Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 246, a bipartisan bill I introduced which will help victims of child sex trafficking by decriminalizing their behavior.

First, I would like to thank Chairman Kline from Minnesota and Ranking Member Scott from Virginia of the Education and the Workforce Committee for bringing this important bill to the floor for consideration.

I want to also thank Representative Walberg, who is managing the bill, for his kind words and his leadership. He is managing the bill today for the Republicans. I also thank Congresswoman Karen Bass and Congresswoman Ann Wagner for their leadership and support.

Also, I would like to thank Senator Portman, who I partnered with on this issue last Congress and who introduced the companion legislation in the Senate. I look forward to working with him again during the 114th Congress to advance this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, last Congress, the House passed this exact bill unanimously by a vote of 409-0. Today, I hope that my colleagues in the House will again approve this legislation with overwhelming bipartisan support so we can better assist victims of child sex trafficking and ensure they are viewed and treated as victims, not criminals.

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to participate in Ohio's sixth annual Human Trafficking Awareness Day, which was held in my district at the Ohio statehouse. It was standing

room only. The event was chaired by State Representative Teresa Fedor from Toledo, who has spent a lifetime on this issue. There, we heard story after story from victims, survivors, and advocates, just like the ones we heard on the House floor earlier today.

Almost every time I am home in my district in Ohio, I hear from people who are concerned about the victims of child sex trafficking. Constituents implore me to have Congress do more to protect those among us who are the most vulnerable, those who are being forced into what many deem modern-day slavery.

This is for a good reason. Human trafficking is one of the fastest- growing crimes in the world. In fact, according to the U.S. State Department, human trafficking is the world's second largest criminal enterprise, after the illegal drug trade. Criminals involved in trafficking trade prey on those children already at risk in our society, the children who fall through the cracks in our society.

In the United States, some 300,000 children are at risk each year of commercial sexual exploitation. Mr. Speaker, many of these children are runaways, homeless, and in and out of foster care. These children deserve better.

The average age of a trafficked victim in the United States is 12 years of age. Mr. Speaker, this is shameful. At 12 years old, children should be playing sports, participating in their school science fair, learning new languages, or just being children. They should not be for sale night after night.

In my home State of Ohio, each year, there is an estimated 1,100 Ohio children who become victims of human trafficking, and over 3,000 more are at risk. Ohio is the fifth leading State for human trafficking because of its proximity to a waterway that leads to an international border and a system of interstate highways that allow an individual to exit the State within 2 hours to almost anywhere.

The I-75 corridor runs through Toledo, Dayton, and Cincinnati. It is infamous for subjecting children to the horrors of sex trafficking, with reports of victims being repeatedly abused.

We know that no single system can successfully combat trafficking. Preventing, identifying, and serving victims of trafficking requires a multicoordinated approach across all levels of government. We need to encourage all people: when they see something, say something.

How can concerned citizens report activities of suspected child exploitation? Currently, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children operates a CyberTipline, which receives leads and tips regarding suspected crimes of sexual exploitation committed against children.

This CyberTipline is operated in partnership with the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, United States Department of Justice, as well as other State and local enforcement agencies.

These reports are constantly monitored to help ensure children in imminent danger get first priority. More than 2.8 million reports of suspected child exploitation have been made to the CyberTipline between 1998 and October of 2014.

Under current law, child sex trafficking is not identified as one of the types of sexual exploitation that should be reported to the CyberTipline, even though the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children encounters child victims of sex trafficking and currently uses this term on its Web site in order to encourage the public's reporting of these types of crimes.

Instead, the statute uses the term ``child prostitution''--yes, child prostitution, Mr. Speaker--which we know does not fully and accurately capture these types of crimes against children. My bill would add the phrase ``child sex trafficking, including child prostitution,'' to section b(1)(p) of the Missing Children's Assistance Act.

This legislation was crafted in order to improve and update the law in order to reflect the current state of Federal laws and to reinforce that children who are sex-trafficked or sexually exploited are victims and not criminals.

Mr. Speaker, children in sex trafficking situations are often misidentified as ``willing'' participants. We know there is a widespread lack of awareness and understanding of trafficking.

Take, for instance, a story I recently heard about Holly, who is a survivor of human trafficking. When Holly was 14 years old, she ran away from home with a man she had met at a shopping mall. Holly and this man exchanged phone numbers. He continued to pursue Holly over the course of many months.

Convincing her to run away with him was not an overnight accomplishment. He got to know her, analyzed her troubles, and asked about her dreams. He did this so that when Holly was on her summer break from the eighth grade, the pressures of her 14-year-old world boiled to the surface.

With all this confusion and pressure Holly was feeling, this predator was able to convince her to flee towards what she thought was opportunity, possibility, and freedom. In reality, Holly ran right into the clutches of a sexual trafficking ring. Within hours of running away with what turned out to be a manipulative and threatening pimp, she was coerced into prostitution.

Fortunately for Holly, eventually an officer on the street thought that she seemed underage, so he approached her and arrested her. She was soon recognized to be a victim and began the long journey toward healing. Today, I am proud to say that Holly is an advocate for stronger anti-trafficking laws and greater protection for survivors of all forms of human trafficking.

This bill, H.R. 246, is intended to protect young children like Holly, to rescue and restore them. By adding the term ``child sex trafficking, including child prostitution,'' to the Missing Children's Assistance Act, we will be able to continue to fight the perception that sex trafficking is a voluntary, victimless crime, and this will exclude them from prostitution.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, first let me just say thank you to my colleague from Missouri, Congresswoman Ann Wagner, for organizing tonight's Special Order hour but, probably more importantly, a bipartisan Special Order hour. And let me say, I proudly wear this bracelet in honor of all of those survivors.

I also want to note that her work as a former United States Ambassador exposed her firsthand to the horrors of human trafficking on an international level. Her work has raised awareness of this problem and has laid the foundation for congressional action.

Despite international efforts to eradicate human trafficking, it still exists and affects communities in every country, including the United States. This transnational crime exploits the weakest and often subjects victims to mental and physical abuse.

Human trafficking is an estimated multibillion-dollar-a-year international enterprise that forces the weakest among us into the horrors of modern day slavery.

It is also one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world. In fact, according to the United States State Department, human trafficking is the world's second-largest criminal enterprise, Mr. Speaker, after illegal drug trade. It is forced prostitution, domestic slavery, and forced labor.

It is also oftentimes underground and masked so well that it is difficult to recognize. These victims are our housekeepers, our farmworkers brought into the United States by labor brokers who promised a job but enslaved these victims instead. Sex traffickers target the weakest members of our society by using violence or threats or other coercive means to keep victims enslaved.

Human trafficking deprives individuals of their most basic and unalienable rights--life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That is why we must continue to work to end human trafficking and support the victims by providing resources and assistance during their time of need.

My home State of Ohio is the fifth-leading State for human trafficking. In Ohio, an estimated 1,100 Ohio children become victims, with some 3,000 more at risk. In fact, a preliminary report on the scope of the problem in Ohio cited that 13 years of age is the most common age for youth to become victims of child sex trafficking.

During my time in public service, as a public servant both in the Ohio Legislature and here, I have heard story after story of heartbreaking personal human trafficking experiences from Ohio. Just 2 weeks ago, my hometown paper, The Columbus Dispatch, reported that a massage spa in central Ohio was serving as a front for organized prostitution, where 18 women who spoke little or no English were forced to work there, eat there, and sleep there. Authorities believe that these women were likely trafficked into the United States to work in a sex trade.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to have a copy of this article placed into the Record.

[From the Columbus Dispatch, Jan. 15, 2015]

(By Theodore Decker)

Behind the Powell storefront--between a dentist's office

and a dessert shop--the women slept each night on massage

tables.

Rarely, investigators say, did they appear to leave the

Amsun Massage Spa, a business that caught the attention of

Powell police not long after it opened last fall in a strip

mall at 128 E. Olentangy St.

The women worked there. They ate there. They slept there.

They might not have had a choice, authorities said.

Local, state and federal investigators announced yesterday

that the massage parlor was a front for organized

prostitution and was one of four addresses raided in Delaware

and Franklin counties as part of Powell's investigation. A

parallel federal investigation resulted in searches of other

addresses, although details of those raids were under court-

ordered seal yesterday.

The combined searches turned up 18 women who speak little

or no English and might have been trafficked to work in the

sex trade. Investigators said various agencies have stepped

in to provide shelter and other support to the women.

``They don't know the culture, they don't speak the

language, and they're very untrusting of law enforcement,''

said Nathan Emery, special agent in charge of the Columbus

office of the federal Homeland Security Investigations

agency.

The women fear deportation, a threat that was used by their

employers to keep them in line, police said. Authorities are

trying to pin down their identities and countries of origin.

``We are not just arresting those who are suspected of

trafficking women for sex, we are also rescuing those who may

be victims of this heinous crime,'' said Cmdr. Gary Cameron

of the Columbus police narcotics bureau.

Powell's search warrants were served at Amsun Massage in

Powell; Amsun Massage, l000 High St., Worthington; Rainbow

Massage, 5564 Hilliard-Rome Rd. on the Far West Side; and a

Jasmine Court residence on the Far West Side.

A man and woman from Columbus were arrested: Xiao Shuang

Chao, 56, and Qing Xu, whose age was unknown. Investigators

aren't sure of the couple's relationship but said they

operated the businesses locally. They face organized-crime

charges in Delaware County Common Pleas Court.

Powell Police Chief Gary Vest said that soon after Amsun

opened, his department was tipped that women were living

there and providing sex-related services to clients.

Emery said women are brought to the United States by human

traffickers and, instead of finding a better life, ``to pay

off their debts, they're put into forced servitude.''

Because of the importance of this issue in my State and in our Nation, I engaged during my first term in Congress to pass a sex trafficking bill, 400-9. Last year, as you heard from Congresswoman Wagner, I partnered with Senator Portman from Ohio to introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation, the Bringing Missing Children Home Act, H.R. 3905.

This Congress, I have introduced H.R. 246, which would improve and update the Missing Children's Assistance Act in order to reflect the current state of Federal law and reinforce that children who are sex- trafficked or sexually exploited are victims and not criminals.

Lastly, my bill would add the phrase ``sex child trafficking, including child prostitution'' to section b(1)(P) of the Missing Children's Assistance Act to fight the perception that sex trafficking is a voluntary, victimless crime.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, in speaking against and bringing awareness of human trafficking. Our country, our constituents, our children need our help.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say congratulations to the Ohio State Buckeyes for their victory last night for the first College Football Playoff National Championship game.

Mr. Speaker, I have the proud honor of representing the Third Congressional District of Ohio, home of the victorious Buckeyes football team.

Mr. Speaker, last night, I joined my Ohio congressional delegation and others to cheer for the Buckeyes. Mr. Speaker, football is definitely a bipartisan activity.

The most valuable player, Ezekiel Elliott, broke national championship records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns; and to our winning quarterback, Cardale Jones--who made the victory possible last night--to all the players, fans, the band, coaches, and athletic directors, I say, ``Congratulations.''

Go, Bucks.

Section 5:

``Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own Members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent Members, in such manner, and under such penalties as each House may provide.''

Mr. Speaker, I come today unscripted to speak to you about a lady that made a difference in the lives of this Nation. Fifty- nine years ago, one week ago, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat so she could make a stand for civil rights and justice. She said she was only tired of giving in.

That day, her remaining in her seat, made a difference for a person like me, a young girl in 1955, who vowed to make a difference because this woman, known as the ``Mother of the Modern Civil Rights Movement,'' took a stand.

In the Third Congressional District last week, Governor Bob Taft, the Central Ohio Transit Authority, my Third Congressional District, and the Ohio State University stood together and hosted hundreds of individuals to talk about redefining our communities, standing up for justice.

I am proud that Congressman Hakeem Jeffries joined a panel with other scholars like Sharon Davies and Curtis Austin as we talked about moving forward, as we talked about moving forward from the Trayvon Martins, from the Michael Browns, from the Eric Garners, and the list goes on, across this Nation.

We must come together for our children, for our families, and, yes, we must also stand up for justice that meets the standards of the values of this Nation.

Today, I join my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to thank another woman, our Rosa Parks, our Sojourner Truth--Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, for being the seventh woman to be the president and the leader of the Congressional Black Caucus.

To you, Congresswoman Fudge, to you, Mr. Speaker, I say, thank you for the Congressional Black Caucus through her leadership being more than the conscience of the Congress, but for being scholarly, for standing up for justice, for daring to be different, and, also, for understanding agriculture, the judiciary system. You see, she is not only a Member of Congress, she has served as a mayor, she has served as a judge, she is a prominent lawyer. But, more important than all of these, she is a crusader for children, she is a crusader for the least of us, and she understands relationships and partnerships, and working far beyond the CBC. She reaches across both sides of the aisle because, at the end of the day, she really realizes the fight is not about one of us, the fight is for all of us.

Mr. Speaker, it is indeed my honor to stand here not only with the members of the Congressional Black Caucus, but with you, Congressman Jeffries, for the work you have done.

Today, I have a heavy heart as we stand here as members of the Congressional Black Caucus on the topic of being Black in America, what Ferguson says about where we are and where we need to go.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by expressing my deepest condolences to the family of Michael Brown as his death was undeniably tragic. The ``Gentle Giant,'' as Michael was nicknamed by his family members, will not be forgotten, nor what his loss represents. Michael Brown had a promising future before his life was cut short by police gunfire by police that fateful day in August.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues. Let me continue and be very brief and just say Michael Brown had a promising future before his life was cut short by police gunfire on that fateful Saturday in August.

He was supposed to start technical college this past fall, planning to become a heating and cooling engineer one day. He hoped to start his own business. He strove to set an example for his younger siblings, teaching them to stay in school and further their education--instead, another loss.

Michael Brown fell victim to a criminal justice system that too often fails people of color. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, he is now another Black male whose full promise and potential will never be realized because his life was taken too early by the very department created to protect and serve his community, the Ferguson Police Department.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is appropriate that the Congressional Black Caucus is on the floor today discussing being Black in America. The CBC is the conscience of the Congress and, in many

circumstances, the conscience of America on the topic of race relations, struggles, and inequities.

We are also scholars and crusaders. We are our brothers' keepers. We have marched and written civil rights laws, and today, December 1, we are celebrating the 59th anniversary of Rosa Parks maintaining her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her civil disobedience on this day should be celebrated.

As we see in the majority a peaceful protest in refusing to give up her seat, Rosa Parks sparked a civil rights movement that continues today; a movement highlighted by incremental progress such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, where a Nation came together with hopes of eliminating centuries of discrimination against Blacks and providing equal rights under law.

The civil rights movement is ongoing and faces significant challenges. A great distrust between local residents and law enforcement remains today. Too many young Black men have been left behind and are seen as objects of fear, and we have a school-to-prison pipeline that tears our communities of color apart, leaving them forever incomplete.

As Martin Luther King, Jr., said:

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. Every

step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice,

suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and

passionate concerns of dedicated individuals.

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I am, today, hopeful. I am hopeful that initiatives like the President's My Brother's Keepers, which is implementing cradle to college and career programs for young people in my district, will allow us to continue Rosa Parks' progress that she sparked 59 years ago.

Finally, should we work harder to get more people registered to vote? Should we have more get out the vote? Yes, but it takes more than that. This Congress should work with the President, and I fully support his request for some $263 million in part to equip police officers with cameras.

Mr. Jeffries, Mr. Speaker, thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary service and selfless sacrifice of our Nation's veterans.

Each year, on the 11th day of the 11th month, we pause to pay tribute to our veterans, the men and women who served this country with honor and distinction.

To the almost 22 million veterans in the United States and the 43,000 veterans who live in my congressional district, I am here to say thank you for your service and sacrifice. You answered the call of service and never wavered.

Whether at home or abroad, whether at war or at times of peace, you kept our Nation safe and protected our freedoms. In gratitude and humility, it is now our turn to serve you, providing the benefits and the resources you deserve and earned.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 15, a bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform bill to properly address the humanitarian crises at the border.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish Medicare and Medicaid a very happy 49th Anniversary!

On this day in 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Social Security Act into law, establishing Medicare and Medicaid and the guarantee that a wide range of health and medical services would be available to millions of Americans.

A year after declaring a war on poverty in 1954, President Johnson created two programs that would serve as the backbone of our Great Society and provide a backstop so that our fellow Americans would never again be left without a safety net or a helping hand.

These programs matter, not only to their users, but to all citizens in our great nation.

Medicare matters because it provides comprehensive health coverage to seniors and gives families peace of mind that their loved ones can retire with security.

The program has provided seniors and the disabled with the quality health care, economic security, and the peace of mind they deserve.

Because of Medicare, millions of Americans have been able to age with respect and dignity, instead of mounting medical debt and uncertainty regarding treatment.

Mr. Speaker, I know firsthand how important Medicare is to seniors and families in America.

Nearly 98 percent of older Ohioans were enrolled in Medicare in 2011, and nationwide more than 50 million seniors and people with disabilities are covered under Medicare.

Medicaid matters because 1 in 5 Americans and 1 and 3 children receive health care through Medicaid. Providing preventative care and lifelong health assistance is not only the right, moral thing to do, it is also fiscally responsible.

I look forward to continuing to work to strengthen and protect these programs and to ensure that the promise of health and economic security will be there for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, thank you to Ranking Member Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Export-Import Bank and current legislation, H.R. 4950, to reauthorize the bank introduced by my freshman colleague and fellow Financial Services Committee member, Congressman Heck from Washington.

The Export-Import Bank has been helping United States businesses of all sizes sell their products around the world for over 80 years. But despite the bank's proven track record of creating jobs, helping American businesses compete globally, and reducing the Federal deficit, a faction of House Republicans want to close the door of this important Federal agency forever.

Mr. Speaker, shutting down the Export-Import Bank makes no sense to me, and it makes no sense to my constituents. In my congressional district, Ohio's Third, 10 companies, including six small businesses, have grown because of the Export-Import Bank. These businesses have been able to expand sales internationally and create jobs locally because of the Export-Import Bank.

Earlier this month I received a letter from the CEO of Yenkin- Majestic Paint, a manufacturer in my district. In his letter, he writes: ``Normally we would not write in context of Washington crosscurrents about the bank. However, it would be very unfortunate if the Congress cannot reach a responsible bipartisan reauthorization of this work to encourage commerce for American-made products abroad and to help expand U.S. employment from sales beyond what is available on the home front.''

Mr. Speaker, this is just one of many letters I have received from affected constituents.

I have also heard from a young man who works at International Risk Consultants, a Columbus-based company that provides guidance to small businesses to export internationally. He writes: ``The Ex-Im Bank offers trade finance solutions that work for small businesses that cannot find alternatives in the private market.''

He closes his letter in this way, I think most telling: ``Perhaps the most devastating effect of not reauthorizing the Ex-Im Bank will be visited upon the many firms that never began exporting but would, if they were introduced to Ex-Im Bank solutions.''

Mr. Speaker, Congress should not allow an extreme faction of the Republican Conference to execute an ill-conceived and destructive plan to close Export-Import Bank. My constituents deserve better. Ohioans deserve better, and the American people deserve better.

I urge the House Republican leadership to bring H.R. 4950, a bill with over 200 cosponsors, to the floor so we can keep the Export-Import Bank operating and, more importantly, keep Americans working.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately on July 24, 2014, I missed rollcall vote No. 442 on Ordering the Previous Question. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H.R. 5111, a bill I introduced which would help victims of child sex trafficking by decriminalizing their behavior.

I thank Chairman Kline from Minnesota and Ranking Member Miller from California of the Education and the Workforce Committee for bringing this important bill to the floor for consideration. I also thank Representative Walberg from Michigan, who is managing the bill today for the Republicans.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank Senator Portman, whom I partnered with on this legislation earlier this year. Together we introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation in order to assist victims of child sex trafficking and ensure that they are viewed and treated as victims and not criminals. We participated in a roundtable discussion with the Dominican Sisters of Peace in my district with diverse stakeholders who shared stories of victims and ideas of what we could do to further help these children who are trafficked.

We heard story after story, just like on the House floor today: the story of Caroline, in my district; the story of Teresa, who was a victim herself at a very young age and now is a national advocate against child sex trafficking.

As we know, human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world. In fact, according to the United States State Department, human trafficking is the world's second-largest criminal enterprise after the illegal drug trade.

In the United States, some 300,000 children are at risk each year for commercial sexual exploitation. Many of them come from family and social backgrounds that render them particularly at risk. These are children who fall through the cracks in our society.

Mr. Speaker, many are runaways, homeless, and in and out of foster care. These children deserve better. The average age of a traffic victim in the United States is 12 years of age.

Mr. Speaker, this is shameful. At 12 years of age, girls and boys should be playing youth sports, participating in their school science fair, learning a new language, or just being able to be a child.

In my home State of Ohio, each year, an estimated 1,078 Ohio children become victims of human trafficking, and over 3,000 more are at risk. Ohio is the fifth leading State for human trafficking because of its proximity to a waterway that leads to an international border and a system of interstate highways that allows an individual to exit the State within 2 hours to almost anywhere.

The I-75 corridor--which runs through Toledo, Dayton, and Cincinnati--is infamous for subjecting children to the horrors of sex trafficking, with reports of victims being repeatedly abused.

Just last week, my hometown paper, The Columbus Dispatch, reported that Ohio children younger than 6 years old have been sexually trafficked by their parents in exchange for drugs, for rent, or cash.

Mr. Speaker, I will enter a copy of this article into the Record.

[From the Columbus Dispatch, July 11, 2014.]

Ohioans Selling Sex With Their Own Kids

(By Alan Johnson)

Ohio children younger than 6 have been sexually trafficked

by their own parents in exchange for drugs, rent and cash, a

new report indicates.

Information from the Ohio Network of Children's Advocacy

Centers shows that 51 minors from across the state were

potential human-trafficking victims--five of them age 6 or

younger--over a nine-month period. The network has a state

contract to screen children referred by law enforcement,

children's services agencies and others, to determine whether

they may have been trafficked.

Statistics from July 2013 to March 2014 showed all but five

of the 51 minors reported were 13 to 18 years old. Only one

case involved a male. They came from both urban and rural

areas of the state.

``I'm most shocked that families are doing this to their

own children,'' said the director of the advocacy center that

originally detected three of the cases involving the youngest

children. She asked not to be identified for this story to

avoid pinpointing specific details about the cases that might

cause problems for the children, or jeopardize legal

proceedings.

``We think it happens to young girls who are runaways. But

with these youngest kids, it's their actual families who are

trafficking them.''

She said more information about what happened to very young

children gradually comes out over time as they are in

counseling and other therapeutic programs.

Information on at least three of the five youngest victims

indicated they were trafficked sexually by one or both of

their parents in ``exchange for drugs, rent, goods or

money,'' said Amy Deverson Roberts of the children's advocacy

network.

She said some cases have been referred for prosecution and

others are pending. She could not release specifics about any

cases.

The suspected victims were referred for help to law

enforcement, children's services, mental-health providers and

other agencies as needed, Roberts said.

``It's all about collaboration to provide the best services

for victims,'' Roberts said.

The network last year received a $523,000, two-year grant

from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to

provide training to detect signs of trafficking, to put on

education programs, and to handle child referrals. The grant

came from a trafficking task force created in an executive

order by Gov. John Kasich.

Officials estimate that 1,100 children are forced into the

sex trade each year in Ohio; 13 is the most common age for

children to be victimized.

Mr. Speaker, more must be done to assist these children, these children who are victims, not criminals, and need our help.

We know that no single system can successfully combat trafficking. Preventing, identifying, and serving victims of trafficking requires a multicoordinated approach across all levels of government. We need to encourage all people, when they see something, say something.

Currently, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children operates a CyberTipline, which receives leads and tips regarding suspected crimes of sexual exploitation committed against children. More than 2.3 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation have been made to the CyberTipline between 1998 and March of this year.

In identifying the types of sexual exploitation that should be reported to the CyberTipline, current law does not specifically mention ``child sex trafficking'' as one of its reporting categories, even though the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children encounters child victims of sex trafficking and currently uses this term on its Web site in order to encourage the public's reporting of these types of crimes.

Instead, the statute uses the term ``child prostitution,'' which we know does not fully and accurately capture these types of crimes against children.

My bill would add the phrase ``child sex trafficking,'' including ``child prostitution'' to the section b(1)(p) of the Missing Children's Assistance Act.

Working with my colleagues on the Education and the Workforce Committee and Congressman Chris Smith from New Jersey, we have crafted legislation in order to improve and update the law in order to reflect the current state of Federal law and to reinforce that children who are sex-trafficked or sexually exploited are victims and not criminals.

Mr. Speaker, children in sex trafficking situations are often misidentified as ``willing'' participants. We know there is widespread lack of awareness and understanding of trafficking.

By adding the term ``child sex trafficking,'' including ``child prostitution,'' the Missing Children's Assistance Act will continue to fight the perception that sex trafficking is a voluntary, victimless crime.

Child sex trafficking is an issue of abuse and exploitation of children.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Bass).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Let me conclude by saying that I urge all of my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to support H.R. 5111.

This is a very important piece of legislation that will help the victims of child sex trafficking. It will decriminalize their behavior. It will help rescue them from the horrible situations that we have heard tonight.

Let me also share that it is not only about H.R. 5111, but it is about all of the bills that we are hearing tonight that I ask this House to support.

I would certainly be remiss if I did not thank the House leadership on both sides of the aisle for allowing us to bring these important bills forward and also my entire staff, but specifically my legislative director for all of her hard work.

Lastly, to Congresswoman Bass, let me say thank you for being someone who has led this charge and has been willing to work with me and others on helping bring all of our bills forward.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to join with others across the Nation to ask Congress to pass the Voting Rights Amendment Act.

I had the distinct pleasure to join near our Capitol last week with some 3,000 members of Links, Incorporated, at the national assembly and with the 15th national president and chair of KeyBank, Margot James Copeland, and with the national legislative chair and OhioHealth's president, Karen Morrison, of their foundation to lead a resolution to support the Voting Rights Act of America.

Links members proudly voted in support of a resolution, calling on Congress to pass the Voting Rights Amendment Act, H.R. 3899.

Martin Luther King, Jr., said:

Our feet are tired, but our souls are rested. Let us say

the same of ourselves as we continue the unfinished work of

ensuring that every American cannot only vote, but has the

freedom, the justice, and the dignity that all individuals

rightly deserve.

Let us join together as Democrats and Republicans and pass the Voting Rights Act.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot about education today, probably because education is the economic engine of our future.

Ohio State University plays a pivotal role in K-Life education. It is located in my district, and it serves not only my district but the Nation.

Today, I rise to acknowledge Ohio State University's outgoing interim president, Dr. Joseph Alutto, a former colleague and a friend, and to welcome incoming president, Dr. Michael Drake.

Thank you, Joe Alutto, for your leadership in preparing our next generation of teachers, artists, medical, corporate, and community leaders. In an era where innovation in science and technology and creative entrepreneurialism will determine our global station in the world, it is critical that we have capable leaders at the helm of our education and research institutions.

I thank Joseph Alutto for his service to Ohio State University, the single-largest campus university in the country. God speed and good luck.