Frederica Wilson

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, while the world and mainstream media focuses on other world events, the Boko Haram terrorists continue to bomb, pillage, rape, and behead innocent men, women, and even children in Nigeria. Yesterday, I met with some of the girls who bravely escaped from their captors. As the girls relived their nightmare, the trauma of this experience was visible on their faces. I reassured them that Congress has not forgotten them and that I will be reintroducing legislation to help safely return their friends and family members and to eradicate Boko Haram. Mr. Speaker, when I visited Nigeria, a young woman, Abuja, told me that Boko Haram beheaded her husband and put his head on the bed next to her as they raped her. Mr. Speaker, Boko Haram is using kidnapped girls as suicide bombers. Boko Haram is beheading men, women, and children--let me repeat--and children. They must be stopped. Tweet today: #bringbackourgirls and #joinrepwilson. Tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet. Tweet all day, tweet all night, tweet all week, and tweet all month. Tweet, tweet, tweet.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Madam Speaker, Boko Haram's attacks on the people of Nigeria have become more vicious. Their wicked deeds are devastating men, women, and children, Christians, and Muslims. Everyone is a target. Like ISIS, the terrorist organization they align themselves with, Boko Haram, has beheaded hundreds of innocent people, including a 6-year-old Christian boy in June. Madam Speaker, this week, I am introducing a bill to help combat Boko Haram, and today I am meeting with five of the kidnapped girls who escaped from the terror of Boko Haram. Madam Speaker, we have a major international crisis to deal with in the Middle East and in Nigeria. Boko Haram has the potential to explode any day, like ISIS. They have killed hundreds, including elected officials. We shall tweet every day #bringbackourgirls to raise alarm over the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls. We must not forget these girls, and we must stop Boko Haram. Tweet, tweet, tweet: #bringbackourgirls. Tweet, tweet, tweet: #followrepwilson.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Thank you, Representative Horsford, and to all the Members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who are here tonight to contribute to this conversation regarding an issue that is oh so prevalent in our communities and has been there for generations. I just want to say to the President of the United States that I am extremely grateful for his vision in creating an initiative called My Brother's Keeper. My Brother's Keeper hopefully will address some of the issues that our young boys of color face. I want to say that there is so much friction between police and black boys. That friction has been there for generations, almost since slavery. And it is a conversation that black parents have to have with their young boys as soon as they probably get a driver's license. They have to talk to them about dealing with the police. And I want to say, in my hometown of Miami-Dade County, I founded a program called the 5000 Role Models of Excellence 22 years ago. We must realize that everyone just doesn't have a parent, they just don't have a responsible parent that can have that conversation with them. So we recruit mentors across this Nation to deal with these young men and try to teach them how to deal with some of the issues that impact especially boys of color but more specifically when it comes to the police black boys. The pamphlet starts out by saying if the police stop you, freeze, don't move, unless you are told to do so. Never run from the police. Always remain calm. Think, cooperate, speak clearly, ask questions if you have to, and it goes on and on. It is sad that we have to do this. We are not trying to break the spirits of young black boys, but we are trying to keep them alive. This is how the pamphlet looks. And it was really orchestrated by our State attorney, our public defender, and the Miami-Dade County Association of Chiefs of Police. And they put it together and put it in all of the schools for all of the children and members of the school's police to teach these children how to respond if the police ever stop them. I have a real concern with Michael Brown's case, and that concern is with the State attorney. I really have a real concern that the grand jury may not get all of the evidence that they need. My father served on the grand jury for many years. I do know that the State attorney has so much sway over the grand jury. My heart broke even worse than it did when he was killed, when we realized that the State attorney would be the one that would send the case to the grand jury that would oversee the case. He had a history that no one wants to have. His father was a police officer, and he was killed by a Black youth. If that is not enough to recuse yourself from the case in general, to my colleagues, I cannot understand what else could be the case. You remember Trayvon Martin, who came from my district. He was killed. The first thing that happened was the State attorney didn't want to recuse himself, but the Governor removed him, so I am really counting on Governor Nixon tonight to remove the State attorney, to remove the prosecutor from this case because, otherwise, Michael Brown may not get a fair trial, and he deserves justice under the law. Thank you so much for this opportunity. I will continue to pray for his family because this is not a good time in America for young Black boys. They are watching. They are paying attention to this case. People all across the world are watching what is going to happen in Ferguson. I am afraid of what will happen if the verdict or if the police, Wilson, is not even indicted.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, over 100 days have gone by, and the kidnapped schoolgirls in Nigeria are still not home. The consequences of their absence and the lack of formal action to find the girls is unimaginable. Eleven parents of the abducted girls have died--died from the heartbreak, died from fighting for their girls, died from international silence. A father slipped into a coma, repeating his daughter's name until he passed away. These stories are real. In the meantime, Boko Haram has continued to kidnap more girls. Last week, they took over a whole town. This issue is real. We cannot ignore Boko Haram and the plight of these missing girls. Mr. Speaker, with a tweet and a hashtag, you are showing the Nigerian people, Boko Haram, the missing girls, and the world that we have not forgotten. We have to keep tweeting. We have to keep talking. This is not an African problem. This is a world problem. These are our girls, and we will bring them home. I urge you every day to join my Twitter storm and tweet: #joinrepwilson and #bringbackourgirls. Tweet, tweet, tweet. Tweet, tweet, tweet.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, 3 months ago, over 200 Nigerian schoolgirls were abducted and a hashtag went viral--#bringbackourgirls. While talking about the girls may no longer be trendy, it is more important now than ever to bring them home. Every moment they are gone is a moment they are in danger. Mr. Speaker, 3 months without our girls means that the time is now to keep pressure on the Nigerian Government. We must tweet with a fervent passion that extends beyond the glamour of a breaking news story. We cannot slow down. We cannot lose momentum. We cannot rest until our girls are home. Every morning between 9 and 12, tweet ``Bring Back Our Girls'' with a hashtag--#bringbackourgirls, #bringbackourgirls, and #joinrepwilson, #joinrepwilson. Tweet, tweet, tweet. Keep tweeting until we bring back our girls.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am asking the world to join together, as we refuse to let the abducted Nigerian girls vanish from the international headlines, by tweeting every day from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., eastern standard time, using #bringbackourgirls and #joinrepwilson. We have heard President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria speak about the resources his country used to try to find the girls, and we have read about your role in developing a concealed rescue plan. Mr. Speaker, we know that these are excuses from Nigeria. We have seen unconscionable acts of terror committed almost daily. We have seen the military officially wrap up its investigation into the kidnapping, without locating the girls. We have seen President Jonathan spend over $1 million in a public relations campaign in an attempt to reshape his image. President Jonathan, we are still waiting to see you bring home those kidnapped girls. Tweet, tweet, tweet. Tweet, tweet, tweet. Bring back our girls.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, 73 days ago, 200 Nigerian girls were kidnapped by the Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram. This story tugged at hearts around the world and led to an international outcry for these girls' rescue, but 73 days later, we cannot allow this story to fade from the headlines. The violence of Boko Haram increases by the day. Mr. Speaker, instead of focusing on rescuing these girls, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan's attention is on his next election. He spent $1.2 million to improve his image by hiring a Washington PR firm. President Jonathan needs to rearrange his priorities. I can think of quite a few things he can do with the $1.2 million. The first thing he should do is find those girls. Mr. Speaker, this is why we cannot let up the pressure. I urge you to join our Twitter war to keep the world's attention on the kidnapping of these children. Tweet #bringbackourgirls and #joinrepwilson every day, 9 a.m. to noon. We will not be silenced. We will not be stopped. We will get our girls back. Tweet, tweet, tweet.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, in April, nearly 300 Nigerian schoolgirls were kidnapped by the terrorist group Boko Haram. As late as yesterday, there are reports of more abductions. I listened in horror as the Nigerian Government announced it has completed its inquiry in the April abduction and has little progress to report. This means these girls remain in the hands of Boko Haram. Boko Haram has emerged as a well-armed insurrection, with a growing thirst for blood, and the government has no plan to take action. This is unconscionable. The government's failure to rescue the girls and protect them has sparked international outrage and launched the Bring Back Our Girls movement dedicated to the support and rescue of the girls. We must keep pressure on the Nigerian Government until the girls are safely returned to their families. Please join our Tweet war every day, 9 a.m. to noon, #bringbackourgirls and #joinrepwilson. Tweet, tweet, tweet ``Bring Back Our Girls.''

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Madam Speaker, more than 200 girls in Nigeria are still missing. They were brutally kidnapped by the terrorist organization Boko Haram more than 60 days ago. We pray for their return, and we pray for their parents. We will tweet and tweet and tweet until they are returned. We must put pressure on the Nigerian Government and President Goodluck Jonathan to bring back our girls. I am asking everyone to join our tweet war. Every morning, at 9 a.m., please tweet a message of support for the rescue of the girls: #bringbackourgirls. We will join the Bring Back Our Girls organization in Nigeria in a tweet war during their tweet time, which is 2 p.m. Nigerian time. At 9 a.m., every morning, tweet. Let's show the girls that we love them, and we will do all within our power to make sure that they return safely to their families. Let us show President Jonathan that the entire international community is watching, and we will keep the pressure there. We will not forget them, and we will not rest until they are returned. Remember, #bringbackourgirls, 9 a.m.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, Boko Haram kidnapped hundreds of girls in Nigeria, and I am outraged. These girls were determined to get an education, to build a better life for themselves, for their families and for their nation. For this, they were abducted. As a school principal, I know the benefits of an education. Tragedies such as these are not limited to Nigeria. The pursuit of education for our girls is under attack globally. Young girls have had acid thrown in their faces in Afghanistan and Pakistan, been murdered in Somalia, have been abducted in Libya and Nigeria; and these are just a few examples. We all know the story of Malala, the brave young girl from Pakistan who spoke about her passion for education. In return, Taliban gunmen boarded her school bus and shot her in the head. Now, we have the Nigerian girls, and I am concerned. Are they hungry? Are they sheltered? Can they shower? Can they take care of their womanly needs? Have they been raped? Have they been beaten? Have they been sold? Are they still even alive? Mr. Speaker, I firmly believe we must continue to do everything we can to bring back these young girls.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Thank you, Congressman Engel. I would like to thank the leadership of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the original cosponsors of this bipartisan legislation, Congressman Engel, Congressman Royce, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, Congressman Smith, Congresswoman Bass, and the support of Leader Pelosi. I stand here today on the House floor demanding that we ``bring back our girls.'' I am outraged and heartbroken over the kidnapping of hundreds of female students in Nigeria by the terrorist group Boko Haram. These girls have now been away from their home for more than a month. I cannot even begin to imagine what this is like for these girls, for their mothers, their fathers, their brothers, their entire village. We must end this nightmare. The abduction of these girls was committed to keep them from getting an education. The girls knew the dangers they might encounter. Their school had previously been closed due to terrorist attacks, but they went to school anyway. They went because they were determined to get an education, determined to build a better life for themselves and for their families. Women and girls have the right to go to school without fear of violence and unjust treatment. I believe that we must do everything in our power, Mr. Speaker, to ensure the safe return of these precious young girls. That is why I introduced H. Res. 573, to send a clear message to Nigeria and to the international community: women around the world have the right to be free and live without fear. Women should not be forced to risk their lives to get an education they want and deserve. H. Res. 573 puts the U.S. House of Representatives firmly on record condemning the atrocious attack and Boko Haram's violent attacks on civilian targets in Nigeria. H. Res. 573 seeks to hold those who conduct violent attacks accountable. H. Res. 573 reaffirms our support for the assistance that the President and the administration is providing to help Nigerians find the girls and calls for the development of a comprehensive strategy to counter the threat of radical terrorist groups like Boko Haram. H. Res. 573 calls for the safe return of these girls to an environment that protects children seeking to obtain an education. In these girls, I see our daughters, our sisters, our nieces. I see their hopes and their dreams. These girls are strong, determined, courageous, and understand the value of an education. As a past principal, I understand, and we must support them. We know that girls who are educated make higher wages, lead healthier lives, and have healthier families. Education is truly a girl's best chance for a brighter future, not just for herself, but for her family and her nation. I have a large constituency of Nigerians in my district. On Saturday, I participated in a rally to encourage Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to do more to find the girls. My constituents were calling him ``Badluck Jonathan'' in their frustration because he is not doing enough to find these girls. ``Badluck Jonathan is not doing enough'' was the call and the rallying cry at the rally. I walked away from the rally with this shirt that reads, ``Nigeria,'' and I walked away with my heart still full of worry, still full of concern, and I am puzzled. Are they hungry? Are they sheltered? Can they shower? Can they take care of their womanly needs? Have they been raped? Have they been beaten? Have they been sold? Are they still even alive? God of our weary years. God of our silent tears. We are reliving the past. The past of the slave trade. The past of the torture and suffering that we endured as slaves. We should never, never relive the indignities of the past.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Mr. Harcourt Irvin Clark, Sr., who passed away on Thursday, May 8, 2014, at Memorial Regional Medical Center in Hollywood, Florida. Mr. Clark was a loving husband, father, patriot, and trailblazer. Mr. Clark was born on December 23, 1934, to the late Zena Marie Sawyer-Clark and Irwin Harcourt ``Christmas'' Clark in Coconut Grove, Florida. He received his K-12 education in Miami-Dade County Public Schools and graduated from the historic George Washington Carver High School in 1953. It was at George Washington Carver High School where he developed a passion for music and became a drum major for the school marching band. The style and showmanship he displayed as a drum major earned him the nickname ``Sporty Mingy.'' Upon graduation, Mr. Clark fulfilled his dream of becoming a member of the famed Marching 100, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University's (FAMU) marching band. As a drum major, he developed leadership skills that benefited him throughout his life. While at FAMU, he also met Alice Martha Cabrera, who would become the love of his life and his wife of 44 years. After leading the Marching 100, Mr. Clark joined the U.S. Army and served in Europe. He later returned to the United States to complete his studies, earning a Bachelor's Degree, two Master's Degrees, and various certifications. Mr. Clark worked tirelessly to make a difference. He became the first African-American police officer in the city of Coral Gables, Florida. Determined to break more barriers, he went on to serve as Chief of Police for the University of Miami Police Department, Director of Campus Safety for Florida International University, and as the first Administrative Director for the Miami-Dade County Equal Opportunity Program Social Service Agency which is now the Community Action Agency of Miami-Dade County. He later shared his expertise and experiences as a professor of criminal justice at Florida International University, and pursued his entrepreneurial spirit by opening ``The Hickory Pit Barbeque Restaurant.'' Mr. Clark capped his public service journey as a librarian in the city of North Miami. Mr. Clark was a devout Christian and lifelong member of the Christ Episcopal Church in Coconut Grove. He was also a Life Member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated (Life Member #227), and a member of The Free and Accepted Masonic Lodge, Prince Hall Affiliated. Mr. Clark is survived by his brother Vernon H. Clark; children Veronica Wesley, Harcourt I. Clark, Jr., Jennifer Clark-Parker, and Theron Clark; grandchildren Shamoria, Kiana, Bria, Chazare, Cordy, Kiah, Kaylah, Kianah, Kinesh, and Theron II; great-grandchildren Denzel and Dantavia; in-law Roland Carrington; numerous nieces and nephews; and companion Lorraine Bethel. He was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife of 44 years, Alice Martha Clark, mother Zina Marie Sawyer, father Irwin Harcourt ``Christmas'' Clark; siblings Herbert Pratt, Ernest Clark, Mervin Clark, and Rose Marie Johnson. Mr. Clark lived a life of purpose, commitment, and service. He was a drum major for justice, equality, and advancement. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life and legacy of Mr. Harcourt Irvin Clark, Sr. and in extending our condolences to his family and friends.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I now yield to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis).

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment to H.R. 10. Although I have very significant concerns about charter schools, it is important to note that defeating H.R. 10 would not eliminate charter schools; it would just maintain the broken status quo. As lawmakers, we must make laws better. We must shape the narrative to benefit the entire Nation. So, today, I am offering a bipartisan amendment to H.R. 10 to increase accountability, quality, transparency, and to put into priority order access and services for disadvantaged students who are currently underserved by charter schools. It would require charter schools to disclose information relating to their demographic makeup, how well they educate students, school attendance, average class size, academic achievement gains, parental involvement, and discipline. It holds charter schools to the same disclosure standards as traditional public schools. We know, when public charters are held to the same standards of accountability, equitable access, and transparency, as in traditional public schools, all of our students receive a better education, but when public charters are not held to these standards, a student's learning suffers, and taxpayers' money is wasted. I want to thank Chairman Kline and Ranking Member Miller for their leadership on this issue and for their support of my amendment. I also thank the cosponsors of this amendment, Representatives Rodney Davis, Tammy Duckworth, Alan Grayson, David McKinley, and Marcia Fudge. Thank you for your commitment to provide every child access to a quality education. I would appreciate your support on my amendment. I now yield to the gentleman from Illinois, Representative Rodney Davis.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, last night, I introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning the abduction of Nigerian school girls by the terrorist group Boko Haram, which has claimed responsibility. Leadership of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Subcommittee on Africa joined me and cosponsored House Resolution 573. Mr. Speaker, I am personally deeply disturbed by this atrocity, and it shines a light on the terror that so many girls face around the world every day in attaining the basic right of an education. We must do everything in our power to ensure the safe return of these precious children and strengthen efforts to protect them from those who conduct violent attacks. I support Secretary Kerry's decision to send a security team to Nigeria. It will take the efforts of the Nigerian Government, the United States Government, and the international community to rescue the missing young girls. These young women could be our daughters, our sisters, our nieces. Mr. Speaker, the terror is still continuing as I stand and address this House. We must end this nightmare for these girls and for girls all over the world.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Madam Speaker, solving our unemployment crisis is not only about restoring our economy, it is about restoring dignity to tens of millions of Americans. Unemployment means anxiety and insecurity that translates into worse mental and physical health. Unemployment means lower lifelong earnings, not only for workers but also for their children. It means a loss of dignity that is impossible to quantify. Madam Speaker, today with nearly 30 million Americans either unemployed or underemployed, we have a moral obligation to solve the crisis. Unemployment is rampant in both red States and blue States. Creating jobs means creating dignity. We have bipartisan options to build a full-employment society, including proposals to spur public-private investments in infrastructure and close the skills gap, but we must act now. The mantra of this Congress should be, could be, and must be jobs, jobs, jobs.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on the fourth anniversary of the worst natural disaster in recent history, the earthquake in Haiti of 2010, I rise to honor those affected and salute the strength and resilience of the Haitian people. The earthquake in January 2010 claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and destroyed the livelihoods of nearly 3 million more people. Take a moment to contemplate the enormity of this calamity: More than three-quarters of the schools in the capital were rendered useless, leaving young Haitians with little opportunity to learn and no safe space to spend their time; A quarter of the civil servants in Port-au-Prince were killed, resulting in an overwhelming need for administrative service providers and security personnel. Thanks to the resolve and hard work of the Haitian people, as well as effective assistance from the Obama administration and our international partners, Haiti has started on the process of recovery. The fourth anniversary of Haiti's tragedy provides an opportunity to honor those who lost their lives and recognize the progress that has been achieved. It is also a time to reaffirm our commitment to help Haiti rebound, by insisting on accountability and transparency.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 630, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, by the end of December, 1.3 million unemployed Americans will lose their unemployment benefits because Congress refuses to act. It has been 1,066 days since I arrived in Congress, and the Republican leaders have still not allowed a single vote on serious legislation to address our unemployment crisis. As we approach the holidays, many families will grieve and worry. Many will suffer because, in January 2014, they will be the victims of the unemployment crisis. The sad fact is this: we have solutions, but the Republican leaders have abandoned these commonsense solutions and will not bring them to the floor. Mr. Speaker, in this tight jobs market, it is not the unemployed who are lazy. It is this Congress that is lazy. Our mantra should be: Jobs, jobs, jobs.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, last week there was a ribbon cutting at Miami International Airport for 36 new customer service kiosks. While this was greeted as good news, there is still a great unanswered question: What happens to all the customer service workers that machines like this replace? It is the same story at grocery stores, drugstores, toll booths, and so on. Customer service jobs that used to be gateways to the middle class are increasingly being replaced with technology. Mr. Speaker, this is not bad news. Time-saving technologies must be created, constructed, maintained, and repaired--and this takes human labor as well, but we must train our workforce to perform these jobs. This is the essence of the skills gap that is afflicting our communities. By cutting job training programs, reckless budget cuts like the sequester are making it harder to close the skills gap and, in turn, reduce unemployment. The mantra of this Congress should be jobs, jobs, jobs.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today we mark the 35th anniversary of the massacre of Jonestown. Prior to September 11, this was the deadliest event in U.S. history, excluding wars and natural disasters. More than 900 innocent people were killed after being seduced by the charismatic but deeply disturbed Jim Jones. Mr. Speaker, among the dead was Congressman Leo Ryan, the first Congressman to be assassinated in the line of duty. He went to Guyana out of concern for the safety of his constituents there. Most of them were of African American descent. Congresswoman Jackie Speier, who was then on Congressman Ryan's staff, was shot five times and had to wait 22 hours for assistance. Today, I introduced a resolution honoring their extraordinary bravery and calling on the Speaker to establish protocols to memorialize Members who die in the line of duty. Out of the tragedy of Jonestown, true heroes were revealed.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it has now been more than 1,000 days since I arrived in Congress, and Republican leaders have still not allowed a single vote on serious legislation to address our unemployment crisis. We have lost millions of jobs through outsourcing and technological changes. We have lost millions of jobs due to the Great Recession. We are losing millions of jobs through sequestration and State budget cuts. And now we have the nerve to shut down the government, risk default, and bring our employees to the gates of hell. Mr. Speaker, open up this government. Raise the debt ceiling, and get us back to dealing with the real crisis: job creation. The mantra of this Congress should be: jobs, jobs, jobs.