Ted Poe

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, Congress has made it clear that it will not stand for this new scourge that we are finding in our country of human sex trafficking. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act passed the United States Senate 99-0, and it passed the House of Representatives before that with only 3 Members voting against it and all 400-plus voting for it. Modern-day slavery does happen in the United States. It is a multibillion-dollar business. It is second only to the international crime syndicates of drug trafficking for the amount of money that is raised. It is not time for us to lower the amount of money we have for grants that will assist the victims of this scourge. That is why my amendment brings in just $17.3 million to this fund that was cut. This $17.3 million will bring it up to last year's level so that $43 million will go for victim services and victim grants. Where does this money come from? From where are we taking it? We are taking it out of the periodic censuses and programs and applying it to this fund. The periodic censuses and programs--let me make it clear--is not the constitutional census counting that is required to be done by the Census Bureau. This is another program that the Census Bureau has. It is sometimes called the American Community Survey, which is very intrusive. Without really much choice, it asks citizens numerous questions that are an invasion of their privacy. For example: What time do you go to work? What time do you get home from work? Does anybody in your household have a mental illness or disease? They are questions such as these that are very intrusive. The Census Bureau shouldn't be asking these questions. Set aside that anyway. With this money, rather than asking people in the community--citizens--to tell us what time they go to work or what time they go during the day to different appointments, like doctors' appointments, we should show the priority of putting just $17 million of that money back into this appropriation to help the victims of trafficking. It will bring it up to last year's level of a mere $43 million of grant money. That is what this legislation does. It ensures that we are telling trafficking victims there will be money available for grants to assist them and money available for law enforcement to assist them in their training. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for bringing up the American Community Survey and where it came from. That is irrelevant. The issue is Americans should not be required to give personal information to the Federal Government. If they want to fill out this form, go for it. Make it voluntary. Fill it out and send the Federal Government all the information you can come up with about what takes place in your residence. But it should not be required. The Federal Government could get this information some other way. They could go to polling. The idea that they have got to go door to door to get this information when information is gathered all over the country by different businesses not going door to door--the government can do it other ways and not violate the right of privacy. I would ask that this amendment be adopted that basically requires the American Community Survey to be voluntary, and that the fine that is allowed by law not be allowed or not be collected under this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas. I have an amendment at the desk regarding the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, with multiple cosponsors.

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the chairman, and I also thank the ranking member. What the amendment does--and I will work with the committee on this-- is exactly what the ranking member said. In one word, it finds out ``justice.'' We free the innocent and we convict the guilty, but we can't do it unless these rape kits are analyzed. So I hope the committee figures out a way to have the Justice Department do what they are supposed to do that Congress has already told them to do. Good luck with that. Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.

Mr. POE of Texas. In conclusion, I want to thank the minority, Ms. Lofgren, and all the cosponsors on this, as well as the chairman of the subcommittee, for their support. On the issue of privacy, in this time where we have threats to this country, we can have security and we can certainly have privacy, and we can have the Constitution be followed as well. The Fourth Amendment has always required that if the government wants to search, the government must follow certain rules. And those rules are that you must get a warrant from a judge based on probable cause. That is still the law of the land, even in 2015. All this amendment does is ensure the fact that the government--the FBI--follows the Constitution. The idea that the Federal Government wants to have encryption in American cell phones so they can have access to the information is repulsive. So all this does is keep the Federal Government out of our business without appropriate constitutional protections. I ask for support of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the rains came down and the floods came up. And although Texas did not receive Noah's 40 days and 40 nights of rain, the recent 10 days of rain were of Biblical proportions. The whole State received the incessant rain. And about the time we thought it was all over on Saturday morning, it all happened again Saturday night, flooding many of the same homes and communities throughout the State. In Houston, six, so far, have died. Statewide, there are now 24 deaths. Eleven are still missing in Hays County when the Blanco River rose so fast at night it trapped people in over 200 resort homes that were on the river--homes that eventually washed away. Many of Texas' rivers--the Trinity, the Colorado, the Brazos, and the San Jacinto-- rose at rapid record rates and are still out of their banks. Weather experts, Mr. Speaker, said so much rain fell in Texas in May that it was enough moisture to cover the entire State in 8 inches of water. That is a lot of rain. Seventy counties have been designated disaster areas. But the rainbow news, Mr. Speaker, is that many, many voluntarily helped their neighbors and strangers survive the troubled waters of the floods. Here is just one example. The hard rain in Dallas flooded the Trinity River. Dallas is in north Texas. The Trinity River flows south down to southeast Texas near Houston, and the added rain in southeast Texas had the Trinity River the size of the Mississippi River. As the river rose in southeast Texas, a herd of cattle were trapped in the middle of the river on high ground. This high ground was eventually going to be overcome with water and the cattle would be washed out to sea. The river at this point is between the two small towns of Liberty and Dayton, about 6 miles apart, separated by U.S. highway 90. So Sunday, in a scene reminiscent of the 1800s roundups, cowboys mounted airboats--yes, airboats, Mr. Speaker--to force the hundreds of cattle into the river and have them swim to safer ground. The only area that had high ground was U.S. highway 90. The highway was above the water, even though water was on both sides of the highway. The roundup took several hours because, Mr. Speaker, cattle are hardheaded. They did not want to leave the high ground and swim to a highway. So it took several hours to do this. Even the cowboys were lassoing calves and tying them to the airboat so they wouldn't drown. Finally, after many hours, all the cattle were forced up on U.S. highway 90 between Liberty and Dayton, Texas. Now, what do you do with them? Well, the cowboys, now on horses, along with citizens and other volunteers, herded the cattle down U.S. highway 90 to Dayton, Texas, through Main Street of Dayton, Texas. The citizens came out with their kids to see the cattle drive through Dayton, Texas, and they moved these several hundred of cattle to a rail yard where they will be kept, that is the highest area in the county, until the flood waters finally are diminished. Of course, local businesses helped out: a local store, Casa Don Boni in Liberty; and, of course, the Sonic, always present in Dayton, supported the volunteers with food and drinks; and other businesses as well helped. This is an example of how, during a troubled time, tough times, Texans are helping each other survive this catastrophic flooding. So, now, Mr. Speaker, that the rains that came down and the flood that came up have subsided and the earth has returned to its dry land, our prayers go out to the ones who lost family, friends, and property. God bless every one of them. And we also give grateful thanks to those that helped each other during the floods of May. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, after the massive earthquake shook Nepal, Eric Jean and Della Hoffman were stranded on a remote trail with a group of other backpackers. Friends of theirs from their time in college at Rice University, which is in my district, contacted my office for help. We worked with the State Department to set them free. Five days after the earthquake, Special Forces came to the village and rescued them. Ms. Hoffman would later recall, ``I don't think we even knew what was happening until some of the villagers ran out of the hut and then, immediately after that, the boulders just started coming down from both sides of the canyon, including into the village and on top of the houses.'' Six U.S. Marines and two Nepalese soldiers sacrificed their lives attempting to save others just like Eric and Della when their helicopter crashed. I stand with my colleagues in support of House Resolution 235, and urge the administration to work with the Nepal government and the international community to deliver aid quickly, easily, and with long- term rebuilding in mind. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the PATRIOT Act was designed to protect us from terrorists abroad. Now we have learned that section 215 of the PATRIOT Act has been abused by the NSA, and it is spying on Americans, taking metadata. But there is more. There is another law. The FISA Amendments Act of 2008, section 702, allows the seizure, without a warrant, of the content of emails, text messages, and phone calls by our government. Congress must address this, as it has addressed section 215 of the PATRIOT Act. It also allows, under 702, the backdoor search; in other words, NSA can go into Google and seize information about Americans without a warrant. NSA cannot be trusted to protect and follow America's laws that protect our privacy. This Soviet-style surveillance on Americans has got to stop. The right of privacy is sacred. I have introduced, along with Zoe Lofgren, a bipartisan bill to eliminate section 702 so that Americans are protected. We cannot allow the bruising of the Fourth Amendment by the snooping NSA under the false claim of national security. If you have probable cause to seize that information, get a warrant under the Constitution of the United States. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, April 2nd was expected to be just another day at Garissa University College in Kenya. But in the early morning hours, students awoke in terror as armed gunman stormed the campus. They claimed to be militants from Al-Qaeda's offshoot--Al- Shabaab. The students' fate was determined by their religion. The terrorists allowed Muslims to leave and kept an unknown number of Christians hostage. After nearly 15 hours of fear, 147 people were killed. Groups like Al-Shabaab, ISIS, Boko Haram, and many more allow for no compromise and are intent on spreading oppression and fear amongst those who do not share their ideology. I commend the first responders and ordinary Kenyans who showed tremendous heroism that day, and my deepest condolences go out to the families and victims of this senseless attack. H. Res. 213 reaffirms United States' commitment to the multilateral, global fight against violent extremists. We must be vigilant in this fight, and we must allow for no compromise when there are threats to freedom. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it's Friday night. You come home from work, tired and hungry for supper. There is a big stack of mail on the table you sift through, including one piece addressed to you from the government. You open the envelope only to find a survey. The survey asks you a series of questions like: How many toilets do you have in your house? When do you leave and return from work? Does anyone in your home suffer from mental illness? Does your house have a sink with a faucet? Do you have a refrigerator? This government-mandated questionnaire is known as the American Community Survey. Three million Americans each year are ``lucky'' enough to be selected to answer this mandatory survey. The American Community Survey is independent from the Census. This survey is more intrusive, more personal and more time consuming. Not to mention, it is 28 pages long and mandatory. Understandably, many people dismiss this survey, tossing it out or feeling too uncomfortable to divulge such personal information. But throwing it away does not make it disappear. If you fail to answer the survey, the government will come after you. It begins with phone calls. If the calls go answered or the survey is incomplete, the calls will increase from weekly to daily. Then the eyes of the federal government are sent to houses of the unwilling, to ring the doorbell and peak in the window. This is harassment. No one wants the government doing drop-ins to their home. Quite the opposite, the majority of Americans want the government to leave them alone. And on top of all the harassment and intimidation by Census Bureau emissaries, citizens who still choose not to answer, are threatened with a criminal penalty, and in some cases face up to a $5,000 fine. In an effort to help protect American's privacy, I reintroduced legislation that would make the American Community Survey voluntary. This survey is another example of unnecessary and completely unwarranted government intrusion. The federal government has no right to force Americans to divulge such private information, especially information that they are uncomfortable giving away. But this is happening all over America and even right here in Southeast Texas. I have had neighbors contact me for years complaining about this government harassment. According to the Constitution, article 1, section 2, a count of the nation's population is required to be conducted every ten years. The purpose of the Census is to apportion congressional seats and levy direct taxes. But the American Community Survey achieves none of that, except information on American's toilet flushing patterns. I believe in a limited government and will work to protect American citizens from government abuse and harassment. Bottom line, Americans should have the choice on whether they want to tell Washington how many toilets they have. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk a concurrent resolution and ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in the early morning hours of Monday, while most of the city was asleep, the diligent Houston Police Department responded to a robbery call at an Exxon service station. The lawmen approach the scene, and they see a suspect speed off in what turned out to be a stolen U-Haul truck. The police follow the truck, and the high-speed chase is on. The outlaw abandons the truck, carjacks a woman, pushes her out of the minivan, and continues his flight. The outlaw fires shots at the police and keeps fleeing in the darkness of the morning hours. Houston Police Officer Richard Martin, aware of the chase and ahead of it, jumps out of his patrol car and starts placing spike strips on the road to stop the approaching vehicle. The criminal sees Officer Martin and intentionally runs over him and kills him. Then the criminal continues on a 20-mile run from the law in the city of Houston. He is later cornered by the police in a standoff, and then he shoots himself and is taken to the hospital. As he lingered in the hospital, the district attorney, Devon Anderson, prepared capital murder charges against him, but the killer died, thus avoiding the hangman. The outlaw had a long criminal history. Officer Richard Martin was a Houston police officer. He was 47 years of age. He had only been a peace officer for 4 years, and he worked at the Westside patrol division. Prior to being a police officer, he had been in private industry for 20 years. Officer Martin was also a veteran. He spent 4 years on Active Duty in the United States Air Force, then spent 8 years as a reservist in the United States Air Force. Being a police officer was his ultimate goal, so in his early forties, he became a Houston police officer. In just 4 short years, Officer Martin became a field officer. His captain said that he crammed 20 years of policing in the 4 years that he served as a Houston police officer. This speaks volume about his character as a lawman. He was the father of two, a 22-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son; and he loved being actively involved in his children's lives, including his son's baseball team. Mr. Speaker, just last week, our Nation celebrated National Police Week, honoring the daily sacrifices of peace officers like Officer Martin. Just across the way here, on the west side of the Capitol, last Friday, the families of those who had lost peace officers were here, surrounded by thousands and thousands of other police officers and the public to show their respect for those who are killed in the line of duty; and how quickly we are reminded, again, of their sacrifices. Officer Martin's life was callously and coldly robbed and stolen from us and his family, and the Houston community is now in mourning. Our first responders are a special breed, those like Officer Richard Martin. They work selflessly to maintain and restore order in communities and neighborhoods across America. While we sleep, those that wear the badge are vigilantly and always on patrol, protecting us from the evil ones. For these remarkable men and women, their safety is never guaranteed. While the badge and the uniform represents safety for citizens, it is a target for the unlawful. We do take comfort in the fact that as long as criminals walk and wander our streets looking to do mischief, refusing to follow the law, peace officers will always be there on patrol, officers like Richard Martin. Officer Martin was one of those officers. He was one of Houston's finest. Friday, the city of Houston will lay to rest Officer Richard Martin. Peace officers will wear the black cloth ribbon of sacrifice across their badges as they stand in silent mourning for one of their brothers in blue. The bagpipes will play ``Amazing Grace,'' and the flags will be lowered, as yet one more of our best is laid to rest for sacrificing his life for the rest of us. Peace officers wear the badge over their heart as a symbol of their willingness to put themselves between us and the lawless. Officer Martin was a noble citizen who represented everything that is good and right about our society. With heavy hearts, we send prayers and thoughts to his family and those of the thin blue line in the Houston Police Department. We thank Officer Martin for giving his life for our town. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. America's kids, Mr. Speaker, are not for sale. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the chairman for bringing this legislation promptly to the House floor today. Mr. Speaker, it was 155 years ago that this Nation debated in this Chamber several volatile issues, including slavery. After 600,000 Americans, both from the North and the South, died in war, slavery was forever banned by the 13th Amendment to our Constitution. Now, in our time, this ugly scourge has risen its head again one more time. The evil enterprise has taken on the enslavement of women and children. Traffickers--slave masters--buy and sell the young in the marketplace of child sex exploitation. They treat these victims as cattle to be led to the stockyards of slavery. The traffickers even brand the victims, Mr. Speaker, on the neck so that other traffickers will know whose property they are. The illicit revenue from trafficking is second only to the drug trade; and, as has been mentioned, my hometown of Houston seems to be the hub for child sex trafficking in United States. The average age of the minor sex traffic victim, Mr. Speaker, is 13. Maria was an 11-year-old girl. She met a person that treated her nicely. He was an older male. Traffickers, Mr. Speaker, do not wear long trench coats. They are relatively young, good-looking guys. He enticed her; he brought her some presents; he took her to his home, and then she became a slave. At 11 years old, she was sold on the marketplace for a long time, until she was able to escape the traffickers. That is what is taking place in our country. Today, unlike 155 years ago, this Congress is united in stopping this curse of slavery. Ten bills dealing with sex trafficking overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives. One of those was one that I sponsored, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, along with Carolyn Maloney, who is here today. Mr. Speaker, these are all bipartisan pieces of legislation, and you don't get much more bipartisan than Carolyn Maloney from New York and Ted Poe from Texas agreeing. We are only separated, as Churchill said, by a common language. I want to thank her for her hard work for years on the issue of trafficking. The Senate combined these 10 bills, made some positive changes, and their bill passed the Senate 99-0. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act goes after the trafficker--the slave master, the slaveholder. It treats the child as a victim and not as a criminal and not as a child prostitute. It rescues the victim, and it targets the demand--the buyer, the child abuser-- that buys these children for pleasure. This legislation also allows Federal judges to impose not only prison for these criminals, but may order that fees go into a fund. That fund can be used for victims' services and even training for peace officers. Make these criminals pay the rent on the courthouse and pay for the system that they have created. I want to thank all those that have been involved in these numerous issues. I especially want to thank the ladies of the House of Representatives on both sides for bringing this issue to a vote today. They are very powerful, Mr. Speaker, on this issue. They deserve recognition. I also want to commend Senator Cornyn for the legislation he pushed forward--the original bill that we are voting on today--in the Senate of the United States. Mr. Speaker, America can no longer deny the inconvenient truth of sex trafficking. The enslavement of children is not acceptable, and it will not be tolerated. It will not be tolerated in this country, and it is not going to be tolerated in other countries as well. Mr. Speaker, I will insert into the Record a letter sent by 163 different organizations in support of this legislation. April 29, 2015. Hon. John Boehner, Speaker, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Speaker Boehner and Minority Leader Pelosi: We are an alliance of organizations and individual advocates from across the United States dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable women and children. We write to express our support for the Senate anti-trafficking package, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, as amended, S. 178 (JVTA package) recently voted out of the Senate unanimously. This package, which includes nearly all of the trafficking bills passed overwhelmingly by the House in January, would provide much needed services to victims of human trafficking and help ensure that child victims ensnared in the sex trade are no longer arrested and treated as criminals. According to the FBI, over 80 percent of all confirmed sex trafficking cases in the U.S. involve U.S. citizens, yet across the country, victims still lack basic necessities. Simply stated, there are more animal shelters in our country than programs or beds for victims of trafficking. This critical legislation provides unprecedented support to victims, who for too long have endured arrest, imprisonment, and stigma for their victimization instead of support and services. The Senate package contains critical funding for housing and services--a crucial element the House companion lacks. Moreover, the legislation supports training for federal prosecutors and judges on the importance of requesting and ordering restitution, so that victims can receive the compensation they are rightly owed by law. Every day in this country, thousands of women and children are bought and sold. The unfettered demand for sex has caused pimps and exploiters to resort to more extreme tactics in order to meet exploding demand. The JVTA package directs the Department of Justice to incorporate strategies for reducing demand into anti-trafficking training programs and sting operations, including Innocence Lost. Women and children, especially girls, are advertised online where buyers purchase them with ease and anonymity. This happens in every city, in every state. The JVTA package would help fight online exploitation and work to bring buyers of child sex to justice. It creates a new partnership with wounded warriors, training them to serve as online investigators of child pornography and exploitation. Advocates know: this is the most comprehensive and thoughtful piece of anti-trafficking legislation in years. The JVTA package represents a tremendous bipartisan effort to provide necessary support and protections for our victims of human trafficking, and at long last ends the culture of impunity for those who purchase our most vulnerable for sex. But these victims have waited too long. After several years of advocacy and over a month of delay on the Senate side, we are just one step away from providing this population with justice and healing. As leaders in the anti-trafficking, anti-violence, faith- based, child welfare, law enforcement, and human rights movements, we urge the House to take up and pass this vital legislation without delay. Sincerely, Human Rights Project for Girls (Rights4Girls); National Domestic Violence Hotline; Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW); Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN); ECPAT-USA; Girls Inc.; Shared Hope International; Equality Now; National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ); National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO); National Alliance to End Sexual Violence; New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault; Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Services; Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault; Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence; Florida Council Against Sexual Violence; New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence; Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence. Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault; Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services; National Children's Alliance (NCA); Jewish Women International (JWI); Children's Advocacy Institute; National Association of Counsel for Children; Courtney's House, survivor-led service provider; PROTECT; First Focus Campaign for Children; Franciscan Action Network; Breaking Free, survivor-led service provider; The Organization for Prostitution Survivors; Religious Sisters of Charity; Sanctuary for Families; Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic. Dominican Sisters of Peace; DC Rape Crisis Center; Congregation of St. Joseph; Religious of the Sacred Heart; Survivors for Solutions, survivor-led service provider; YouthSpark; Poverty Elimination and Community Action (PEACE) Foundation; Providence House Inc.; Freedom From Exploitation; Society of the Holy Child Jesus, American Province; Sisters of Mercy; Second Life of Chattanooga; Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest; Advocacy for Justice and Peace Committee of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia; Naomi Project; YWCA National Capital Area; U.S. Fund for UNICEF. National Center for Youth Law (NYCL); Christ United Methodist Church; ENC Stop Human Trafficking; Sisters of St. Joseph CA; W. Haywood Burns Institute; Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary; School Sisters of Notre Dame--CP Province Shalom--JPIC Office; WestCoast Children's Clinic; Pan Pacific and South East Asia Women's Association; Trinity Health; Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk, U.S. Province; Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE). Dominican Sisters of Hope; Wildwood United Methodist Church; Daughters of Mary and Joseph; Presbyterian Women; Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, Western American Province; San Francisco Department on the Status of Women; Enterprising and Professional Women--NYC; MPower Mentoring; Children Now; Hollywood Business and Professional Women; Mark P. Lagon, Former Ambassador-At-Large to Combat Trafficking in Persons, U.S. Dept. of State. Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center; Perhaps Kids Meeting Kids Can Make A Difference; California Federation Business & Professional Women; Virginia Beach Justice Initiative; Sex Trafficking Survivors United; Burning Bush Moments; Sara Kruzan, Survivor Advocate; Mary David, Survivor Advocate; Mentari, New York-based trafficking provider; MISSSEY Inc.; WITNESS; World Outreach Worship Center; Citizens Against Trafficking; Culture Reframed; Parenting Project. Human Trafficking Awareness; Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth; Samaritan House; Regent Law Center for Global Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law; The Advisory Council on Child Trafficking; Center for Global Justice; Slavery Today; The Salvation Army 614 Corps; Regent Law Center for Global Justice; Dare for More; Sisters of St. Joseph NW PA; The Samaritan Women; Worthwhile: Go; CHI Memorial Community Health Center; Hamilton County Health Department. City Church of Chattanooga; The Healing Place of Hampton Roads; Lee University; Hope Hollow Exploitation Victim Assistance and Consultation Services; Task Force Against Human Trafficking for the Episcopal Diocese of New York; Protect HER; Mary Kay Cosmetics; Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking; Chattanooga Women's Club; Brainerd Baptist Church; Young America Ministries. Lions Club; United Methodist Women; Duoloyi Ministry; Hamilton County Health Department; Gateway Christian Center; Sisters of Charity; OLP Foundation; The Advocates for Human Rights; Burks United Methodist Church; Sisters of Providence; Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes; Chattanooga Coalition Against Human Trafficking; Regent University Center for Global Justice; Episcopal Diocese of New York. Jewish Child Care Association; All Saints Institute for Asian American Concerns; Therapeutic Interventions, Inc.; Church of the Incarnation; Lutheran Family Services of Virginia; Center for Global Justice at Regent Law; Children's Law Center of California; Seraphim Global; Christina Oaks; Chattanooga State Community College; Savior Arts, Inc.; Church of the Holy Comforter; Sex Trade 101; Project Woman, Ohio-based domestic violence and sexual assault center. John Jay College of Criminal Justice; The Up Center; Foster Family-based Treatment Association; Alternatives to Violence Center; Tri County Help Center, Inc.; Alameda County Foster Youth Alliance; Business and Professional Women (BPW); Amara Legal Center; All Saints Episcopal Church; University of Hawai'i at Manoa; Advancing the Ministries of the Gospel (AMG) International; Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth; St. Paul's Episcopal Church. New York Presbyterian Church; First Centenary United Methodist Church; West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services; Rape Crisis Team Trumbull County; Cleveland Rape Crisis Center; Poverty Elimination and Community Education (PEACE) Foundation; SHEBA USA; Hope Tree Family Services.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the chairman for yielding, and I want the chairman to know that I support the amendment en bloc, and I support the bill as well. Mr. Chair, the number of foreign fighters traveling to Syria and Iraq to join ISIS is increasing at an alarming, dramatic rate. The Director of the National Counterterrorism Center said that more foreign fighters have joined ISIS in the last 2 years than those who went to Afghanistan or Iraq in the last 20 years. More than 180 of these fighters are from the United States. These killers are not just going to fight and die on the battlefields of Iraq and Syria. Many return home to their home countries as trained, battle-hardened Islamic radicals. Before Moner Mohammad Abusalha became the first American to carry out a suicide bomb in Syria, he had already been to Syria and back to the United States as a trained suicide killer. The United States Government didn't even know this. We need a comprehensive strategy to reduce the flow of foreign fighters from ISIS to the United States and foreign fighters going to train with ISIS. This amendment requires such a strategy. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this week is National Police Week. We take this time to honor local, state and federal law enforcement officers for their tireless dedication. We also remember those who have been killed in the line of duty. Every day, brave men and women across the country put on the uniform, pin on the badge, and place themselves in harm's way to serve and protect our communities. I grew up in a small town outside of Temple, Texas. When I was 5 or 6 years old, my dad took me to watch a parade in Temple. I noticed a man standing at the curb who was not in the parade, just watching it and the people in the crowd. Of course, it was a local police officer. When my dad saw me watching this individual, he told me something I never forgot, ``If you are ever in trouble, if you ever need help, go to the person who wears the badge because they are a cut above the rest of us.'' Those words were true then and are true today. When people are in trouble and need help, who do they go to? Peace officers. These peace officers serve as the barrier between the law and the lawless, and they are all that separate us from the criminals and bad guys. Everyone remembers where they were on 9/11 when they learned of the terrorist attack. I was driving to the courthouse in Houston, listening to the radio when it was interrupted with news about the airplane that crashed into the World Trade Center. As I continued, I heard that a second plane had crashed into the Second Tower, then another plane crashed in Pennsylvania, and then a fourth plane crashed not far from here, into the Pentagon. As thousands of people ran away from the terrorist attack in New York, a much smaller group ran in the opposite direction--towards the scene of the attack--to help. This group was comprised of emergency technicians, firefighters, and peace officers. Seventy-two peace officers gave their lives that day. They, along with other first responders, gave the ultimate sacrifice so that others could live. This week we gather to honor peace officers from across the country for their service and sacrifice. We honor them because they truly are, as my dad said many years ago, ``a cut above the rest of us.'' My home state of Texas is home to some of America's finest lawmen. During my 22 years as a judge, I had the distinct privilege of working alongside many of them. These peace officers put their lives on the line each and every day to protect us all. But that protection comes at a price. Almost 60,000 lawmen each year are injured in the line of duty, and an average of 150 officers are killed in the line of duty each year. In 2014, 117 law enforcement officers were killed; 11 of these brave souls were from the great state of Texas: Mark Uland Kelley of the Trinity University Police Department; Detective Charles Dinwiddie of the Kileen Police Department; Sergeant Paul A. Buckles of the Potter County Sheriff's Office; Chief of Police Lee Dixon of the Little River-Academy Police Department; Chief of Police Michael Pimentel of the Elmendorf Police Department; Border Patrol Agent Tyler R. Robledo of the United States Department of Homeland Security--Customs and Boarder Protection--United States Border Patrol; Senior Deputy Jessica Laura Hollis of the Travis County Sheriffs Office; Sergeant Michael Lee Naylor of the Midland County Sheriffs Office; Deputy Sheriff Jesse Valdez, III of the Harris County Sheriff's Office; Constable Robert Parker White of the El Paso County Constable's Office--Precinct One; and Sergeant Alejandro ``Alex'' Martinez of the Willacy County Sheriff's Office. These 10 men and 1 woman represent all that is good and right in our country. This week we remember those brave Texas officers and all officers who have been killed or wounded in the line of duty. And we say ``thank you'' to the thousands of men and women who continue to serve. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Peggy Pickens has served as a pillar of the greater Humble/Kingwood community for over thirty-five years, devoting herself to her family, church, and school communities. A native Houstonian, Mrs. Pickens graduated from Phyllis Wheatley High School in the historic Fifth Ward, going on to earn a degree in education from the University of Houston in 1974 and a Master's Degree in Counseling from Prairie View A&M University. She then began her career in education as a teacher in the Aldine Independent School District at Teague Middle School, Nimitz High School, and MacArthur High School. In 1987, Mrs. Pickens joined the Counseling team at Kingwood High School, serving with true distinction until her retirement from public education in 2002. Immediately following her first retirement, Mrs. Pickens began developing the Counseling program at Northeast Christian Academy. During her successful tenure at NCA, Mrs. Pickens has assisted over three hundred graduating seniors earn acceptance into some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in our nation. Through the guidance of Mrs. Pickens, NCA graduates have successfully attended such schools as Stanford University, Duke, Vanderbilt, West Point, the United States Air Force Academy, Rice University, the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University. Her love of students and commitment to their lifelong success has been the hallmark of her distinguished career. Yet, not only has Mrs. Pickens invested herself into the lives of countless students, but she has faithfully served her church community at Second Baptist Church North Campus in Kingwood for over a decade. Through the teaching of various Bible studies, the mentoring of others, as well as numerous public speaking engagements, Mrs. Pickens has modeled for others the life of a servant leader in all she has done. Her influence and impact on the lives of others has been a living testimony to the work of Christ and His gospel in and through her. Peggy Pickens and her husband Al have five children and twelve grandchildren, each of whom have continued their legacy of service to Christ, their families, our nation, and their communities. She we will be greatly missed, yet the seeds that she has sown throughout her tenure at NCA will continue to bear great fruit in the lives of the future graduates of Northeast Christian Academy. As the husband and father of school teachers, I know that educators, like Peggy, are the backbone of our communities. Thanks for the work you've done Peggy, best of luck in newest chapter of your life. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, located just off the railroad tracks in Old Town Spring, Texas, sits a quaint cafe. But this is no ordinary joint. The Wunsche Brothers Cafe and Saloon has been around since 1902. The cafe fries up great American classics like burgers, fries, onion rings, chicken-fried steak, basically all the makings for a post-lunch nap. It originally opened its doors as a hotel and saloon, but the cafe has stayed in business for over 100 years. Wunsche Cafe has morphed into a community icon and is somewhat of a local legend. It even attracts out-of-towners, why? Because it's haunted. It's said that the original owner, Charlie Wunsche, roams the restaurant, pranking workers. A little mischievous, but good natured, the spirit of Charlie hides items, messes with electronics and employees and is even said to have been spotted. Charlie, I'm sure, is just watching over his business, wanting to make sure it serves its customers well, who can blame him? Sadly the century old cafe suffered a mishap recently. The newest addition to the Wunsche Brother's Cafe burst into flames in the early morning hours. The flames engulfed the cafe, however thankfully there were no injuries reported. But here is where the story gets interesting, or maybe a little spooky, the original wooden, 1900's structure only sustained smoke damage (that's the part that is haunted). The new additions, put into place around the mid 80's, suffered the most destruction. The historic foundation still stands strong, showing the community that amongst the piles of soot and insulation, there is hope. The cafe's new owner, Nathan Lavaige, has remained firm in his promise that they will rebuild. It will keep on standing, making delicious meals for Texans and tourists from all over. Haunted or not, someone was watching over the cafe in those early morning hours. I am more inclined to think it was Charlie, but we will never know. Thanks to the Wunsche Brothers Cafe for 113 years of serving up comfort food to hungry customers and here's to the next 113 years. Best wishes in the rebuild. The Houston community cannot wait until the cafe reopens. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, a miraculous thing happened recently in Washington. Both parties came together to negotiate important legislation, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, moving beyond partisan attacks and rhetoric to find common ground. Their compromise passed the Senate by a vote of 99-0. This is not only important from a procedural, functional standpoint, it's important because it will help fight a major problem in our society: human trafficking, one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises in the United States. We urge the House to bring the Senate bill up for a vote without delay. Many of us do not realize that in this nation, and in our own backyards, individuals are held against their will, their bodies sold repeatedly day in and day out. This modern-day form of slavery is an enormous black market, with an estimated value of $9.8 billion in the U.S. The average age of children sold into the sex trade is just 13. As Americans, and as parents and grandparents, we cannot turn a blind eye to this fact any more. Human trafficking is real. It is in every state, city and suburb in America. It is imperative that we protect American children from the traffickers who prey upon the most vulnerable in our society. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act is a robust and aggressive response that does three main things. First, the bill targets demand. Going after those who buy and sell our children will help decimate this industry. The legislation treats those who pay for sex with minors and other trafficking victims as criminals and will help prosecutors put them where they belong: behind bars. Second, the bill focuses on restoring the victims. Children who are sold for sex are victims, not prostitutes, and it's time to treat them as such by ensuring that they have a safe place to stay, resources they need for rehabilitation and services uniquely tailored for human trafficking survivors. Lastly, the bill provides resources to train law enforcement and others who may come into contact with human trafficking victims to better identify and respond to their needs. The bill creates a fund built from fees and fines collected from convicted traffickers. We urge the House to bring S. 178, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, to the floor for a vote and send it to the president's desk for signature. It will be a powerful day when Washington can stand together to proclaim, ``Our children are not for sale.''

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, police officers are the barrier between good and evil. They do society's dirty work. They are the fence between the law and the lawless. These men and women in uniform are our Nation's peace officers. Every day, peace officers rush into chaos and toward crime that everyone else is running away from. And every day, these officers risk their lives for the rest of us. When New York Police Officer Brian Moore set out for patrol on Saturday, May 2, he did not know that would be his last day on patrol. Officer Moore and fellow Officer Erik Jansen were driving in Queens, New York, that evening when they saw someone who was obviously suspicious, so they did what they should do. They went up to that individual to check out what was going on. Officer Moore drove up behind the suspicious individual and asked him this question: ``Do you have something in your waist?'' Allegedly, the callous criminal, Mr. Speaker, coldly replied: ``Yeah, I've got something in my pocket,'' and he pulled out a gun and fired three shots into Officer Moore's patrol car, killing Officer Moore. The soulless criminal then fled in the darkness of the night. Officer Moore was rushed to the hospital, where he spent 2 days before he died. He was 25 years of age when he was killed. He was young, bright, and committed to the badge that he wore over his heart. In his short career, Officer Moore received two exceptional police service commendations. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton of the New York Police Department noted, ``They don't give those medals out easily. He worked very hard for those.'' Officer Moore earned those two medals in less than 5 years. He was an exceptional police officer, even at a very young age. Being a peace officer wasn't a job for Officer Moore; it was a cause. It was in his blood. He was the son, nephew, and cousin of New York police officers, and the job had deep roots in the Moore family. Officer Moore lived with his father, a retired police officer. He was meant for the uniform, and he was killed because of the uniform. It is an absolute tragedy that his young life was stolen from not only his family, but the police department and the community that he honorably served and protected. Last Monday, as Officer Moore's body was transferred from a Queens hospital, the ambulance drove by a thin blue line of peace officers who stood in silent salute, paying their respects to Officer Moore. Peace officers, Mr. Speaker, are the first to respond to the call for help when someone is in trouble. That is who they call. The police are the first and last line of defense between criminals and citizens. And it is somewhat ironic, Mr. Speaker, that our society counts on police officers to protect their communities, to protect their property, and restore order, yet they are targeted and criticized when they try to do their job to protect the rest of us. We thank the peace officers who, in spite of this, continue to protect and serve neighborhoods. As long as criminals are on our streets and in our neighborhoods refusing to follow society's law, peace officers are absolutely necessary. As a country, we should mourn the loss of all those in law enforcement who devote their life's work to restoring order in our community. Since Officer Moore's murder on May 2, two other peace officers were murdered in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, this week is National Police Week. This Friday, right here on the west side of the Capitol, the families of 126 peace officers killed in the line of duty last year, as well as the families of those from previous years, will gather. They will be surrounded by thousands of peace officers from all over the country and by citizens showing their respect during National Police Week. Of the 126 killed last year, which is a 24 percent increase from the previous year, 11 of those who were killed were from Texas. And here is the rollcall of the fallen: Mark Uland Kelley of the Trinity University Police Department. Detective Charles Dinwiddie of the Killeen Police Department. Sergeant Paul A. Buckles of the Potter County Sheriff's Office. Chief of Police Lee Dixon of the Little River-Academy Police Department. Chief of Police Michael Pimentel of the Elmendorf Police Department. Border Patrol Agent Tyler R. Robledo. Senior Deputy Jessica Laura Hollis of the Travis County Sheriff's Office. Sergeant Michael Lee Naylor of the Midland County Sheriff's Office. Deputy Sheriff Jesse Valdez, III, of the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Constable Robert Parker White of the El Paso County Constable's Office. Sergeant Alejandro ``Alex'' Martinez of the Willacy County Sheriff's Office. Mr. Speaker, all of these officers died because they were wearing the badge. As a former prosecutor and a former judge, I have known a lot of police officers. I have known some who have been killed in the line of duty. They, like Officer Moore, represent the best of America. This week, other police officers throughout the country will be wearing the black cloth of sacrifice over their badge or their star, showing respect for those who have fallen in the line of duty in this country. So we thank the families of the fallen. We thank the fallen for what they have done. We thank all of those who still protect and serve America. They are the best we have. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, nearly two years have passed since a then-unknown 29-year-old nerd-turned-international fugitive aired the NSA's dirty secrets to the world. Edward Snowden is no patriot. However, the alarming information about the NSA's abuse of power he revealed cannot be ignored. Until Snowden, most Americans were unaware that their own government was trampling on their Fourth Amendment rights. Most people did not know their every move could be tracked by Big Brother. They trusted that this agency acted purely in the interest of national security to keep us safe. Not only were Americans in the dark on this, but so were many Members of Congress (including myself) who voted for legislation that NSA then used and abused to conduct its rogue activities. Post 9/11 and with two ongoing wars, many believed that government surveillance--including warrantless searches and seizures--was limited to foreign nationals, not American citizens. That would be consistent with federal law and the Constitution. But this did not happen. For example, NSA uses Section 215 of the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act permits targeted surveillance when that surveillance is justified by a court. Instead, NSA collects bulk meta data--such as surveillance of phone numbers in whole zip codes or phone carriers. These Soviet Style dragnet tactics went far beyond the scope of what Congress authorized in Section 215 of the Patriot Act. Government simply cannot disregard the law just because it is inconvenient. We also now realized that the agency has misused and expanded the intent of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). NSA uses Section 702 as a means to gather not only data but content and to allow law enforcement to later search this data for information about American citizens without a warrant. Because it gathers and searches content of individual communications, Section 702 is more intrusive than Section 215. FISA permits the collection of such data of a suspected agent of a foreign power, but the federal government is also storing and later searching the content of emails, text messages and phone calls of American citizens--all without a warrant. In the course of this collection, the data of American citizens, many of which have done nothing wrong or illegal, gets collected. That kind of reverse targeting of American citizens is not what Congress intended, is inconsistent with the Constitution and must stop. The NSA has claimed it has no interest in monitoring the activity of ``ordinary'' Americans. My response to that is simple: then don't do it. But, most Americans have a hard time accepting that line. They question that for the simple fact that had Edward Snowden not revealed what was really going on within NSA in the first place, this snooping and spying would still be going on in the dark shadows of government operations. And, equally important, they know that this snooping and spying is still going on today. It's time for Congress to rein in this blatant violation of the Fourth Amendment and stop the warrantless searches of Americans. This issue--protecting the Fourth Amendment--has unified liberals and conservatives. This week, Congresswoman Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Congressman Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), and I introduced the End Warrantless Surveillance of Americans Act. The bill would prohibit warrantless searches of government databases for information that pertains to U.S. citizens. It would also forbid government agencies from mandating or requesting ``back doors'' into commercial products that can be used for surveillance. The legislation mirrors an amendment we offered to the USA Freedom Act, which was backed by a broad bipartisan coalition including Members of Congress and outside groups across the political spectrum. The USA Freedom Act that passed out of the Judiciary Committee last week is an improvement over current law and a step in the right direction. But we can do more to protect the Fourth Amendment. In addition to stopping bulk data collection, Congress should also act now to fix the other loophole and stop warrantless searches under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Failure to address this gaping loophole in FISA leaves the constitutional rights of millions of Americans vulnerable and unprotected. This bill also ensures that the federal government does not force companies to enable its spying activities. The NSA has and will continue to violate the constitutional protections guaranteed to every American unless Congress intervenes. Until we fix this and make the law clear, citizens can never be sure that their private conversations are safe from the eyes of the government. Last year the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed similar legislation as an amendment to DOD Appropriations. Congress should do all that it can to reform our national intelligence agencies and to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans, including passing this legislation to close the loophole and ensure that the NSA abides by the letter and spirit of the law. It is our duty to make this right and ensure that the Fourth Amendment rights of the people we represent will no longer be trampled on by the NSA. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Iran pretends like it wants peace, but it really wants to conquer the entire Middle East. While the Supreme Leader's henchmen meet with our diplomats in Geneva, the Iranians are building up their war technology. Iranian news sources indicate that since 2014, Iran has been developing combat suicide drones. This technology uses drones as suicide weapons to destroy jet aircraft, helicopters, and even warships. The drone development includes drones that elude radar, have tracking devices, and fly for hours with a long range. The Supreme Leader says he wants to destroy Israel and the United States and you know what? I believe him. He has used his terrorist proxy group Hezbollah to go after Israelis around the world. Hezbollah killed a bus full of Israeli tourists in Bulgaria. It was caught trying to kill Israelis in India, Turkey, Thailand, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. I was in Israel not too long ago and I met with Prime Minister Netanyahu. He told me the interim Iran nuclear deal was the worst deal of the century. A year later we have a so-called final deal that is just as bad if not worse than the interim deal. Iran gets to keep enriching uranium. It does not have to dismantle any of its nuclear infrastructure. No centrifuges will be disabled, no fissile material will be shipped out of the country, Arak will not be destroyed and Fordow will not be closed. That means at the end of the deal it basically just has to flip a switch to get a nuclear bomb. Why would we be okay with Iran getting a nuclear bomb in 10 or 15 years but not today? To use a football analogy, this deal puts Iran on the goal line with just inches to go before it scores a touchdown. The deal is also weak on inspections. Nowhere in any fact sheet is it clear that the IAEA will have ``anytime, anywhere'' inspections. In fact, an Iranian general said that military sites will be off limits. Our one point of leverage--tough sanctions that this Congress passed--the Administration seems ready to get rid of sooner rather than later. President Rouhani said ``We will not sign any agreement, unless all economic sanctions are totally lifted on the first day of the implementation of the deal.'' Then our President talked about giving Iran $10 billion up front from oil revenue that is frozen in Iran's bank account. That does not sound like a tough negotiator to me. As bad as this deal is, I'm not even sure there is a deal. Supreme Leader Khamenei said ``there are no binding results.'' And you know what? I hope he's right. As Netanyahu put it when he came to speak to Congress, ``the alternative to a bad deal is a better deal.'' We can reimpose sanctions, bring even tougher sanctions, and return to our original goals of bargaining: dismantle nuclear infrastructure (including centrifuges and enrichment facilities), no enrichment, require anytime/ anywhere snap inspections, stop research and development on advanced centrifuges, and no development of ICBMs. Right now, today, Iran is trying to gobble up Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. That is four countries in the Middle East. Now imagine what Iran would do once it had a nuclear weapon? We cannot let that happen. We must stop the Iranian mullahs that threaten both the United States and Israel. And that's just the way it is.