Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, it has been an honor and a privilege to serve as majority leader of this distinguished body. I look around this remarkable Chamber, and I see so many friends and colleagues who have inspired me and who have inspired this Congress to do great things for the American people.

Walking into this building and walking on to this floor is something that excited me every day since I was first elected to Congress, as it should. Not one of us should ever take for granted the awesome honor and responsibility we have to serve our fellow Americans.

This is a privilege of a lifetime. I think of the sacrifices that helped me rise to serve the people of Virginia's Seventh District. My grandparents fled religious persecution in Europe in order to find a better life.

My grandmother, a young Jewish widow, was soon raising my dad above a grocery store in Richmond, just trying to make ends meet, and so it goes, two generations later, her grandson would represent part of what was James Madison's seat in the House and then go on to serve as its majority leader.

I have truly lived the American Dream. That is what this country is supposed to be about: dreaming big and believing that each generation can do better than the last. Now, unfortunately, we have seen that dream erode

in recent years, and our Nation faces many challenges. Too many are left wondering if we can be an America that works, an America that leads.

Too many children are condemned to a bad school because of the ZIP Code they live in. Being poor in America should not mean being deprived of a good education. We have all got to continue fighting for these kids. This is the civil rights issue of our time.

Even after kids graduate high school, too many can't afford college or access the skills they need to join a new and dynamic workforce. Government policies often increase these costs and restrict opportunities. During my time here, we have made some progress on some of these issues, but frankly, not enough.

One of my proudest moments was watching the President sign into law the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act sponsored by Congressmen Gregg Harper and Peter Welch. Prioritizing Federal dollars toward finding cures and treatments for disease can enrich and even save lives. The added benefit? Cures can help alleviate health care costs.

All the while, too many moms and dads who are healthy are stuck without a job or barely getting by in one that doesn't match their potential. This Congress, the House has passed many bills, some of which were bipartisan, to help create jobs and opportunities for those who desperately need them. I hope more of those bills will make it to the President's desk before year's end.

Our Nation and our economy cannot meet its full potential if we in America are not leading abroad. I look around at colleagues on both sides of the aisle, at chairmen, ranking members, and at my good friend, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, all of whom have soberly and seriously helped ensure a fight for a strong foreign policy, so that our Nation can lead in order to help keep our people safe; yet never before have I been more worried about the prospects of that peace due to our diminished engagement on the world stage.

Instability and terror seem to be coming from every corner of the globe. The Middle East is in chaos, Iran is marching towards a nuclear weapon, and Russia has reverted to a cold war footing and invaded Ukraine.

America does lead in so many areas, including innovation, scientific discovery, and medicine, but we have also got to make leadership abroad a priority. I shudder to think what the world will look like in 5 years for us and our allies if we don't steel our resolve and stand tall with those who stand with us.

Mr. Speaker, we don't always see eye to eye, even within our own parties in this Chamber, but that is how it is supposed to be. Our Founders did not design a rubber stamp.

This Congress, we have found ways to agree on much more than was ever reported with many bills passing this House in a bipartisan way. For that, much of the credit goes to the hardworking staff that quietly works around the clock to help us do our job. I would especially like to thank my team, starting with Chief of Staff Steve Stombres and my deputy chief, Neil Bradley, as well as our whole team for being there every day to assist Members on both sides of the aisle to help them deliver on their legislative goals. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank you for all you have done. Thank you for the example of firm leadership that you show and, at the same time, for not being afraid to show us all your kind heart and your soft spot from time to time.

Mr. Speaker, you reminded me yesterday that you and I have met with each other at least once a day every day that we have been in session for the past 5 years. For that, Mr. Speaker, I thank you for your patience.

I would like to thank our Conference chair, Cathy McMorris Rodgers. She is as tough as she is compassionate, and her voice has so often helped our Conference and this House.

I would also like to recognize two of my colleagues and dear friends who I joined seven years ago to begin a fight for reform on behalf of the American people. To Chairman Paul Ryan, thank you for your dedication to finding solutions to the problems that face our government. But more importantly, thank you for your commitment to identifying those conservative solutions that actually help people find their path to the American Dream. I know your efforts will continue to impact America in a positive way.

To my closest confidant and my good friend Kevin McCarthy, our new majority leader, I know you will make this institution proud. I will miss the daily challenges that we faced together at the leadership table, but I know that your leadership will serve as an inspiration for all of us.

There are so many more Members and staff on both sides of the aisle who have made my time here so rewarding. Many of you have become as close to me as family, and that is what has always sustained me while being away from my own family in Richmond. I know that I speak for all of us when I extend a heartfelt thank-you to the Capitol Police and the Sergeant at Arms for all they do to protect us and our families every day.

Finally, I want to thank my family: my wife, Diana; her mother; my children, Evan, Jenna, and Mikey; my parents; my brothers, all of whom have made sacrifices so that I could serve in this Chamber and as a member of leadership. They are my inspiration, and they are the rocks on which I will always lean.

Mr. Speaker, I close by once again thanking my colleagues for their service. I thank them for their friendship and warmth.

(By unanimous consent, Mr. Hoyer was allowed to speak out of order.)

Thanking the Honorable Eric Cantor for His Service

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Washington.

I rise today in strong support of the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act and the other antitrafficking bills we have on the floor today in furtherance of our efforts to bring an end to this abhorrent crime.

Mr. Speaker, human trafficking continues to be one of the world's great dangers, threatening millions of innocent lives, including right here at home in the United States. Our very own Department of Homeland Security describes human trafficking as ``a modern-day form of slavery involving the illegal trade of people for exploitation or commercial gain.''

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates that between 100,000 and 300,000 children in America may be trafficked for commercial sex every year. These children represent the most vulnerable among us, and it is our responsibility to act now and do what we can to stop these heinous crimes. Ending human trafficking is a goal that both parties share, and today we can take one step closer to achieving that goal.

Some of the most vulnerable to this crime are America's foster children, as the gentleman from Texas just discussed. All too frequently, they fall through the cracks and become victims in these criminal schemes. The legislation before us today takes this problem head-on, encouraging States to tackle the issue of trafficking foster children and to ensure their placement into loving adoptive homes.

This is a great opportunity for us in the House to stand together to show the people that sent us here and the rest of this country and the world that our House is united to bringing an end to human trafficking.

I would like to thank the gentleman from Washington, Chairman Reichert, Ranking Members Levin and Doggett, and the rest of the members of the Ways and Means Committee for their hard work on this issue, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take a minute to thank the gentleman from Michigan, Chairman Dave Camp, one of our great leaders in Congress, who has not only led on this issue, but has been a tireless champion for families and children throughout his career.

Over the years, Chairman Camp has advocated and succeeded in bringing much-needed reforms to our foster care system. The Adoption and Safe Families Act, which Chairman Camp introduced in the House and President Clinton then signed, streamlined the adoption process, making it easier for kids to move out of foster care and into more permanent homes. In 2003, President Bush signed then-Congressman, now-Chairman, Camp's Adoption Promotion Act, which provides financial incentives for States that increase adoption among older children. These are just a few of Chairman Camp's many great accomplishments, and today's bill is just another example of his heartfelt dedication to putting America's kids first.

Few have had the impact on creating a better future for our children than Dave Camp. Because of Chairman Camp, children all over America have the opportunity to live in safe homes and to pursue their dreams. I have been very proud to call him my colleague and honored to call him a dear friend.

Though I know we have still got several months before the end of this Congress, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Dave Camp on a terrific and wonderful career. I want to thank the gentleman for his service and wish him the very best in his retirement. The Congress will certainly miss the gentleman from Michigan.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman, the gentleman from Minnesota.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

For America to work, we need effective education and workforce development programs to strengthen the middle class. Today, however, too many Americans are looking for work without the necessary skills to match job openings. This skills gap is keeping our economy from recovering and reaching its full potential.

A recent study by Georgetown University indicated that we will be short by 11 million workers in the year 2022 because of the lack of postsecondary education or skills training. If we allow ourselves to continue down this dangerous path, we will only see feeble economic growth for the future. Fortunately, we have an opportunity to reverse that trend with this piece of legislation.

This bill before the House today will make it easier for Americans to find a job by consolidating 15 Federal workforce development programs and aligning them with skills training and education initiatives. Plain and simple, this bill is about putting people back to work.

I know these kinds of commonsense reforms will help Americans find a job because I have seen them succeed. On a recent trip to Siemens Energy with several of my colleagues--Representatives Pittenger, McHenry, and Foxx--we met a young girl named Hope. Hope, along with others, is an apprentice at Siemens. In return for her commitment to work there, Siemens is paying for her education at a local community college, where she is receiving the skills needed for the manufacturing industry of today. This is a terrific example of how the public and private sectors can work together to keep our country competitive while training workers for the jobs of tomorrow.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act will make it easier for these partnerships to flourish around the country. Passing this bill is a small but important step towards strengthening our middle class, kick-starting our economy, and giving people a chance to climb the economic ladder of success.

American workers deserve to know that their government is making it easier for them, not harder. It is making it easier for them to keep a steady paycheck to increase those wages and provide for their families.

I want to thank the gentleman from Minnesota, the chairman of the Education and the Workforce Committee,

for his long-term commitment to this issue of skills training, education, and development. He has been tireless in his advocacy.

I also want to thank our colleague, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, who has also been a fierce advocate for skills education and making sure that those who don't have skills are given the opportunity to do so so that they, too, can climb the ladder of success.

The entire membership of the Education and the Workforce Committee deserves our thanks, too, for their hard work on this issue.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation so that we can, once again, create an America that works and works again for everybody.

Mr. Speaker, before I talk about today's schedule, I just want to thank the gentleman from Maryland for his very kind and generous remarks.

I, too, have enjoyed the ability to get to know the gentleman from Maryland. Steny Hoyer, the Democratic whip, is a tenacious advocate for his cause. I know that these colloquies have, at times, become heated and long, much to the dismay of some who would like to make their word known on the floor.

I do want to say that it has been a privilege. I respect the gentleman from Maryland as a friend and as a colleague who has been elected over the years by his constituents to be here to advocate on their behalf and for the good of the country.

As the gentleman from Maryland said, Mr. Hoyer and I do not always agree, but I think we do share a love of this country. I think there are plenty of things, frankly, that we have found the ability to work towards in the fashion that I believe is the best way forward for this institution, which is to look for ways to set aside differences to find areas that we have in common, so that we can produce results for the American people.

Again, the Democratic whip, Mr. Hoyer, my friend from Maryland, has been a very engaged individual on the issues, and it has been my and my team's honor to get to work with Steny and his team on some of the issues that come before this House that have to be addressed, and I thank him for that.

I look forward to a continuing relationship here, as I intend to stay as the majority leader until the end of July and then for the rest of my term as a Member. Again, I want to thank him for the courtesies, and I look forward to continuing to nurture the relationship.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the House will meet at noon for morning-hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning- hour and noon for legislative business.

On Thursday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes of the week are expected no later than 3 p.m.

On Friday, no votes are expected.

Mr. Speaker, the House will consider a few suspensions next week, a complete list of which will be announced by the close of business today.

In addition, the House will consider H.R. 4413, the Customer Protection and End User Relief Act, sponsored by Chairman Frank Lucas of the Committee on Agriculture.

Members are advised that debate on the bill and the eight amendments made in order by the rule will occur Monday night after the 6:30 p.m. vote series. However, votes on amendments and passage will occur on Tuesday afternoon.

For the remainder of the week, the House will consider three bills to lower the price of gas and lessen the middle class squeeze caused by higher energy prices. These three bills are: H.R. 6, the Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act, authored by Representative Cory Gardner; H.R. 3301, the North American Energy Infrastructure Act, sponsored by Chairman Fred Upton; and H.R. 4899, the Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works Act of 2014, authored by Chairman Doc Hastings.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet on Monday, June 23, 2014, when it shall convene at noon for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. Chairman, I would advise Members that following this vote on Representative Fleming's amendment, the House will revote H.R. 4810, the Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014.

The vote will be the same as the first vote earlier in this series on the same piece of legislation.

Again, the House will revote H.R. 4810, the Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014, following this last amendment vote.

Amendment Offered by Mr. Fleming

Madam Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Madam Chairman, let me begin by expressing my admiration for my colleague from Virginia, the chairman of the Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee, Frank Wolf. The Commonwealth of Virginia, the Nation, and, indeed, individuals from around the world owe Chairman Wolf a deep debt of gratitude for his years of service.

The positive impacts of Frank Wolf's efforts literally span the globe as he has been a leader in the fight for, and defense of, human rights and religious freedom around the world. Chairman Wolf is a principled leader, and I and the rest of my colleagues will miss his leadership in this House in the years to come.

Madam Chairman, I also rise to address the issue of funding for research through the National Science Foundation. I believe the Federal Government has an important role to play in basic research, including the research conducted by the National Science Foundation.

The dollars we invest in research in the physical and biological sciences, in particular, have the potential to cure diseases and create new innovations that will become the building blocks for future economic growth and prosperity.

But I have been troubled that the administration has been spending scarce Federal resources allocated to the National Science Foundation, not on these hard sciences, but instead on political and social science research, including, for example, the attitude of Americans on the filibuster, studying ``what makes politics interesting,'' and how politicians change their Web sites.

The National Science Foundation even spent $700,000 to fund a musical--a musical, not research--on climate change.

My colleague, Lamar Smith, the chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, has been leading an effort to reform the NSF to eliminate wasteful spending and prioritize research that has the potential of truly benefiting our Nation.

Chairman Smith's committee currently has a National Science Foundation reform bill under consideration. That bill takes important steps to set appropriate national priorities. I thank him for his efforts on this important front.

In addition, Chairman Smith is offering an amendment that will be offered tomorrow to this bill that would seek to leave funding for the social, behavioral, and economic sciences directorate at the current year levels and then allocate the $15 million increase requested by the President to other research priorities.

I fully support Chairman Smith's amendment and urge my colleagues to support it as well. This is the first step of many that I hope we will take to protect taxpayers while at the same time ensuring that high priority research is appropriately funded. I look forward to continuing to work with Chairman Smith on this initiative.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman from Maryland, the Democratic whip, for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the House is not in session in observation of Memorial Day.

On Tuesday, the House will meet in pro forma session at noon and no votes are expected.

On Wednesday, the House will meet at noon for morning hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

On Thursday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning hour and noon for legislative business.

On Friday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes of the week are expected no later than 3 p.m.

Mr. Speaker, the House will consider a few suspensions next week, a complete list of which will be announced at the close of business tomorrow.

In addition, the House will consider H.R. 4660, the Fiscal Year 2015 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Act, sponsored by subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf. Members are advised that general and amendment debate to the bill is expected after the 6 p.m. vote series on Wednesday night.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, the House will consider H.R. 4661, the Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015 Intelligence Authorization Act authored by Chairman Mike Rogers. Providing the tools and the oversight of the intelligence community is a vital role of Congress, as we have shown earlier today. We should remember the intelligence community serves a vital role in warning senior policymakers about looming threats, and is absolutely essential to meeting the needs of our military. Sustaining our military and intelligence capabilities are core interests of the United States. I look forward to swift passage of this bill in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I would say to the gentleman that the Rules Committee has already done its work and the House has already passed the bill, the rule bill, which provides for an open rule.

Mr. Speaker, I would say to the gentleman that the committee certainly has expressed its desire, as our conference has, as the Speaker has, to move all 12 appropriations bills, and we will move towards that goal in an expeditious nature as much as we can.

I would say to the gentleman just briefly, there is a $1 billion cut to a $155 billion bill. That represents a 0.9 percent decrease, according to what the committee has set forth as far as the 302(b)s are concerned.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

I thank the gentleman.

Just to clarify, the amount of the $155 billion is the 302(b). That is the discretionary amount. So I would just underscore the fact that the $1 billion cut applies to the $155 billion discretionary amount.

But the gentleman knows--he has worked on issues of NIH funding--he knows that I am very committed to making a priority out of funding medical research at NIH. We have been successful in the House. The President signed into law the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act, which is just the first step towards making a priority out of medical research, in this instance, for pediatrics, and to doing away with spending in other areas that are not as much of a priority.

I believe, Mr. Speaker, that leadership is about assessing priorities and making sure taxpayer dollars are being allocated as such.

We also passed bills out of the House having to do with graduate medical education and making sure that pediatrics and the need for more pediatricians to deal with children is there.

I share the gentleman's overall concern that we make a commitment long term to finding cures so that we can ultimately save lives, but also save taxpayer dollars, as we would like to arrest the increase in health care costs.

The gentleman knows that I am one who consistently says that the system of immigration is broken. I have also said that I am mindful and support the fact that, if a kid who is brought here by his or her parents--unbeknownst to that child--has never lived anywhere else or remembers living anywhere else and wants to serve in our military, he should be able to do so. It is my position that that child should have a path to citizenship after such service.

However, the NDAA bill was not the appropriate place for the discussion on that issue. I have been consistent with that position over the last several weeks and months. I remain committed to what the intent of the ENLIST Act is trying to achieve. There are Members involved who are working on the necessary language to see whether it is possible for us to move forward on that measure.

Beyond that, on the issue of the comprehensive bill that the gentleman refers to, he knows--we have stood here many times before--we are opposed to the Senate bill. I have had discussions with the White House, and I continue to say we are opposed to a comprehensive bill.

Whether the gentleman likes or doesn't like the fact that there is not a lot of trust on the part of this House or of this majority in the President, frankly, it is about the American people. What they have seen is unilateral action being taken by this White House and the President on bills passed by Congress.

It is, at a minimum, frustrating for us in the House to watch what goes on and the flouting of Congress--the ignoring of Congress--when it comes to decisions made to implement a law according to what the White House thinks it is, not according to the statute. This is the fundamental problem, and I have expressed that myself to the President.

If we could see our way towards discrete, incremental steps toward strengthening law enforcement at the border and toward doing things like the green card on the diploma or the ENLIST Act without the introduction of the insistence of a comprehensive attempt, then I believe we may be able to make progress, but to this day, it has been my way or the highway, all or nothing. That is not going to work.

I have told that to the gentleman publicly and privately, Mr. Speaker, and I would just say so again.

Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman knows, I am committed and remain committed to upholding the very sacred right to vote for all American citizens, and I see the Voting Rights Act as something that has historically afforded that ability.

The recent actions of the Supreme Court have raised some issues, obviously, in the minds of some in the House. We have been working with our Members on our side of the aisle, as well as on the gentleman's.

I know the Senate is undertaking hearings across the way, and it is still my hope to try and resolve this in an acceptable manner. I do know that there are still a lot of differences and that the gentleman knows as well, but I remain committed, again, to making sure that we uphold that sacred right to vote for all American citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I would say to the gentleman that I have said to the chairman of the Financial Services Committee, Mr. Hensarling, that I will look to him and his leadership on that issue as the committee works its way through the varying issues and the Member positions that are out there, and I will look to see what the Financial Services Committee does.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 3 p.m. tomorrow; when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at noon on Tuesday, May 27, 2014; and when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at noon on Wednesday, May 28, 2014, for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from Ohio, and I want to also thank the chairman, the gentleman from California, for his leadership in bringing the NDAA bill to the floor. Again, I want to salute Chairman McKeon on the tremendous work that he has displayed here and all that he has done in support of the men and women in uniform of our country. So I do rise today, Mr. Chairman, in support of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015.

Mr. Chairman, regrettably, events of the past year have demonstrated that the forces that threaten America's national security, the stability of our allies, and seek to subject millions to a tyranny that violates the most basic of human rights are on the rise.

A desperate dictator in Syria has used chemical weapons, a strong man in Venezuela is consolidating power, and Iran is inching closer to nuclear weapons and funding terrorism. North Korea continues to threaten America and our Pacific allies, and Russia recently invaded Ukraine. Now is not the time for the United States to recede from the global arena. Now is the time to lead and to project the strength that has protected America's interests for over half a century.

An America that leads is an America with military power that cannot be matched, because at all times we must be prepared to meet and confront challenges so that our homeland is protected, our allies are defended, and our enemies are defeated.

On a congressional delegation I led to Asia last month, I saw firsthand just how important it is for America to be engaged on the world stage. While in Japan, we toured the aircraft carrier the USS George Washington. While aboard the ship, we met with its crew and heard directly from its Naval commanders that the U.S. needs to have a constant carrier presence in the region.

America provides our allies with much-needed security and stability to a region that is threatened by a madman in North Korea and has seen China become more provocative and aggressive with its neighbors, particularly in the South China Sea.

The presence of our aircraft carrier is a vital part of guaranteeing that security which, in turn, guarantees America's security. One of the admirals even stated: ``In the world we are going to be operating in, we simply must have the USS George Washington.'' That is why I am so pleased that this bill begins to fund the refuel of the USS George Washington. Failing to do so would leave our allies in the region and throughout the world feeling vulnerable and embolden our enemies.

In hundreds of other ways, today's bill will provide our military with the resources it needs to remain the greatest fighting force in the world and keep America as a leader on the world stage.

Since the time of the revolution, my home State of Virginia has been a leader in contributing to our Nation's security. In addition to the thousands of Virginians who wear the uniform and those members of the military stationed in Virginia, tens of thousands of Virginians work in industries directly tied to supporting our Armed Forces and our national defense. I am pleased that this bill recognizes their efforts.

So today, let us stand together, pass this bill in a bipartisan fashion, and show the world that we are committed to being an America that leads.

Again, I want to thank the gentleman from California, Chairman Buck McKeon, for all of his hard work on this issue, along with his members of the Armed Services Committee.

I urge my colleagues in the House to support this important bill.

I thank the chairman, the gentleman from Virginia.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the bipartisan antihuman trafficking bills being considered by the House today.

We recently were reminded of the horrors of human trafficking as news reports broke from Nigeria that hundreds of school girls had been kidnapped with the threat that they would be sold into slavery or marriage.

These innocent young girls were simply trying to pursue an education and build a better life. While this problem may seem thousands of miles away, this horror is inflicted on millions of families every year, including here in the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security estimates that more than 20 million men, women, and children are victims of human trafficking around the world and that more slaves exist today than at any other time in history.

Many of these victims represent the most vulnerable people on Earth, including individuals with mental disabilities and children stolen from their homes--taken from their loving moms and dads--with very little chance of ever seeing their families again.

Domestically, our own Department of Justice estimates that as many as 100,000 to 300,000 American children are in danger of being trafficked for commercial sex every year.

Whether runaways or those kidnapped in our communities, our children are at risk of falling victim to determined criminal groups, violent gangs, and fear-mongering terror organizations. These children are then forced into sex or labor slavery, contributing to the second most profitable form of transnational crime.

An America that leads understands that we must do everything in our power to protect the vulnerable populations these groups prey upon. Fortunately, the House has an opportunity today to stand together and pass these five bipartisan bills under consideration, along with others, hopefully, later this year.

These bills aim to protect and help domestic and international victims, to capture their exploiters and to provide additional tools to prosecutors. We will do all of this in pursuit of our ultimate goal of ending human trafficking both domestically and abroad.

I want to thank not only Chairman Goodlatte, but Representatives Poe, Paulsen, Wagner, Reichert, and Smith, as well as other colleagues on both sides of the aisle, for their commitments and efforts to push forward in this noble cause. In addition to Chairman Goodlatte, I would like to thank Chairmen Royce and Camp for all of their work on the issue.

Madam Speaker, let's pass this important legislation with bipartisan strength, and let's show our constituents and the rest of the world that America chooses to lead this fight. I urge my colleagues to support today's bills.

Mr. Speaker, I submit the attached letter on behalf of myself and Congressman Robert Hurt.

Mr. Speaker we rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Dennis

Campbell, who--after seventeen years of service--will retire

from his position as Headmaster of Woodberry Forest School

next month. We are both honored to have represented Madison

County, VA, where this excellent academic institution is

located, and are proud of the great tradition Woodberry has

of training great students and first-rate citizens.

Prior to becoming Woodberry's eighth headmaster in 1997,

Dr. Campbell served as the dean of the Divinity School and

professor of theology at Duke University from 1982 until

1997. Before his appointment as dean, he was a professor,

college and university administrator, and college chaplain.

Dr. Campbell grew up in Elmwood Park, Illinois, and is a Phi

Beta Kappa graduate of Duke University with both A.B. and

Ph.D. degrees. In addition, Yale University awarded him the

B.D. degree. A noted lecturer, seminar leader, and author, he

is particularly known for his work in ethics and moral

education. He has written numerous journal articles and

reviews, and is the author or editor of eight books.

Dr. Campbell will leave Woodberry Forest a much stronger

institution in all phases of secondary education including

Woodberry's faculty, curriculum, athletics and physical

plant. Moreover, these achievements have been made at the

all-boys school while continually upholding Woodberry

Forest's venerable honor code.

We are certain Dr. Campbell's contributions to American

education will continue. He remains a trustee of The Duke

Endowment, one of the nation's largest private philanthropic

trusts, based in Charlotte, N.C., where he chairs the audit

committee and serves as a member of the committees on

educational institutions and child care. He also serves on

the board of trustees of the International Coalition of Boys'

Schools, the Boys and Girls Club of Orange, Va., and the

Association of Boarding Schools. The Campbells are the

parents of two children, Margaret and Trevor.

Today Woodberry Forest School will celebrate the tenure of

Dr. Campbell, and we are honored to congratulate him for

exceptional service to a unique educational institution of

excellence in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Eric Cantor,

Member of Congress.

Robert Hurt,

Member of Congress.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman, the gentleman from Minnesota, as well.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the amendment and in strong support of the Success and Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Act.

Mr. Chairman, a great education is the foundation that Americans need to climb the economic ladder of success and to build a bright future. America doesn't work when our students are trapped in failing schools or denied the

opportunity to attend the school that meets their learning needs.

For far too many children in our country, a quality education remains out of reach. Kids without access to a quality education struggle to even see any opportunity to get ahead. They struggle to lift themselves out of a life of poverty.

Expanding education opportunity for all students everywhere is the civil rights issue of our time. Fortunately, we have a chance today to bring more opportunities to students all over America who are looking for that chance to learn, to grow, and to succeed.

The legislation before us today will reform existing programs and will authorize grants so that high-performing charter schools can expand and be replicated throughout the country. It will also give families and students more freedom, flexibility, and choice when it comes to deciding where they can go to school.

Currently, Mr. Chairman, there are almost 1 million students stuck on waiting lists for charter schools simply because there aren't enough slots. I say we help those students by expanding those slots so they can get off the waiting lists and into the classroom.

Taking such action would seem like the obvious and smart thing to do. However, there are some who are more beholden to special interests than to the children's needs. In New York City, the mayor there, Bill de Blasio, recently attempted to deliver on his threat to kick public charter schools out of the space that they share or were planning to share with other traditional public schools. This kind of activity completely undermines the essence of education reform.

Fortunately for New York City students, Governor Cuomo did not allow this to become a reality. Those kids who would otherwise have ended up without a school in the fall now have one. This bill provides even more opportunities for States like New York State to help high quality charter schools expand and replicate.

Those who choose to wage a war on kids stand on the wrong side of this debate and risk allowing themselves to become enemies of opportunity and roadblocks to success. Bottom line, the expansion of charter schools will work.

In my hometown of Richmond, I have toured the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts, one of only a few charter schools in all of Virginia. There I met a retired public school teacher named Gwen. Gwen's grandson had a particular interest in science, but Gwen felt that the school he attended wasn't offering a strong enough science curriculum to match her grandson's needs and desires. Fortunately, Gwen had a choice and now sends her grandson to Patrick Henry. More families deserve that kind of choice.

In visits to other charter schools throughout the country, I have met dozens of children who were once trapped in failing schools and schools that couldn't meet their individual learning needs. These kids are now attending charter schools and they are thriving.

These are not isolated cases. Nationally, charter school students do better than non-charter students in reading, math, and science. While the growth of charters is relatively new, charter schools currently make up more than a quarter of the Newsweek/U.S. News Best High Schools in America. The question is: Shouldn't more of our children have the chance to attend a quality school that happens to be a charter school?

Mr. Chairman, this legislation is about upward mobility. It is about giving families and students more hope for their future. This legislation is about expanding education opportunity for more kids so that we can begin to create an America that works again and works again for everybody.

This should not be a partisan issue. This is a bill we can all proudly get behind. Today, let's stand united and show our constituents that we understand a strong education is the first rung in climbing that economic ladder of success.

I want to thank Chairman Kline, the gentleman from Minnesota, for his tireless work in the area of education, and in this bill in the area of charter schools. I also want to thank the gentleman from California, the ranking member, for his work on this legislation.

I urge my colleagues in the House in a bipartisan fashion to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, Americans have watched in horror this week the atrocious news reports coming out of Nigeria. Hundreds of young girls have been kidnapped with the intent to be sold into slavery or marriage simply because they had the courage to seek an education and a better life.

Just this past weekend, I watched my daughter, not much older than these girls, graduate from college. As a parent, I cannot imagine the suffering of the moms and dads who merely wanted a good education for their daughters.

The Obama administration has taken initial steps to help assist efforts to return these girls to freedom and to their families. I thank them for their efforts, and I know all of us stand ready to provide whatever assistance is necessary.

Members should be aware that, upon our return, we will consider a bipartisan resolution being considered by the Foreign Affairs Committee regarding Boko Haram and these kidnappings.

Additionally, when we come back, we will also consider five bipartisan bills to take steps toward our ultimate goal of ending human trafficking. Together, these bills provide resources and authorities to fight domestic human trafficking, provide services to the victims, and take steps to deal with international human trafficking.

The atrocities in Nigeria have awakened the global conscience and have reminded us all of the evil of human trafficking. It is also important to note that the underlying threat posed by extremist groups in Nigeria and throughout the region is growing.

Whether it is Boko Haram, Ansar al-Sharia, Hezbollah, Hamas, or al Qaeda, it is critical that we in the House work with the administration to confront the growing threat these violent extremists pose to international peace, security, and the protection of innocent lives.

In the coming days, as we focus on finding and returning these girls to their homes, may God watch over them and those seeking their return.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California, the Democratic leader.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor the life of Martin Cobb, an 8-year-old boy from Richmond, Virginia, who was taken from us way too soon. He was killed in a heinous act while trying to protect his 12-year-old sister from a violent attacker.

From the very beginning, Martin was a fighter against all odds, surviving open heart surgery at 3 months old, when the doctors did not believe he was going to make it.

Martin was a student at Elizabeth Redd Elementary School and he enjoyed the kind of things that most kids grow fond of: playing with toy cars and riding his bike around the neighborhood.

Martin didn't have a father at home, and so his mother referred to him as the ``man of the house.'' As a loving son and brother, relatives say he had the ``heart of a lion.''

We will always remember him as a true family man, someone who loved his sister so much that he gave his life to protect her. In the face of grave danger, his only thought, his only instinct, was to help his sister.

At 8 years old, he may have been small in stature--some say he looked no older than 4 or 5--but in his last moments, Martin showed he was a bigger man than most men ever dream to be.

We honor Martin by remembering his incredible bravery. But let us also commit to honoring him by redoubling our efforts to foster safer neighborhoods and communities that produce more Martins and less assailants. Our children should be able to grow up enjoying childhood, not fearing for their lives.

In Martin's front yard there now reads a sign, ``A Real Hero Lived, Fought, and Died Here.''

Martin may no longer be with us, but I hope and pray his strength, his courage, and his spirit endure in each and every one of us.