Ted Poe

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentlewoman for her comments. I also wanted to compliment her on her tenacious work of going after backpage.com and making that resource unavailable for those traffickers and those buyers. I want to commend her for that.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentlewoman being here and making such powerful comments. I yield to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Gabbard). She is an Iraqi war veteran and a former member of the Hawaii House of Representatives. She is working specifically, among other things, in the area of the juvenile justice system, trying to reform that.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman. I would like to ask a couple of questions if she doesn't mind. I know she has other appointments, but I wanted to ask her a couple questions. I would like to know how has the trafficking situation in her home State of Missouri decreased, or how has this legislation helped?

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this coming Monday, May 29, marks the 2-year anniversary of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, called the JVTA. Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives and the Senate worked together in a bipartisan manner to write this comprehensive, massive law to fight human trafficking. Basically, we said in this legislation that modern-day slavery will not be tolerated in the United States, and that message was made loud and clear when the law was signed 2 years ago. Since that time, there have been wonderful successes by providing victims with help and services that they need to recover, and by capturing and charging both the traffickers and the buyers according to our law. Debbie's Story Mr. Speaker, Debbie grew up in an idyllic American neighborhood. The middle child of a close-knit military family living in the suburbs, Debbie could have never imagined that she would be forced into sex slavery. One cool Phoenix night, Debbie's mother thought nothing of letting her young daughter meet a friend in their front yard one night to play. Busy with dishes and other children inside, her mother didn't realize that her young daughter, clad in her cartoon pajamas, was being abducted by two men in front of their house. These deviants threw Debbie in the car, drugged and gang raped her. They held a loaded gun to her forehead and threatened to pull the trigger if she ever tried to escape. For 60 days she was forced to have sex with countless men. Thankfully for Debbie, a lucky anonymous tip led police to a hotel room where they found Debbie tied up and stashed under a bed. Cheryl Briggs' Story Cheryl Briggs grew up in an abusive home, sexually and physically abused by her father. Her mother left when Cheryl was very young to escape the abuse. At the age of 12, Cheryl didn't know what else to do to get away from the father she feared, so she ran away. She began hitchhiking with truck drivers and anyone who would take her. This led her to a ride with a motorcyclist and into human trafficking hell. He took her to a biker club filled with men who took advantage of her. He became her trafficker. She was forced to dance at a strip club by day and sold on the streets at night. She was trapped in the world of human trafficking. Cheryl didn't know how to get help. She had no one to call and no one to provide for her. No one came to rescue her. That is until a patron at a strip club found out that she was only 15 and helped her escape. Lena's Story In her formative years, Lena wore turtlenecks and baggy clothes to school every day. Why did she do so? To hide the bruises that covered her entire body. When her abusive foster mother lost custody, Lena ran away. She was just 13 years old. After bolting from the front lawn at the Houston middle school, she ran into a friendly-looking stranger. This man offered to look after her, protect and love her. Human traffickers manipulate the vulnerabilities of their victims, he knew that Lena would do anything to feel loved. For the next 3 months, Lena was trafficked to countless buyers. He kept her on the move, switching from motel to motel to evade detection. Finally, after tracking a BackPage advertisement her trafficker posted, police located Lena. They arrested her trafficker in the hotel next door. With her help, the police ultimately charged her trafficker. Debbie, Cheryl and Lena are all human trafficking survivors. The things they had to endure are more horrific than most of us can even imagine. But they survived, they overcame this tragedy. It was for survivors like these women that Carolyn Maloney and I drafted the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act two years ago. This far-reaching legislation, led by Senator John Cornyn and Senator Ron Wyden in the Senate, made it clear that Congress would no longer turn a blind eye to this scourge in our society. We wanted to ensure that victims were treated like victims, given the care and help they needed to overcome the evil inflicted upon them. We also wanted to make sure that the traffickers and the buyers were both brought to justice. Houston Super Bowl Story This past February, my hometown of Houston, Texas, hosted the 51st Super bowl. For most Americans the Super Bowl is a fun filled day spent with friends and family cheering on a favorite team. But for trafficking slaves and potential trafficking slaves, if can be a very dangerous time. Studies show that big events like Super Bowls create large upticks in the trafficking and purchasing of sex trafficking victims. In order to counteract this, The Department of Homeland Security, as part of its Blue Campaign Initiative, began preparing months in advance. DHS agents came to Washington, DC and briefed me and other members of the Texas Delegation on their anti-trafficking strategy for super bowl weekend. Through the Blue Campaign, DHS raises public awareness, forges anti- trafficking partnerships and brings suspected human traffickers to justice. I commend the Blue Campaign for collaborating with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in preparation for the Super Bowl. As a direct result of this large multi-agency operation, over 750 people were arrested across 15 different states. At least 86 victims were rescued, and many more were likely spared being forced into the trafficking industry. Having personally worked closely with the Blue Campaign on this, and many other operations, I see firsthand the important role DHS has in fighting the scourge of human trafficking. This DHS Blue Campaign Authorization Act will ensure that this critically important program continues to provide safety to victims and justice to their traffickers. Success of JVTA at 2 Year Mark Over the last two years, more than 65 defendants have been charged with federal human trafficking violations. Of those, 10 were buyers. Without demand, there would be no market. JVTA gives law enforcement the critical tools it needs to capture and prosecute criminals who purchase sex from minors or trafficking victims. Long gone are the days where buyers could anonymously purchase sex from trafficking victims and simply return to their normal lives. JVT also allows a federal judge to impose an additional assessment of up to $5,000. This money then goes into the Domestic Trafficking Victims' Fund. This fund provides victims with increased access to services and resources. It forces the criminals to pay the rent on the courthouse, forces both the buyer and the trafficker to pay for the system they created. They inflicted pain and suffering on innocent people, they should be the ones to pay. JVTA also clarified that the U.S. Marshals Service can assist local, state and federal law enforcement in the search and rescue of missing children. Since the implementation of JVTA, U.S. Marshals have helped rescue 102 children. As JVTA continues to be implemented, and prosecutors and judges are trained on the new tools it offers them, we will continue to see more and more traffickers and buyers held accountable for their crimes. We will also see a system that treats victims like victims, providing them with the care and support they need to become survivors. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her strong comments. I know where she stands on the issue of victims of violence. Mr. Speaker, the 2-year anniversary of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act will be Monday. As a former judge and co-chairman of the Victims' Rights Caucus, with Jim Costa from California, this is an important issue. I bet most Americans have never heard of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act because it was passed with bipartisan support, overwhelming support. Things like this don't make the news because we are not fussing and feuding between the two sides. But it is a very important piece of legislation for our country. It goes after the trafficker. It makes sure they get arrested, and they go to prison where they belong. It also goes after the buyer, the person who hides and tries to buy young children on the marketplace of sex slavery. But it rescues victims and turns them into survivors. That is why this legislation is important. The average age of a trafficking victim in the United States is 13. That means some are younger than 13. And it is a menace and a scourge that we, in the House of Representatives, along with our friends in the Senate, are going to make sure that the legislation is appropriate to solve this epidemic. That is why we are reminding individuals that we have this piece of legislation that is passed, and other pieces of legislation as well. The last thing I wanted to mention is part of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act allows Federal judges to impose a fee on the trafficker or the buyer, and that money goes into a fund that helps victims of trafficking. That is a great idea. Make the criminals pay the rent on the courthouse by this type of restitution program. I want to thank all of the people who helped out tonight. There is a lot more to be said about the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. We are going to continue to bring awareness of it to the American public. I can tell you one thing, though, traffickers and buyers know about this legislation. With the help of local and State and Federal law enforcement, we are going to stop this sale of our children and adult women here in the United States for money. And that is just the way it is. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this Monday, America honors its war dead. We call it Memorial Day. Many Americans do not realize that there are 25 United States cemeteries overseas for America's war dead. The one in Luxembourg is one that I have visited and I find quite unique. During World War II, in 1944, the Germans crushed through the American lines in a surprise attack. It was called the Battle of the Bulge. My 92-year-old father fought in that battle when he was 18. The German advance was eventually halted. One reason was because General George Patton and his army helped halt the attack by quickly advancing through and saving Luxembourg. After the war, the nation of Luxembourg agreed to a memorial there. The memorial is unique because the cemetery is a burial place for mostly Americans who were killed in the Battle of the Bulge. There are 5,076 Americans buried there--22 sets of brothers. And the average age of the soldier buried in Luxembourg is 19. This Memorial Day, let us remember all who have served and have given their lives and are buried all over the world, because, Mr. Speaker, the worst casualty of war is to be forgotten. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for bringing up this legislation. Mr. Speaker, this past February, in my hometown of Houston, Texas, we hosted the 51st Super Bowl. For most Americans, the Super Bowl is a fun-filled day spent with friends, family, and cheering on our favorite team. But for human traffickers, the Super Bowl has become an annual opportunity to expand their evil, criminal empire. Studies show that big events like the Super Bowl create large upticks in the trafficking and purchasing of sex trafficking victims. In order to counteract this, the Department of Homeland Security, as a part of its Blue Campaign initiative, began preparing months in advance before the Super Bowl in Houston. Through the Blue Campaign, the Department of Homeland Security raises public awareness, it forges antitrafficking partnerships, and brings suspected human traffickers to justice. Most importantly, it rescues victims of the sex trafficking trade. In advance of the last Super Bowl, the Blue Campaign worked with local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies on the ground, as well as participating in several congressional briefings. One such briefing I hosted here in Washington. Everybody working together, all different law enforcement agencies, State, local, and Federal, had a great result in what occurred in Houston. Over 750 people were arrested, and 86 victims were rescued. Many more were likely spared being forced into the trafficking industry. Having worked closely with the Blue Campaign on this, and many other operations, I have seen firsthand the important role the Department of Homeland Security has in fighting the scourge of human trafficking. Mr. Speaker, as you know, trafficking is second only to the drug trade in the amount of money, criminal money, it brings in. And the Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign Authorization Act will ensure that the critically important program continues to provide safety to victims and gets some justice to the traffickers and those would-be buyers of little children. Mr. Speaker, I commend the chairman for this legislation. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Goodlatte for the time and also his work on this issue of human sex trafficking in the United States. I support this legislation. I also compliment Congresswoman Wagner, Congresswoman Bass, Congresswoman Maloney, and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and other women. I mention that because when we presented the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act 2 years ago and worked on that massive legislation that is excellent legislation, I am convinced that it was the women in the United States House of Representatives who got it done. They made sure that this legislation passed, and then they trotted down the hallway to the Senate and--I will use the word--``encouraged'' our Senators to take the bill up, and it passed there, and President Obama did sign the legislation. I am convinced there is nothing more powerful than a woman who has made up her mind, and the women in this House made up their mind about human sex trafficking. I just wanted to point that out. This legislation is important. There are many stories. I am going to talk about a 9-year-old girl who lived not far from where we are today here in the United States Capitol. When Ashley's mother died, she was left alone. Like any lost and lonely child, she sought the comfort that she needed of love and safety. A woman came in to Ashley's life, offering her the care that Ashley was looking for as a 9-year-old: comfort and love. Ashley felt like she was safe for the first time since she had lost her mother. She was an orphan in Washington, D.C. Little did she know that the woman who was being nice to her was faking it all because she was grooming Ashley to be a sex slave here in Washington. You see, traffickers exploit the vulnerabilities of victims, destroying their self-worth and their hope for a better life. In some cases, traffickers steal the soul of young children. They have no hope and they have no self-worth. That happened to Ashley, this 9-year-old girl. She was trafficked on the streets of Washington, D.C., and online for 5 years. At 16, a peace officer here in Washington, D.C., arrested her for prostitution. She was brought before a judge, and the judge recognized that she was not a criminal, she was not guilty of prostitution. Children cannot commit the crime of prostitution. He recognized her plight and he ordered her into a treatment program to help her recover from being a trafficking victim. It is my opinion that that judge saved Ashley's life. As was mentioned here on the House floor by Congresswoman Bass, the average age of a trafficking victim here in the United States of America is between 12 and 13. That means some girls are younger, like Ashley. She was 9. What a statistic. And, yes, it is mostly young minor females. Boys are trafficked. Adult females are trafficked as well, but the scourge is the biggest when it is our children. Like the laws of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, they have increased judge and prosecutor training, giving them tools to deal with the scourge of human trafficking. It is nothing more than modern sex slavery. That is what human trafficking is. Congresswoman Wagner's Put Trafficking Victims First Act continues to improve the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act and improve the process by encouraging more training and a focus on victim-centered approaches in the courtroom. I was a judge for 22 years in Houston. We had none of this legislation to help rescue and restore victims of trafficking, and now we do. We should remember that in our country we treat trafficking victims, like Ashley, like victims and make survivors out of them. Gone are the days that we are going to treat them like criminals. They are not criminals. They are victims of crime. We must stop the sale of children on the marketplace of sex slavery. This legislation helps do that. Victims like Ashley deserve treatment and care, and I support the work that has been done in the Put Trafficking Victims First Act, and I support the fact that it will help victims. As co-chair of the Victims' Rights Caucus, along with the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa), we understand the importance of victims and we understand the importance of this legislation. No more, Mr. Speaker. Not in our city, not in our States, and not in our country. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this is an excellent piece of legislation. Like Ms. Frankel mentioned during her comments on the floor, we had the opportunity to go to Peru together to visit children who were way up in the mountains being protected from those deviants who wanted to traffic them not only in Peru, but other parts of South America. I had, also, the opportunity to go to Costa Rica and meet some young girls who were being trafficked in Costa Rica and into other foreign countries. I remember one girl named Lilli. She was 7 years of age when I met her. She did not talk at all, even though she had the physical ability to talk, but she did not talk because of the trauma that she had been through before she had been rescued and put in that shelter in Costa Rica. There are a lot of little girls like Lilli throughout the world, including in the United States. Societies must make the decision now that we will not tolerate the stolen innocence of young children by those who sell them on the marketplace of slavery for money, whether that is the trafficker, the slave master, or the buyer, the consumer. We, as a world, cannot tolerate that. The United States has taken the lead on international trafficking and, I believe, on trafficking here in the U.S. This legislation, the TARGET Act, makes it clear that we are not going to tolerate this conduct and that those people who act this way in the slave trade are going to be held accountable for their conduct, and the consequences for what they do are not going to be pleasant. Plus, we are going to rescue those young children. I support this legislation, Mr. Speaker. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, it looks like Turkish President Erdogan has brought his brutal crackdown on human rights to Washington, D.C. For years, Erdogan has attacked Turkey's democratic institutions, undermined the rule of law, and violated Turkish civil liberties. On Tuesday, several bullies violently assaulted protesters outside the Turkish Embassy here in Washington. These Gestapo-type body guards beat peaceful demonstrators, in one case kicking a woman lying on the ground. This type of behavior is unacceptable. Erdogan is becoming a Turkish dictator. One of the traits of a dictator is to violently quash opposition. He is showing he doesn't believe in the democratic principles of free speech and peaceful assembly. But, Madam Speaker, we will have no foreign tyrant violating these sacred rights on American soil without consequences. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on this legislation, I think it is important that individuals understand probation officers. I worked at the courthouse in Houston, Texas, as a prosecutor and then as a criminal court judge for 22 years. I had probation officers report to me. That was our system. I knew a lot of probation officers, Federal and State. I think our society does not understand how important their job is. A person comes to court charged with a crime, and the judge decides to release that person on supervised probation. The person goes back out into the community and is supposed to follow a bunch of rules or the probation could be revoked. Probation officers not only have probationers come to their office to report, but probation officers go out there where these probationers are--in their homes and where they are working--and check up on them, trying to make sure they toe the line. It is a very, very dangerous job, in my opinion. Many of these probation officers work alone, just because of budget problems. So they will go out there, and they will talk to some probationer about their probation and try to encourage them to, for example, get a job. That is what you are supposed to do when you are on probation. And they encounter other people--sometimes family members, sometimes friends, sometimes roommates, business associates--and they start yelling and screaming at the probation officer. Sometimes they commit a crime against the probation officer. What is the probation officer supposed to do? Call the police? No. Under this legislation, it allows the probation officer to arrest other people who are basically committing a crime against the probation officer, whether it is an assault or whether it is a threat or whether it is interfering, maybe, with the arrest of the probationer. That is what this legislation does. It helps protect the probation officer when they are out there trying to rehabilitate probationers. I have heard stories over the 22 years at the courthouse from probation officers about how, when they go out in one of these areas of Houston, Texas, some of the people that are there with the probationer aren't the nicest folks in the world, and they start yelling, screaming, and actually will commit a crime against the probation officer--for example, a threat, or maybe even an assault. Remember, many of these individuals are working alone. They don't go out there with a SWAT team. They are out there by themselves, and they are doing, really, what we want them to do to keep that probationer following the straight and narrow, make sure they are doing what they are supposed to do. And then sometimes people interfere. This legislation protects the probation officer and allows the officer to keep those folks at bay and arrest them. Now, I have heard the concerns of whether or not this is a violation of the Fourth Amendment. There is no one more supportive of the Fourth Amendment than I am. It does not violate the Fourth Amendment. It gives the probation officer authority to arrest only after probable cause because a crime was committed. Rather than call for help, call for the Texas Rangers, they can actually arrest that individual who is interfering. I do not believe it is a violation of the Fourth Amendment. I would hope those people who think so would read the Fourth Amendment and then read the statute as well. I support this legislation. I appreciate what the chairman and Sheriff Reichert had to say. And that is just the way it is, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as the hot Texas sun set in the west last night at about 10 p.m., the brave first responders of the San Antonio Fire Department answered the alarms as a strip mall went up in a fiery inferno. Sixty-one fire trucks with lights and sirens sped to the scene. The firefighters dashed into the buildings performing a search-and-recovery operation, making sure no one was there. As the fire grew, the intense smoke and heat became suffocating. Two firefighters were injured, but their lives were saved by other firefighters. But Firefighter Scott Dean was trapped in the inferno. This 6-year veteran of the force's life was stolen by the hellish blaze. He gave his life while saving others from harm. Texas lost another one of its finest last night. Firefighters such as Scott Dean are a rare and tenacious breed. They are the American breed. They run into the flames that everyone else desperately flees from. Firefighters restore order from chaos, answering the alarm. Mr. Speaker, they always answer the alarm. It has been said that all people are created equal, but a few turn out to be firefighters. One of those rare breed was firefighter Scott Dean. So the last alarm has sounded for Scott Dean. He answered the call, and he gave it all for the people of San Antonio, Texas. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on July 7, 2016, while a demonstration was taking place in Dallas, Texas, and police officers were protecting the demonstrators, a sniper rang out shots. After the smoke cleared, five Dallas police officers were murdered, seven others were wounded, and civilians were wounded. The culprit was finally apprehended, and, because he would not give up without shooting, he was killed by the Dallas Police Department. Ambush on police officers by citizens increased, for some reason, last year. Locally, in Houston, Texas, Chief Deputy Constable Clint Greenwood, a friend of mine, was walking into the courthouse at 7 a.m.; and as he is walking into the courthouse, a person comes up behind him and assassinates him, and he is killed. And that criminal was captured. Attacks on law enforcement and all of the people that I mentioned were local or State police officers. They were not Federal officers. Now, we talk about discrimination. Why does Federal law discriminate in punishment of outlaws in these type of death penalty situations by not allowing the same punishment if the person is a local or State police officer instead of a Federal police officer? I think that is wrong. As stated by the other side, most cases are made by State or local officers, especially crimes of violence. What this bill does is not discriminate against police officers who are local or State because of their status in a death penalty case where an outlaw is charged with a capital offense, but it allows the outlaw to get the same punishment that an outlaw would get if they killed a Federal officer, which is the death penalty. As a former judge for 22 years in criminal courts and a prosecutor, I believe in the death penalty, and here is the reason why: Some people deserve it. They deserve it for what they did, and that is why society should have the death penalty. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me time, and I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their comments on this legislation. The bill promotes religious freedom throughout the world. Mr. Speaker, as has been mentioned, it has been 60 to 70 years since the Jewish community in Europe was decimated by the Holocaust. Now, more than ever, the Jewish community is under assault yet again. In Europe, anti-Semitic individuals are back like never before. A study commissioned by the German parliament this year found that there were 644 anti-Semitic offenses in the country in 2016 alone. In countries like Holland, Jewish schools and synagogues need to be protected by special forces because of fear of attack on those schools. And, unfortunately, our country has not been immune. Jewish community centers across the country have been targets of bomb threats, even recently in Houston, Texas, my hometown, such bomb threats. This past Sunday, a historic synagogue in New York City was attacked and burned down by arsonists. That is why this bill, the Combating European Anti-Semitism Act, is so important. We must continue to partner with our European friends to ensure that we stamp out the cancer of anti-Semitism. As a representative of a country founded on religious freedom, we, as Members of Congress, must send a clear message to Jews and non-Jews, from Houston to Amsterdam, that we will not allow the horrors of the Holocaust to repeat themselves in this generation. Mr. Speaker, we must reiterate the commitment the free world made over 60 years ago: Never again. Never again. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, she was born at evening time as a full Moon rose over Texas. Ivy Frances Shoemaker joined the world weighing 7 pounds and was 20 inches long. Her birth was on May 9 in Dallas. The miracle of birth is God's blessing to the rest of us. It is a blessing to Ivy's parents, Kellee and Anthony, and her sisters, Olivia and Rosalyn. Ivy, of course, is a beautiful, smart-looking baby. She has the privilege to be born to wonderful parents who will raise her to grow in widsom and stature in the Lord. My wife, Carol, and I are the proud grandparents of Ivy, whom I will call from time to time, number 12. Mr. Speaker, you see, I refer to my other grandchildren by their birth numbers as well. There are 11 of them. My hope for Ivy is that she sees the importance of being good to others; that she makes the world a better place; that she is faithful to the Lord; that she appreciates her heritage; and that, of course, she always lives in Texas. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Thank you, Sheriff. I appreciate your comments, Lawyer Gowdy; as I call him, his comments. I know that the outlaws in Washington State are glad you are in Congress and you are not back in Washington arresting them and putting them in the jailhouse where a lot of them belong. But thank you for the opportunity to speak at this very important Special Order. As you know, while you were a sheriff in Washington, I was down at the courthouse in Texas, first as a prosecutor, like Lawyer Gowdy, and then, for 22 years, I tried criminal cases, felonies, everything from stealing to killing. I met a lot of police, as I call them, during that time. Some of them, as Mr. Gowdy has pointed out, gave their lives in the line of duty. I met them in the middle of the night when they would come bringing a warrant to me to sign so they could go arrest somebody while the rest of us all slept. They are doing what they do best, and that is protecting and serving our communities. A lot of police officers--and I don't think it has been said yet-- their job is being a police officer, but most of them have other jobs just to make ends meet. They have an extra job, as we call it, because they don't make a lot being a police officer. None of them ever do it for the money--none of them anywhere in the world do it for the money. So to support their families, they have to have other jobs to do that. I think we as a nation need to understand and appreciate that they do what they do because they feel, and it is, an important service to our community. Last year, 135 police officers throughout the Nation were killed; 64 of them were shot and killed, and 21 of those were ambushed. Among the States, my home State of Texas had the most police officers killed. Twenty-one were killed last year in the line of duty. We also had five canines that were killed that worked with police. I have here a photograph--or a poster of the 21 officers killed in the line of duty in the State of Texas last year; all races, both sexes, all ages throughout the State of Texas. Last year, we saw probably more than I can remember, this phenomena of hate and ambush of police officers. On July 7, 2016, five Dallas police officers were shot and killed as they were protecting a protest demonstration in downtown Dallas. What occurred was a sniper who had been preparing, obviously for some time, was watching this procession go by and he opened fire on those police officers. Other than 9/11, this was the most deadliest day for police officers in the United States. Shortly before 9 p.m., a domestic terrorist--and I am not going to give his name. His name is not important. The names of the officers are what is important--parked his black SUV on Lamar Street. He put on his body armor. He got his automatic weapon ready to fire, and he started stalking Dallas police officers. As those Dallas police officers and a DART officer--DART is Dallas Area Rapid Transit officer--marched along with the protesters, he opened fire on them with the intent to kill as many as he could. So gunfire rang out and bullets struck and killed Senior Corporal Lorne Ahrens, Officer Michael Krol, Officer Patrick Zamarripa, and three Dallas police officers were wounded, along with a civilian. But the sniper wasn't through yet. He headed back up Lamar Street-- and that is in downtown Dallas--shooting out the windows of a nearby college campus, El Centro College campus. During that time, he injured two El Centro College police officers trying to get into the school. He had continued on his quest to kill officers and he snuck up behind a DART officer--his name, Brent Thompson--and shot him in the back and killed him. He then turned his way on to Elm Street nearby and shot his way back into El Centro College. All of this took about 20 minutes. Police officers were following this sniper, trying to capture him, but this individual went up to the library in the school and started firing down. His next victim was Officer Michael Smith, and he injured yet another DART officer. He was cornered in the library. Chief of Police Brown said: During that 2-hour-long negotiation, the individual lied to us, played games, laughed at us, sang, and continually asked how many of those coppers did he kill? Eventually, the Dallas SWAT team took care of the sniper, and he was killed. In total, five officers were killed, seven others were wounded. And these officers were killed for the sole reason that they wore a uniform, that they wore a badge or a star over their heart, symbolizing protecting us from the do-bads. That is why that badge is there over their heart. They were willing to give their life so that we might have peace, order, and safety; and on that day, five of them did. In total, like I mentioned, 21 officers were killed in Texas last year, the most in any State. I include in the Record their full background and the departments that they worked with. Their names are: Officer David Hofer, Patrolman David Ortiz, Trooper Jeffrey Nichols, Border Patrol Agent Jose Barraza, Officer Endy Ekpanya, Sergeant Stacey Baumgartner, Officer Calvin McCullers, Jr., Sergeant Michael Smith, Officer Michael Krol, Officer Patricio Zamarripa, Officer Brent Thompson, Senior Corporal Lorne Bradley Ahrens, Officer Marco Zarate, Correctional Officer Mari Johnson, Officer Justin Ryan Scherlen, Officer Amir Abdul-Khaliq, Deputy Sheriff Kenneth Maltby, Corporal Robert Ransom, Border Patrol Agent David Gomez, Commander Kenneth Starrs, and Detective Benjamin Marconi. Roll Call of Heroes 1. Officer David Stefan Hofer, Euless Police Department. End of Watch: March 1, 2016. 2. Patrolman David Ortiz, El Paso Police Department. End of Watch: March 14, 2016. 3. Trooper Jeffrey Don Nichols, Texas Department of Public Safety--Texas Highway Patrol. End of Watch: March 26, 2016. 4. Agent Jose Daniel Barraza, United States Department of Homeland Security--Customs and Border Protection--United States Border Patrol, US. End of Watch: April 18, 2016. 5. Officer Endy Nddiobong Ekpanya, Pearland Police Department. End of Watch: June 12, 2016. 6. Sergeant Stacey Allen Baumgartner, Patton Village Police Department. End of Watch: June 19, 2016. 7. Officer Calvin Marcus McCullers, Jr., Southern Methodist University Police Department. End of Watch: July 5, 2016. 8. Sergeant Michael Joseph Smith, Dallas Police Department. End of Watch: July 7, 2016. 9. Officer Michael Leslie Krol, Dallas Police Department. End of Watch: July 7, 2016. 10. Officer Patricio Enrique Zamarripa (Zamarreepa), Dallas Police Department. End of Watch: July 7, 2016. 11. Officer Brent Alan Thompson, Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Department. End of Watch: July 7, 2016. 12. Senior Corporal Lorne Bradley Ahrens (Lorn Bradley Aarons), Dallas Police Department. End of Watch: July 8, 2016. 13. Officer Marco Antonio Zarate (Zah-rot-ee), Bellaire Police Department. End of Watch: July 12, 2016. 14. Corrections officer Mari Anne Johnson, Texas Department of Criminal Justice. End of Watch: July 16, 2016. 15. Officer Justin Ryan Scherlen, Amarillo Police Department. End of Watch: August 4, 2016. 16. Officer Amir Abdul-Khaliq (kah-leek), Austin Police Department. End of Watch: September 4, 2016. 17. Deputy Sheriff Kenneth Hubert Maltby, Eastland County Sheriff's Office. End of Watch: September 7, 2016. 18. Corporal Robert Eugene Ransom, Gregg County Sheriff's Office. End of Watch: September 30, 2016. 19. Agent David Gomez, United States Border Patrol, US. End of Watch: November 16, 2016. 20. Commander Kenneth Joseph Starrs, South Texas Specialized Crimes and Narcotics Task Force. End of Watch: November 16, 2016. 21. Detective Benjamin Edward Marconi, San Antonio Police Department. End of Watch: November 20, 2016.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, these were real people. And as Sheriff Reichert said earlier, these people have families. Lastly, I would like to mention one other officer whose name I read. His name was Sergeant Stacey Baumgartner. He worked at a little bitty police department called Patton Village in Texas, right outside of Houston, and he was killed when his patrol car collided with another vehicle while he was involved in a hot pursuit. He is survived by his wife, his son, and his daughter, Chloe. This is a photograph of Chloe taken last week in Austin, Texas, at the Texas Peace Officers Memorial Service event. This is her. It was posted by the police chief of Patton Village, Texas. It expresses the families, the humanity of their fathers and their mothers, and how we as a people need to understand the consequences when people murder our finest. God bless the thin blue line. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, like a character out of Looney Tunes, the incorrigible little Kim of North Korea and his minions can't stop rattling their sabers. New satellite images show a prolonged and heightened level of activity at North Korea's underground nuclear site. Since coming into power, little Kim has continually defied U.N. sanctions and increased testing of missiles and nuclear weapons. Just this last weekend, North Korea illegally launched yet another menacing ballistic missile. North Korea plans to develop submarines from which to launch these missiles towards the United States. Despite little Kim's Wile E. Coyote antics, the United States cannot underestimate the war-prone lunacy of Kim Jong-un. Even our old Deputy Secretary of State recently warned that little Kim's weapon capabilities have shown improvement within the past year, resulting in ``unprecedented level of activity.'' The last administration's appeasement policy of North Korea and its strategic patience has failed. The United States must cripple North Korea's regime with multiple sanctions. We must convince China that it is in their interest to rein in their puppet state of North Korea, and quickly deploy the new THAAD missile systems throughout the region and in Asia. And that is just the way it is, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, for years, Pakistan has provided support for America's enemies with American blood on their hands. Pakistan has supported the Taliban providing them safe haven, cash, and weapons. It is no coincidence that the leader of the Taliban was living in Pakistan when a United States air strike took him out last year. Pakistan harbored the number one enemy of the world, Obama bin Laden, until our SEALs brought him to justice. Pakistan's intelligence services has been dubbed the veritable arm of the terrorist group Haqqani Network. They have even cut off supply routes for our troops in Afghanistan. The Ambassador to Afghanistan has said that Pakistan supports terrorist groups in Afghanistan, but still Pakistan is considered a major non-NATO ally of the U.S. This status means that they get priority for significant benefits in the areas of foreign aid and defense cooperation. I am introducing a bill that removes Pakistan from this list of trusted allies. Pakistan is playing both sides. It is time to call it like it is. Pakistan should not be counted as a major non-NATO ally of the United States. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and ranking member for sponsoring this legislation. Mr. Speaker, a few years ago, North Korea ordered its missile units on standby to strike the United States. Little Kim, as I call him, and his generals convened a press conference and displayed a chart of what they called U.S. mainland strike plan. The attack plan targeted several major United States population centers, including Austin, Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am personally offended by that. At the time of this plan, it was ridiculed by international media. After all, the administration was pursuing a passive strategic patience plan. But now experts say that, in less than 4 years, North Korea will have intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of raining down nuclear weapons on the entire United States. North Korea is making steady progress on its nuclear program. It conducted two nuclear tests in 2016 alone. So the time has come to tighten the noose on little Kim. We need to choke off the sources of his ill-gotten gain, and these sanctions will help do that. This bill expands sanctions to target some of the regime's most lucrative sources of revenue. It also requires the State Department to reassess whether North Korea should be placed back on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. I think that is long overdue. Little Kim has earned the distinction of being a worldwide terrorist. So little Kim means it when he says he wants to destroy the United States. He even wants to put ICBMs in submarines and send them off the coast of California. He cannot be allowed to do this mischief. He needs to know the United States means it when we say that we will protect the American people. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, according to Kuauhtemoc Rodriguez, called K-Rod, a VA employee at the medical center in Phoenix, Arizona-- yes, that famous VA hospital--he has been threatened and harassed by the VA for speaking up about excessive wait times for vets to see doctors. In October of 2016, the VA's inspector general released a report of misconduct on the Phoenix hospital based on information provided by Mr. Rodriguez. Mr. Rodriguez alleged that more than 90 veterans had been waiting over 400 days to see a doctor, 5 of whom died before they could see the doctor. These accusations are very disturbing. But Mr. Rodriguez' discovery did not earn him a medal or a plaque, just threats and harassment by the VA. They even moved his desk to a closet. There are many folks at the VA who genuinely care about our veterans in this country, like K-Rod, but there seems to be a culture problem at the VA that must be addressed from the top down. Fix the problem rather than attack whistleblowers. No veteran should ever wait to see a doctor for over a year. That is shameful. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, at the young age of 23, Nick Castle knew he had a higher calling. So directly following his graduation, he headed overseas to China to teach English, volunteering in the Peace Corps. Sadly, Nick became seriously ill after becoming an ambassador abroad. He was the victim of an inefficient, underequipped, and unresponsive Peace Corps-led medical team in China. After he reported that he was ill, he was prescribed a broad antibiotic. Nick quickly began to experience drastic weight loss, but he was reassured he was okay. As the weeks progressed, he was confined to his bed, too ill to even stand up. But his doctor never recommended that he go to the hospital. After experiencing dangerously low blood pressure, Nick was finally sent to a hospital. As the ambulance made its way to him, it got lost on the winding roads in the remote area of China. Before the ambulance could get Nick to the hospital, he stopped breathing. Nick died a few weeks later in early 2013. A 2014 Peace Corps Inspector General report found that Nick was the victim of medical negligence. ``Failures and delays in treatment'' were exposed, ultimately leading to Nick's death. Investigations revealed that the Peace Corps medical team misdiagnosed his illness. This heartbreaking death of a young man serving our country and the world could have been avoided had the Peace Corps staff been properly trained, equipped, and had a responsive team. Unfortunately, Nick's case is representative of a broader problem: Peace Corps volunteers struggle to access quality medical treatment when they are abroad in remote areas of the world. And when they return to America, then they face a red-taped, bureaucratic nightmare. They are covered by the Peace Corps for 3 months while they wait on the Department of Labor to determine that their illnesses or injuries are service-related. But the Department often takes much longer than 3 months to make that determination, forcing those Peace Corps volunteers to pay out of pocket for costly medical expenses. When attempting to get medical coverage through the Department of Labor, many are faced with costly personal expenses. So, Mr. Speaker, Congressman Kennedy and I have sponsored H.R. 2259, the Sam Farr Peace Corps Enhancement Act. Sam Farr was a Peace Corps volunteer and a Member of Congress. This act seeks to 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 and medical facilities while they are at posts overseas. And when those volunteers return home, it extends their Peace Corps coverage for up to 6 months while they wait on the Department of Labor to determine coverage. It enhances access to health care for returning Peace Corps volunteers as well, and it expands and improves provisions of the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act, enhancing the ability to assist and protect volunteers that have experienced sexual assault, among other issues, while in lands across the seas. Mr. Speaker, Peace Corps volunteers are America's angels abroad. They are some of the best that we have. They are the spirit of humanitarian assistance. They work in remote areas of the world helping others-- areas of the world that many Americans can't find on a map. So America must make sure to take care of these amazing people when they serve in lands far away so that there are no more deaths like Nick Castle's. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, after the United States toppled the Government of Libya, the nation became a failed state, one that is a brothel of slavery. Fleeing persecution from terrorists and vast famine, west Africans hand their life savings over to drivers who will take them to Niger, then off to Europe. But these refugees are labor trafficked as slaves to Libya instead. They are bound to the slave block and sold at the auction of slavery. The slave drivers force them to work inside private prisons for little or no food. Meanwhile, the slave masters demand ransoms from the families. If the families don't pay the ransom, the refugees are sold again to larger prisons and the demand doubles. If the ransom is never paid, the slaves are eventually murdered. Mr. Speaker, human slavery still exists in north Africa, and it is a scourge on humanity. But the United States should be very careful about taking out a regime like it did in Libya without understanding the long-term consequences like what happened in Libya. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, Israelis commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day. Carrying out what they called their ``final solution'' to the ``Jewish problem,'' the Nazis gassed millions of Jews at Auschwitz, and then collected their corpses like waste to be burned in the camp. Mr. Speaker, this happened just 72 years ago, though many seem to forget. From the ashes of Auschwitz the Jewish people returned to their ancient homeland and established the sole democracy in the Middle East. Unfortunately, the Jewish people of Israel are again targets of elimination. Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and a growing list of others have openly called to ``eliminate'' the Jewish state and ``wipe it off the map.'' We must honor the memories of the 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis by vowing that Jews will never again stand alone before those seeking their extermination. The American people stand with Israel and with Jews everywhere remembering those that perished. We remember. And we vow: never again. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, when our forces invaded Afghanistan in 2001, the goal was simple: remove the Taliban government that sheltered the plotters of the 9/11 attacks on America, and destroy al-Qaida. Nearly 16 years later, Afghanistan is still a haven for terrorists who seek to attack and kill Americans. Since then, the Taliban has waged an insurgency in Afghanistan, destabilizing the country, creating perfect conditions for terrorists to exploit. The Taliban and al-Qaida have launched many of their attacks in Afghanistan from Pakistan. Taliban insurgency is stronger today than at any other point since 2001. Just last week, a Taliban sneak attack killed more than 160 Afghan soldiers, prompting the defense minister and army chief of staff to resign. But the Taliban don't just stage attacks, they seize territory. The Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction said in January that 172 Afghan districts are controlled, influenced, or contested by the Taliban. Al-Qaida has a long history of loyalty to the Taliban. Osama bin Laden swore his allegiance to the Taliban's leader, Mullah Omar, even before 9/11. When bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, Ayman al-Zawahiri renewed that oath and cemented ties between al-Qaida and the Taliban. Wherever the Taliban has influence, we can be sure that al-Qaida is not far behind. Since 2010, U.S. officials have incorrectly claimed that al-Qaida had a small presence in the country limited only to 50 to 100 fighters. Then, in 2015, a shocking U.S. raid in Afghanistan uncovered a massive al-Qaida training camp, rounding up over 150 al-Qaida terrorists. This was more fighters found in one raid than the U.S. officials claimed existed in the entire country. And by the end of last year, U.S. officials announced that 250 al-Qaida terrorists were killed or captured in 2016 alone. Along with al-Qaida in Afghanistan, we have the other terrorist group, the Haqqani Network. This group is directly linked to al-Qaida and the Taliban. The Haqqani Network is responsible for more American deaths in the region than any other terrorist group. The Haqqani Network attacks inside Afghanistan have been directly traced back to-- you guessed it--Pakistan. In fact, in 2011, Admiral Mike Mullen, then-chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified before the Senate: ``The Haqqani Network acts as a veritable arm of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Agency.'' The truth is that Pakistan has ties to about every terrorist group in Afghanistan. And we know that the Taliban is still based in Pakistan today. It came as no surprise that when the U.S. drone strike killed the leader of the Taliban in 2016, he was--that is right--in Pakistan. The laundry list of evidence of Pakistan support for terrorists goes on an on. We all remember where al-Qaida leader and America's most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden, was found and killed: in Pakistan. Afghanistan's representative to the U.N. recently told the Security Council that Pakistan maintains ties with more than 20 different terrorist groups. Mr. Speaker, Pakistan is playing us. Pakistan turns a blind eye to the terrorist allies, the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network fighters in the area. The Pakistan Taliban fighters ended up becoming the leaders of the ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan, known as ISIS Khorasan province. ISIS announced their Afghan affiliate in January 2015, and now has entrenched itself in the eastern part of the country. For the first time ever, the military dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb, the Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, earlier this month on ISIS targets in Afghanistan. It is no surprise that Afghanistan is a hotbed for terrorist mischief groups, all related to Pakistan. That is what Pakistan has always wanted: a weak and divided Afghanistan that threatens the United States. Mr. Speaker, it is time we reassess our Pakistan policy so that it matches Pakistan's behavior in Afghanistan. We need to call Pakistan out. We must reduce aid to the two-faced Pakistan Government. We don't need to pay them to betray us. We must designate Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism, and we must remove their major non-NATO ally status. In the war on terror, it is crystal clear Pakistan is not on America's side. And that is just the way it is.