limits of international resolve. To prevent North Korea from expanding its arsenal of deadly weapons and proliferating them to the world's worst actors, we must continue to apply all pressure available. Our sanctions should block all sources of funding and material for this regime. Only when Little Kim feels the pain and sees that his dangerous pursuit weapons of mass murder will result in his own demise, will he be tempted to back down. America must lead the way, and show that any use of these deadly weapons will be met with a harsh response. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Rebecca grew up in a small town in southern Oregon. She was on the honor roll, and she played varsity sports. She graduated high school early and immediately enrolled in Oregon State University. However, when her daughter was born, she had to withdraw to find a job. Like many single moms, Rebecca struggled to make ends meet. But when she met a man she described as ``Prince Charming,'' she thought things were finally turning around for her. He was kind, and caring, and offered to take care of her and her baby daughter. With expensive gifts and trips, he treated her to a lifestyle that she had never dreamed of. So when he asked her and her daughter to move in with him, Rebecca thought she had hit the jackpot. But her dream quickly became another nightmare. When she arrived in Las Vegas at his home, she found several other women and children already living there. This man then told her that now she would be forced to have sex with men for money. When she refused, he beat her up, hitting her over and over again. Fearing for her life and the life of her child, Rebecca complied. So for the next 6 years, Rebecca was forced to have sex with countless strangers many times a day. Any time she stepped out of line, he beat her up. She had her face broken in five different places. Her trafficker even went so far as to tattoo his name on her back. Yes, branded her like cattle. She was nothing but a piece of property to him. After her fourth attempt to escape, her trafficker told her that he would start selling her young daughter for sex if she didn't comply and submit. Feeling utterly hopeless, Rebecca tried to commit suicide two times. She thought that ending her life was preferable to living in the hell that she had to endure every day. Finally, Federal agents raided her home and captured the trafficker. But, Mr. Speaker, he eventually took a plea deal and only served 1 year in prison for slavery. Meanwhile, Rebecca was left to deal with a lifetime of pain and trauma. As a former judge, Mr. Speaker, I believe the sentence was too light for a slave trader. No human being should ever have to endure what Rebecca and other trafficking victims like her have gone through. Despite the system failing to provide justice against her trafficker, Rebecca has found a way to turn her darkness into light. Since becoming a survivor, she started the Rebecca Bender Initiative. This program provides training for those who have the opportunity to be intercepted and intervene with victims who are often being trafficked. In this Human Trafficking Awareness Month, I want to commend Rebecca on her resilience and focus on providing support and compassion to the victims of trafficking. As co-chair of the Congressional Victims' Rights Caucus, along with my friend Jim Costa from California, we are dedicated to ensuring that victims and survivors know that we as a nation will stand with them. Traffickers, buyers, and sellers must be prosecuted and sent to the jailhouse. And with the help of local, State, and Federal law enforcement, we are going to stop the sale of our children and our adult women on the marketplace of sex slavery. Mr. Speaker, the 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States, but it is still taking place, and it is time that we defeat this scourge on our community. Justice demands this, and justice is what we do. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Girl Scouts Troop of San Jacinto, Texas for their remarkable generosity and dedication to our first responders in the Houston area. When Hurricane Harvey blasted our beloved Houston this past year, it left tremendous destruction in its wake. The damage caused by the hurricane was utterly devastating to communities and left many without homes and no place to seek shelter. Thanks to our first responders, many were able to escape the flooding and retreat to higher ground. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to those who put their lives on the line to protect our communities during that trying time. The Girl Scouts Troop of San Jacinto is now honoring our Hurricane Harvey heroes in a ``sweet'' way. The troop has launched the ``Cookies-4-Heroes'' program, which gives customers the chance to donate cookie purchases to first responders. With many of the Girl Scouts' own families affected by the horrific storm, the cause is near and dear to their hearts. The Girl Scouts are challenging everyone to donate 10,000 cases of cookies by March 25th and I am absolutely certain they will reach their goal; after all Mr. Speaker, who doesn't like Girl Scout cookies? I challenge our Houston community to support those who not only helped us out during the hurricane but who help protect us every day. Our firefighters, paramedics, police officers and countless others who supported those in the Houston community, deserve every bit of recognition and honor they receive. In the Girl Scout handbook, their motto reads, ``A Girl Scout is ready to help out wherever she is needed. Willingness to serve is not enough; you must know how to do the job well, even in an emergency.'' The Girl Scouts Troop of San Jacinto exemplifies what it means to be a Girl Scout and their commitment to our heroes is outstanding. I commend the Girl Scouts Troop of San Jacinto for thinking of others before themselves and honoring those who put their lives on the line each and every day. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Peace Corps volunteers represent what is best about America. They are our angels abroad. They give years of their lives to help other people. They build goodwill across the globe for the United States. But many Peace Corps volunteers don't receive the care that they need both in-country and when they get home. Peace Corps volunteers struggle to access quality medical treatment when they are abroad in remote areas of the world. When they return to America, they face a red tape bureaucratic nightmare. Congressman Kennedy and I have sponsored the Sam Farr Peace Corps Enhancement Act. This act will improve and strengthen the health, safety, and well-being of current and returning Peace Corps volunteers. It requires that Peace Corps volunteers have access to a qualified Peace Corps medical officer overseas. It extends their Peace Corps medical coverage when they return home to America. America must protect our Peace Corps ambassadors abroad. They are some of America's best. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on this day, five years ago, one of my constituents--Mr. Victor Lovelady--was brutally killed at the hands of al-Qaeda-linked terrorists in Algeria. Victor was killed not just for who he was, but also for what he represented. He was killed because he was an American. Before his death, Victor displayed some of the very best qualities of the American spirit: courage, conviction, and compassion. This is the American spirit that terrorists seek to kill. But today and every day, we let Mr. Lovelady's spirit live on. I would like to take a moment to tell you his story. Like many Americans, Victor Lovelady was a hard worker who put in long hours to provide for his family of four. As an industrial engineer and master electrician, he worked most of his life in his hometown of Nederland, Texas. Victor never had a pension plan and always had to pay his family's insurance by himself. So, when given the opportunity to work overseas for British Petroleum, Victor knew a few years of hard work would provide him with enough money to retire. He made a sacrifice for his family. On January 9, 2013, Victor arrived in a remote area of Algeria to begin his new job at the BP Gas facility. Seven days later, Victor and several other workers were in the cantina having tea when a colleague walked in with a gunshot wound to his stomach. Al Qaeda-linked terrorists had stormed their facility and were indiscriminately killing innocent employees. In the ultimate show of heroism, Victor disregarded the sound of gunfire and instead began cleaning and dressing his colleague's wound. Victor then hid him in a food container for his safety. Even as the sound of gunshots grew louder, Victor selflessly continued to lift the other men into the cantina's false ceiling, hiding them from the attackers. Moments later, the terrorists stormed in, captured Victor, and held him hostage. Victor's selfless and heroic actions saved four lives that day. Sadly, Victor was killed when U.S. and Algerian forces attempted to rescue the hostages. Victor Lovelady was a true American hero. He represented the very best of America; he represented selfless courage and sacrifice. He was there to work hard to provide an honest living for his family and when he encountered the evil of terrorism, thought first to protect others instead of himself. For his actions, I have requested that Victor be recognized with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our nation's highest civilian honor to recognize individuals who have made ``an especially meritorious contribution'' to our society. Victor undoubtedly exceeded that standard. While we continue to mourn their loss we should, to quote General George Patton: ``Thank God that such men lived.'' Mr. Speaker, courage like this should be praised and remembered. We should all take a moment today to reflect on the heroism of Victor Lovelady. He was a great man and his legacy continues through his family: his wife, Maureen, his two children, Erin and Grant, and his brother, Mike. May we continue to honor the sacrifice that Victor Lovelady made as a courageous husband, father, and American. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as a judge in Texas, I saw it all: rape, robbery, murder, kidnapping, child abuse. Now, in Congress, we are learning about the horrors of human trafficking, sex slavery. Many groundbreaking laws have been passed to increase resources for victims and crack down on traffickers and buyers, but like all criminal enterprises, traffickers constantly stay ahead of the law. Fortunately for victims, there is an army of individuals, NGOs, religious and other advocacy groups fighting on behalf of victims. The people serving in these organizations are New Friends New Life, RAIN, Polaris, Rights4Girls, Shared Hope, Coalition Against Trafficking, and Demand Abolition, just to name a few. They have all dedicated their lives to serve and save victims of trafficking on the front lines. On this National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, I want to thank all those warriors--the victims' posse, as I call them--battling the injustice of human slavery. We will not give up this fight until this scourge has been eradicated. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we are not talking about terrorism. We are talking about the protection of Americans and their information. All of the rhetoric and the fear tactics that this will destroy our ability to go after terrorists is wrong. The USA RIGHTS Act is important to protect Americans. The other side talks about protecting Americans. Let's protect their Fourth Amendment rights. We can protect them against terrorists if we amend this legislation with the USA RIGHTS Act and protect their rights under the Fourth Amendment. Every American's data is being seized by the Justice Department, the CIA, and the NSA. We have asked them how many times that has been queried. They will not tell us because the information is massive. All we are saying under the USA RIGHTS Act is that, if you want to go into that information on Americans, get a warrant from a judge, not a query. You can't go search it. Get a warrant under the Fourth Amendment or stay out of that information and still go after terrorists under 702 and under FISA. We need to have this amendment to make the bill better to protect Americans overseas and at home. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am a former prosecutor and a former judge. I despise terrorists. We ought to go after them and get them. Section 702 was written to go after terrorists, but it is being used to go after Americans. Normally, when I was a judge, I would sign a warrant. Before the government could go into your house, they had to have a warrant to go into the house and to seize something based on probable cause. Under FISA, as it is used against Americans--forget the terrorists-- as it is used against Americans, government has already seized your house of communications, all of it. They look around, and sometimes-- sometimes--they go back to a secret judge in a secret court and get a secret warrant by a FISA judge, and they come in and seize something and prosecute based on something irrelevant about terrorism. That is why this bill violates the Fourth Amendment. Get a warrant before you go into the house of communications and effects and papers of Americans or stay out of that house. These documents have been seized. Communications have been seized by government. They are kept forever. Keep government out. Without a warrant, you stay out, because government, as we learned from the British, cannot be trusted. Get a warrant. Stay out of the house of communications. Vote against this bill. Let's redraft it and protect Americans. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following list of trafficking and other victims' rights groups: 1. American Society of Victimology 2. Futures Without Violence 3. International Organization for Victims Assistance (IOVA) 4. Justice for Children 5. Justice Solutions 6. National Alliance to End Sexual Violence (NAESV) 7. National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards (NACVCB) 8. National Association of Victim Assistance Administrators (NAVAA) 9. National Center for Victims of Crime 10. National Chapter of Parents of Murdered Children (NCPOMC) 11. National Children's Alliance (NCA) 12. National Criminal Justice Association 13. National Crime Victim Law Institute 14. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) 15. National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) 16. National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) 17. Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) 18. Security on Campus 19. Stop Child Predators 20. Witness Justice 21. Shared Hope 22. Penelope's House 23. Center for Child Protection and Family Support 24. Texas Association Against Sexual Assault 25. Texas Council on Family Violence 26. Rights4GirIs 27. PROTECT 28. National Network 4 Youth 29. Children at Risk 30. Justice Fellowship 31. Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA) 32. SEARCH 33. End Child Prostitution and Trafficking (ECPAT-USA) 34. Demand Abolition 35. Equality Now 36. Polaris 37. State/Peace Corps Victims Advisory Board 38. Tahirih 39. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) 40. Foster Family-based Treatment Association 41. Silence is not Compliance 42. Thorn 43. Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST) 44. Love 146 45. Saving Innocence 46. Hope for Justice 47. Breaking Free 48. Hope Against Trafficking 49. Not for Sale 50. Run 2 Rescue 51. Slavery Footprint 52. Truckers Against Trafficking 53. 8th Day Center for Justice 54. Free the Slaves 55. Physicians for Human Rights 56. Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women 57. Save the Children 58. United Against Human Trafficking 59. HEAL Trafficking: Health, Education, Advocacy, Linkage 60. Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking 61. Courtney's House 62. Stop Child Slavery 63. Freedom Place 64. Clery Center for Security on Campus 65. Children's Assessment Center 66. Ending Child Slavery at the Source 67. Covenant House 68. Joy International 69. International Safe Travels Foundation 70. Arc of Hope 71. Voices of Justice 72. My Life My Choice 73. Fair Girls 74. Colors of Hope 75. Pearls Inc. 76. Zoe Children's Home 77. Phantom Rescue 78. Anti-Slavery 79. Bryan's House 80. New Life, New Hope 81. #HelpErase 82. Dallas LIFE Shelter 83. Stop the Traffik 84. Generation Freedom 85. Nest Foundation 86. Restore NYC 87. The End It Movement 88. The Exodus Road 89. Tiny Hands International 90. Everyone's Kids 91. For the Sake of One 92. Hagar International 93. Fast 21 94. Traffick911 95. Free the Captives 96. Beauty from Ashes 97. Gems 98. Her Resiliency 99. Amnesty International 100. Pillars of Hope

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Keisha was 16 years old when she ran away from a foster family to avoid being sexually assaulted by that family. She thought she was finally safe from abuse when she met a man named Mastur D. Mastur D promised her that he would return her to her biological family. But he lied. He forced her to have sex with other men for money. Now she found herself to be a trafficked victim of the sex slave trade. Mr. Speaker, she was arrested for prostitution. After her second arrest, authorities finally rescued her from the trafficking scourge and provided her a way out of that situation. My legislation, the Abolish Human Trafficking Act, will increase prosecutions for perpetrators of human trafficking, like Mastur D, and hold those accountable for their crimes of sex slavery. We must support victims of human trafficking and put their predators where they belong: behind bars. Tomorrow is Abolish Human Trafficking Day, our society must prosecute the traffickers and rescue victims of this scourge on America. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, make no doubt about it, the number one terrorist in the world is the Ayatollah in charge of the butchery against his own people in Iran. He is the number one guy--the most wanted man in the world, as far as I am concerned, for terrorism lies at his feet. He, along with the mullahs of Iran, continues to crack down violently on the people of Iran who are exercising a human right to protest the government that is in charge. The regime's brutality against its people knows no limit. To silence the crimes of the Ayatollah in Iran, they have blocked much of the internet and social media, including the telegram and Instagram. We must make sure that this important line of communication stays open for the Iranian people. In 2009, there were about 1 million folks in Iran who had access to social media. Now there are about 20 million people, I understand, who have access to social media. Our administration must make sure that the American businesses and technology are still available to allow the Iranian people to document the regime's crimes against the people. The Iranian people can bring about change on their own, but we must help by providing the necessary tools to empower democratic movements that the mullahs stand in fear of. Mr. Speaker, in 2009, the Iranians rose up against the mullahs, but our government merely watched the arena of freedom in the streets of Iran while our government sat in the stands as a spectator. This is not a spectator sport. This is about freedom and human dignity. The United States must politically, publicly, and economically support the people of Iran and let them know we will not be in the stands as a spectator any longer, and we must penalize the mullahs and the Ayatollah economically for their crimes. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, cracks are beginning to form in the iron grip of the Iranian regime. The oppressed people of Iran have taken to the streets to demand an end to the corrupt and brutal dictatorship. The mullahs in Tehran have stolen the wealth of the country and the people, lining their own pockets and funding terror throughout the Middle East. Like in 2009, when the Iranian people rose up to confront the corruption of the regime, these Iranians have been met with harsh violence and been murdered in the streets. Thousands of others have been imprisoned. In 2009, however, the United States sat in the stands as a spectator and watched the Ayatollah crush freedom. I applaud this President's show of support for freedom in Iran. The United States must show political and public support for our friends for liberty in Iran. As President Kennedy once said: ``Let every Nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we will pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.'' Like our friends in Iran. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I salute the Houston Fire Department and Houston City Councilmember Brenda Stardig for their rescue efforts during Hurricane Harvey. In a move that can only be described as divine intervention, HFD's new high water rescue vehicle was delivered only a few days before one of Texas's most devastating storms rocked the state and dumped more than 50 inches of rain in the Houston area. When Councilmember Stardig used her district's discretionary funds to purchase the high water rescue vehicle for HFD she knew it was a much needed addition to the city's rescue fleet; she just didn't know how timely her purchase would be. Called the ``High Five'' because it is docked at HFD Station 5 in my congressional district, HFD's high water rescue vehicle was the only high water rescue vehicle available exclusively to the city of Houston during the hurricane. The ``High Five'' is a heavy duty military vehicle that can carry 15 people and two operators. Its electronics and fuel system are sealed, giving it the ability to transport in more than four feet of water. Other vehicles like city garbage trucks were used for rescues, but this vehicle is unique because it is designed not only to go through high water but to also rescue people easily. For example, it has a lift on it to assist people in getting on board. Mr. Speaker, even my jeep with its lift kit is no match for what this vehicle can do. It was estimated that in one day, over 400 people were rescued with this truck and possibly 1,000 people total. Since the storm, HFD has received a surge of donations to continue to upgrade their rescue fleet. Councilmember Stardig and the Firefighters Foundation of Houston recently raised more than $52,000-- enough for two additional rescue boats. Since Harvey, private donors like HEB and Metro National have stepped up to help fund two additional high water rescue vehicles. Mr. Speaker, much of my district and the Houston area are still reeling from Harvey's damage. Much work remains to be done. It is heroes like Assistant Chief Ruy Lozano who oversees the HFD rescue fleet, HFD Chief Sam Pena, and Houston City Councilmember Brenda Stardig who rose up during his catastrophe to save lives. Many of us will remember their contributions to our community during this crisis. We always say, when Houstonians see a need they step up. Sometimes it's into a 10-foot high water rescue vehicle. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the deviants of the slave trade operate all around us. Human trafficking occurs in our country, our States, and in our cities. January, Human Trafficking Awareness Month, seeks to bring light to this scourge against humanity: nothing more than modern-day slavery. We must not only remain vigilant but must go after the buyers and sellers in the sex trafficking trade. This is one of them right here. That is why I have introduced, along with Carolyn Maloney, the Shame Act, to expose the identity of convicted traffickers and buyers of human beings. The Shame Act allows judges to publish the names and photographs of convicted traffickers and buyers in public places, such as on billboards. Mr. Speaker, as a judge in Texas, I successfully used shame punishment. It worked. Dubbed ``poetic justice'' by the media, I learned that the last thing criminals want are their faces exposed to the public. Traffickers and buyers must know they cannot hide behind their dastardly crimes. It is time to send a message loud and clear about human trafficking: not in our cities, not in our States, not in our Nation, not anymore. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, one of the worst things that can happen to any of us is to lose their voice, and I have lost mine. I know some of the Democrats are glad about that. But I want to say this on behalf of the SAFER Act. There are, in our country, on shelves, in warehouses, and in law enforcement office buildings rape kits that have never been examined. That is shameful. And everybody is to blame, from the Federal Government to local government. It is shameful because victims--and I knew a lot of them at the courthouse as a judge--don't know who committed this crime against them, and we have the ability to tell them, but we don't because of bureaucratic incompetence. These haven't been examined. They have the right to know who sexually assaulted them. Also, there are criminals running loose, who have never been prosecuted, because these rape kits have never been analyzed. And, yes, there are people incarcerated who are innocent, and the rape kit can prove their innocence. It is important that we pass the SAFER Act. Get those sexual assault kits analyzed. There are no more excuses. Mr. Speaker, in 1984, Michelle was raped at knifepoint by two men who broke into her home. They blindfolded her, tied her up with a phone cord, and gagged tit her before sexually assaulting her. During the assault, they laughed and bragged that they had been getting away with committing this crime for seven years. Much to Michelle's surprise, they left without ending her life. But hers would now be a life filled with suffering and fear. Michelle called the police and had a rape kit taken. She hoped that by achieving justice against her attackers she would find some measure of peace and closure. Michelle waited for the results, but she waited in vain. The backlog of untested kits was too large, so her kit was never tested. Over the next years, while her rape kit sat collecting dust on a shelf, break-ins and rapes continued to happen in her neighborhood. She was in constant fear that her attackers were still on the loose. Not only does the inability to test rape kits deny victims justice, it also puts the safety of other innocent people in jeopardy by keeping criminals on the streets. To address this issue, Congresswoman Maloney and I introduced the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reporting Act or SAFER Act, which was signed into law in 2013. This bill provides funds to states and localities to increase rape kit testing and expand forensic lab capacities. In the years since SAFER's enactment there has been progress, but there are still hundreds of thousands of untested rape kits across the nation. SAFER was slated to expire at the end of this year, but thankfully, with bipartisan support, Congress has secured its re-authorization and continued existence. This legislation will continue to reduce the national rape kit backlog and help victims achieve justice. I want to thank Senator Cornyn who has worked with me on SAFER for many years. And I want to thank the Chairman for bringing this bill to the floor. I applaud its passage here today. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is time to hold the Saudis accountable for playing the role of both arsonists and firefighters when it comes to terror. Saudi Arabia is a crucial ally in counterterrorism. Yet at the same time, their educational curriculum promotes hatred and violence towards other religions. This is the very rhetoric that breeds terrorism. For nearly 15 years, Saudi Arabia has pledged to remove all extremist content from their school textbooks. Yet to this day textbooks include material that, for example, encourages ``fighting'' any infidel who refuses to submit to the supremacy of Islam. Another example comes from a textbook on Islamic culture that teaches that ``Christianity in its current state is an invalid, perverted religion.'' A high school textbook on monotheism further calls all ``infidels,'' as ``enemies of Islam and its adherents.'' And this is just a taste of the extremist content in Saudi textbooks. A tenth-grade textbook claims that Zionism spreads ``drugs and sexually transmitted diseases . . . in many Islamic countries.'' Even more, a middle school textbook glorifies jihad, instructing students that those fighting jihad ``should be given transportation, weapons, food and anything else they may need to continue their jihad.'' Content in Saudi textbooks is so extreme that ISIS used official Saudi textbooks for its schools in 2015 until they could publish their own materials. The problem is compounded when we realize that these textbooks are not just used in the Kingdom. Saudi educational materials are exported throughout the world. This kind of indoctrination at home and abroad runs counter to Saudi Arabia's efforts in counterterrorism and our crucial cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the fight against terrorism. Saudi Arabia cannot be allowed to continue promoting textbooks that include language that is intolerant, furthers conspiracy theories, and encourages violence towards others. That's why Representative Keating and I, as Ranking Member and Chair of the Terrorism Subcommittee, have introduced H.R. 4549, the Saudi Educational Transparency and Reform Act. This bill will require the State Department to conduct an annual review of Saudi Arabia's textbooks. This review will show if Riyadh is fully implementing its repeated commitments to removing extremist content. It will also help the U.S. decide if we should continue issuing a waiver for Saudi Arabia as a country of particular concern for its religious freedom pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act. Terrorism has long threatened both our own country and Saudi Arabia. The fight to combat this threat demands that we work to eliminate all sources of radicalization and incitement. A complete revision of Saudi Arabia's textbooks is a critical piece of this mission. And that's just the way it is.