Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of rights listed in our Bill of Rights. In the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, there are five rights that are mentioned. The first right in the First Amendment is mentioned first, in my opinion, because it is the most important right, and that is the right of religious freedom.

If you notice the wording in that right, it protects the right to freely exercise one's religion. It is more than believe whatever you want to believe religiously. You have the right to practice your religion and freely exercise it. Wise words from the Founders and the writers of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Now we have a situation in our country where that right is being threatened. Even this morning, the attempted terror attack should remind us that we need to be vigilant of the war on terror because people, in the name of terror, commit crimes against other Americans because they hate them. They hate their religion and what they stand for.

This year, more than 100 bomb threats and other threats of violence have been made against 81 Jewish community centers. A Jewish community center is not the synagogue, but sometimes it is close to it. It is where the Jewish kids and adults go for community.

There have been over 100 bomb threats just this year against 81 Jewish community centers in 33 States. Many of these centers were forced to close because of the threat that was made against them.

These attacks are clearly directed at these facilities due to the religious nature of the buildings and the religious activities that go on there.

Despite this fact, terroristic threats against community religious centers are currently not punished as hate crimes under Federal law.

This bipartisan legislation would amend the Church Arson Prevention Act to ensure that other individuals, who make bomb threats and other credible threats of violence against community religious centers based on the religious nature of that center, can be prosecuted under our law as a hate crime.

The bill also adds new language that would create a penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment if any violation of the statute results in damage or destruction to the property.

We must make it abundantly clear that we will not tolerate acts of violence and hate against any group in America, especially religious groups. It is incumbent upon us, as Congress, to make sure that the First Amendment is protected, and that is our job: to protect religious freedom.

I urge support of this legislation, and I thank the chairman for bringing it to the floor.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the auctioneer shouted: ``Does anybody want to buy a worker? Here is a worker, a big strong man. He will dig.

``What is the bid? What is the bid?

``Sold to the highest bid of $400.''

Mr. Speaker, West Africans go to Libya thinking that they will get a job in Europe but, instead, are sold in Libya to labor and sex traffickers. These Africans simply seek a new life, free from terrorism, persecution, and famine; however, they become victims of modern-day slavery.

In the years following the United States' overthrow of the Libyan Government, the nation became a failed state. Sinking further into despair, the failed state became a brothel of slavery: human sex and labor trafficking. People are bound to the slave block and sold at the marketplace of sex slavery and labor trafficking.

Mr. Speaker, slavery is a crime against humanity, and the United States must exercise caution when toppling regimes without understanding the long-term consequences like human slavery.

And that is just the way it is

Mr. Speaker, it was a calm, cool Sunday sunrise over the Hawaiian Islands when the planes came over the horizon. They were carrying the emblem of the rising sun on their wings and fuselages, the symbol of the imperialist regime of the Kingdom of Japan. They were headed for a surprise attack on a place called Pearl Harbor, an American naval base. It was December 7, 1941.

Meanwhile, here in Washington, D.C., hypocritical diplomats from Japan were talking peace with the United States.

The Japanese planes bombed American battleships in the harbor. They bombed American aircraft on the ground. After the destruction was over, 2,403 Americans lay dead, murdered by the imperialist kingdom. It was the beginning of America's entry into World War II.

Nearly 4 years later, over 416,000 Americans were killed in the Second World War. Victory over Japan occurred on August 14, 1945, and the ``rising sun of aggression'' sank into the sunset of history.

We honor and remember Pearl Harbor and all the men and women of the Greatest Generation who served in that war.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, history is the great educator. We remember in American history the War of Independence started when the British tried to take away the firearms of Americans, and we had the Battles of Lexington and Concord. That revolution was successful because Americans were able to be armed.

The Texas War of Independence started when the Mexican Government tried to take away the firearms of Texans. That started in Gonzales, Texas, and it was successful and we became an independent country.

The Second Amendment is a constitutional right that Americans have. My friends on the other side don't like the Second Amendment. They wish it wasn't there. They do everything in their power to restrict the privilege and the right that we have under the Second Amendment, and we get it because of our history, to protect us from government and also for self-defense.

My friends talk about gun violence. They have got to remember that gun violence happens many times where people are disarmed, and it usually takes a gun to stop that gun, just like it did at the church in Texas.

In another situation, if I were to drive my Jeep to California and I get stopped by the California Highway Patrol, which maybe would occur, I would show them my Texas driver's license, and then they would let me drive, even though the laws in California are different on a driver's license.

Second, the registration of my Jeep in Texas would pass in California, even though if I had to get it done in California, it probably wouldn't pass. But they recognize that because we have laws that recognize that.

My marriage license would be accepted as well.

The right to bear arms, the right to have a concealed carry weapon, is based on the Second Amendment of the Constitution. All this law does is allow us to exercise that right in every State.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, when we turn on the tap, clean water flows out and we hardly even think about it. The same thing happens when we turn on the shower or flush the toilet. But for a lot of the world, this just isn't true.

According to the USAID, over 700 million people lack dependable access to clean water. But it is not just water. One in three people don't have access to a toilet. Many don't know the basic hygiene practices. As a result, over 800 children a day die.

However, progress has been made. The Water for the World Act that Representative Blumenauer and I authored in the 113th Congress made great strides to guarantee safe water, sanitation, and hygiene to everyone.

But there is still work to be done. Eighty percent of the countries receiving aid report that water issues remain. The poor still lack water and sanitation. With our God-given resources, we have an obligation and a privilege to make sure people receive the basic of life: clean water.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, when teenagers select universities to attend, they assume that their school will protect and take care of them if something horrible occurs. Hannah was no different when she decided to attend Howard University in 2006. But on a Friday night of her sophomore year, she realized how deeply misplaced her trust in the school was.

On that night, Hannah and her friends went to a fellow student's house party. It was a typical college evening filled with dancing and laughter, but it wasn't until the party began to wind down that Hannah's friends noticed she was missing. Hannah was always very safety conscious and never wandered off alone, so her friends were immediately worried and began frantically looking for her in the house. They called her name and searched the entire first floor. Hannah was nowhere to be found.

They tried to go upstairs to search the second floor, but a man grabbed them and forced them down the stairs. He said that nobody was allowed to go upstairs. Hannah's friends argued with him. They screamed her name and threatened to call the police.

Just as the situation was escalating, Hannah appeared at the top of the stairs. She was a mess. She was confused, and she was barely able to walk or to speak. The girls took Hannah by the arms and immediately left the house. Something really awful had happened to her, so they rushed her to the Howard University emergency room.

Mr. Speaker, here is where the university system completely failed her. When the doctor finally came to see Hannah, he told her she was too drunk and she should go home and just sleep it all off. The friends begged the doctor to give her a rape kit, but he just refused and sent them away.

This is malpractice, Mr. Speaker. Rape kits can provide critically important evidence in sexual assault cases, especially cases where the victim has been drugged.

When Hannah woke up the next morning, she was in so much pain she could barely walk, so she called the police and returned to the university emergency room for a rape kit. But because Hannah couldn't remember exactly what happened and who her assailant was, the police and the hospital staff again refused to conduct a rape kit.

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of a rape kit is to find out who the assailant was.

Desperate and denied any assistance from her own university, Hannah still reached out for help. She went to George Washington University Hospital, but they told her that, since she was denied a rape kit at Howard University, she was not allowed to get one at this hospital. Hannah sought help and was rejected at every turn.

This is tragic, Mr. Speaker.

Most of us have kids. A lot of them go to universities--all four of mine did; three of them are girls--and we expect universities to do something to protect those students when a crime is committed against them. The doctors and medical staff at both university hospitals were apparently not trained to deal with traumatized rape victims, and they were clearly ignorant of how important forensic evidence is after an assault.

So to ensure this doesn't happen to more victims, I have introduced legislation that would require a university to provide access to a nurse or a doctor who is properly trained to provide medical care for trauma rape victims or have a plan in place to quickly get a victim to a nearby hospital. Universities must have a plan in place or have access to a staffer.

This bill is named the Megan Rondini Act in honor of another college rape victim from Texas, who was at the University of Alabama. She was denied proper post-rape treatment at a hospital. Eventually, she took her own life because of the fact that no one paid attention to her.

This bill will ensure victims can access the care they need. Having a SAFE, sexual assault forensic examiner, or a SANE, sexual assault nurse examiner, for rape victims at universities ensures that rape kits are properly examined and collected.

Universities not only need to have access to a SAFE, but they need to have a victim advocate trained in sexual assault on campus, and all rape kits from students and nonstudents must be quickly analyzed so that the offender can be determined.

Mr. Speaker, there are thousands of rape kits all over the country sitting on police shelves that just haven't been examined. This is awful.

Hannah was denied justice because of incompetence. Victims are people, too, Mr. Speaker, and schools, especially, should be prepared to deal with sexual assault victims; otherwise, there will be more victims like Hannah.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday afternoon, 58-year-old San Marcos, Texas, Police Officer Kenneth Copeland was shot in an ambush- style attack while he was serving an arrest warrant for a violent crime.

The 19-year veteran of the force was working on his day off doing what he loved: protecting and serving the community. This wasn't unusual for Officer Copeland. A father of four, he worked just about every day simply to provide for his family and help the shorthanded department out.

As guns blazed around them, fellow officers sprang into action loading Copeland into a patrol car and rushed him to the hospital with their sirens blazing. But it was too late. Another member of the thin blue line murdered simply because he wore the badge.

Mr. Speaker, this is the sixth peace officer in Texas murdered this year, the first in San Marcos history. We must do everything in our power to stand by our men and women in uniform who wear the badge. Peace officers like Copeland are the last strand of wire in the fence between the law and the outlaws.

We mourn his sacrifice, but we thank the good Lord that such a man as Officer Copeland ever lived.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, this week I was honored to meet one of Texas' finest, Navy Lieutenant Michael Gene Penn, who served during the Vietnam war. He, like many in my district, lost his home and many priceless possessions during the disastrous flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.

Last month my office was contacted by Lt. Penn's brother-in-law, Ralph Massengill, asking if I could help replace the treasured medals and ribbons that were lost during Hurricane Harvey. In his heartfelt email, he expressed his desire to present the awards and medals to Lt. Penn in a shadow-box as a Christmas gift. He felt this would be the perfect gift, as Lt. Penn hopes to be back in his home by Christmas. I was honored to help fulfill his request.

Lt. Penn was born in Dallas, Texas on March 13, 1946. He attended the University of Texas at Arlington and graduated in August of 1969, all while working as a full-time police officer for the City of Fort Worth, Texas.

As a young boy, he would watch the fighter jets take off and land. He decided then that he wanted to be a pilot in the Navy. His dream was to land a jet on an aircraft carrier. And that he did.

Lt. Penn volunteered to serve in the Navy at a time when many people in our country were protesting our government and military; when the anti-war sentiment was high. The Vietnam war, also known as the second Indochina war, started on November 1, 1955 because of a conflict that pitted the Northern communist government of North Vietnam and its allies, against the government of South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. Of course, that didn't deter him from enlisting. With his wife and family's full support, he went to the Ft. Worth Naval Air Station and told them that he wanted to fly jets. The only obstacle in his way was he had to finish college.

So, after graduating college, he entered the Navy Jet Flight Training Program in August of 1969. He received his Wings a year and a half later. His first duty station as a Designated Naval Aviator was at the Naval Air Station in Lemoore, California, where he was assigned to Attack Squadron 56.

On April 10, 1972, he departed the United States on his first cruise via aircraft carrier, the USS Midway. Most cruises are six to nine months, but with the ongoing war, President Nixon extended his to 11 months. His squadron brought a total of 13 jets on their mission to Vietnam. Only one of the original 13 returned. He went through two jets, as did a couple of other pilots. Lt. Penn's first aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire, which gave him limited control of the jet, forcing him to land on to the USS Midway's barricade. His second aircraft was hit by a surface to air missile. Back in the day these aircrafts cost three million dollars apiece, and it was then that Lt. Penn became known as the six-million-dollar man.

Lt. Penn (nicknamed Pick) flew a total of 75 combat missions over Northern Vietnam.

Mr. Speaker, imagine 75 takeoffs and landings from an aircraft carrier.

On his 75th mission, a SAM (surface-to-air) missile hit his A-7 Corsair II aircraft. He was shot down over Haiphong. He was forced to eject from the aircraft, suffering several broken bones. After being ejected, he deployed his parachute, which quickly became impaled by bullets from enemy fire. Seconds after he hit the ground, he found himself surrounded by the enemy. It was then, when a villager, about 10 feet away, began running at full speed with a knife in his hand towards Lt. Penn, in an attempt to kill him. Although Lt. Penn tried to dodge the attack, the villager cut the side of his neck open. A North Vietnamese Army soldier subdued the farmer and took Lt. Penn captive, using Penn's own bootlaces to restrain his hands behind his back before taking him to the infamous Hanoi Hilton.

He was a prisoner of war (POW) at the brutal Hanoi Hilton for eight months. He lived in a 9x4 concrete cell. His meals consisted mostly of bread and water. The solitary lightbulb above him stayed on 24 hours a day. Twice he was given rice, which had roaches in it. In the beginning, the captives would pick the roaches out of their food, but after starving for so long, they eventually ate everything they were given.

After spending eight months in captivity, the war was over. He returned home on March 29, 1973, as part of the last group that was brought back during ``Operation Homecoming''. 591 American POWs returned home during the operation. This was a direct result of an agreed ceasefire following the Paris Peace Accord, ending U.S. involvement in the Vietnam war. For Lt. Penn, it wasn't easy returning home. His son was six months old when he left, and was 1.5 years old when he returned. He didn't know who he was. It didn't take him long, thankfully. As he was getting to know his son, he was trying to acclimate to normal life. For the first three months he couldn't sleep. Since he, like many other POW's, slept on the floor in his concrete cell, it was some time before he was comfortable in his own bed.

Lt. Michael Gene Penn honorably served the United States Navy for 11 years. Nine years on active duty and two in the Navy Reserves. Lt. Penn's military service was remarkable. When he came into my office, I presented him replacement medals for:

1. The Distinguished Flying Cross (the second highest award next to the Congressional Medal of Honor) for his extraordinary achievement while participating in a heavy combat aerial flight in Southeast Asia,

2. The Bronze Star with a combat V (for valor) for his heroic achievements and meritorious service in a combat zone,

3. Two Purple Hearts for having been injured twice while serving our nation,

4. The Air Medal, for an act of heroism and meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight,

5. The Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star and combat V (valor) for his sustained acts of heroism and meritorious service,

6. The Combat Action Ribbon for his active participation in ground and surface combat,

7. A Presidential Unit Citation for Gallantry, Determination, and Esprit de corps in accomplishing a mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions,

8. The Prisoner of War Medal for his honorable service in the Armed Forces while being held against his will during the Vietnam war for eight months,

9. The National Defense Service Medal for his military service during periods of national emergency or a period designated by the Secretary of Defense,

10. The Vietnam Service Medal for his service in the geographical theatre area of Vietnam from July 4, 1965 through March 28, 1973,

11. An Honorable Discharge Button for his impeccable and admirable service in the United States Navy.

Lt. Penn resigned his commission from the Navy in 1978 and went to work for a commercial airline to fly 737s out of Houston, Texas. He quickly became the chief pilot, supervising over 700 other pilots. Today, he continues to serve the veteran community as a PTSD mentor and as a civilian inspirational speaker. He travels the world and tells his story of endurance and survival. His patriotic legacy of military service and giving back is one of the best examples of a remarkable generation in American history. Lt. Penn is a unique warrior that never renounced duty, honor or country. He was unbreakable. I asked him how he felt about his service, and he said, ``It was an honor to serve under difficult circumstances. I'm glad to be back in one piece.'' Always a humble man, he said to remember that, ``It's never a bad day as long as you have a door knob on your side of the door''.

Mr. Speaker, Hurricane Harvey took a lot from Texans. It destroyed many of our businesses, some of our historic landmarks, and thousands of homes; and with it, it took many Texans' valuable and sentimental belongings. It has been an honor to meet Lt. Penn and a pleasure to replace the medals that recognize his commendable military service and personal accomplishments. Lt. Penn is of the rare breed, the remarkable breed of an American Patriot.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, last year, Stanford rapist and champion swimmer Brock Turner was sentenced to a mere 6 months in prison for his disgusting crime: raping an unconscious young woman behind a dumpster in the darkness of night.

The judge claimed a prison sentence would have ``a severe impact on him.'' Never mind that a rape victim sometimes gets a life sentence of mental turmoil and anguish.

But apparently, the light punishment is still too tough for the rapist and his daddy dearest. Now they have gone crying and appealing to the courts, trying to avoid the designation that Turner earned as a registered sex offender.

Daddy's high-dollar legal team is claiming the victim was intoxicated and Turner should get more leniency. It is the old defense: it was the victim's fault.

The fact the victim was intoxicated and unconscious makes the crime worse. She was helpless. She could not consent or fight back.

Rape is never the fault of the victim--never.

Uphold the conviction and give Brock Turner the only title he deserves: sex offender and poster boy for rape.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, when the sun barely peeks over the sky, millions of women and children across the developing world wake up and make their daily, dangerous walk in search of the necessity of life: water.

They walk for miles in water-scarce regions to a well or polluted river for water. During these long walks, they are often put at risk of sexual abuse and assault. Also, bad guys control the wells and abuse women in return for the sometimes polluted water.

The time-consuming search for water results in rape, pregnancy, child kidnapping, and high educational dropout rates. Access to water, sanitation, and hygiene prevents disease. It also improves the safety and security of women and children across the entire world.

It is encouraging to see our Nation and Congress recognizing water as the global security crisis that it is and the need to build capacity to clean water. With our God-given resources, we have it within our power and our duty to help others access clean water--the key to life.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, most Americans may not be aware of what is taking place by our government. Our government is spying on Americans and I think it is in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

In all of the talk that we have been having the last few weeks, we are missing one of the most basic issues that we hold dear: the right of privacy.

Let me explain how it is taking place.

Go back to Snowden. We didn't know about all of the spying going on in America until Snowden revealed that. I am no fan of his. I think he ought to be prosecuted, but we know information about our government spying on our Americans because of his disclosures.

Let me talk about specifically the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

What is that?

FISA allows our government to spy on foreign agents, which includes terrorists, primarily overseas. So what happens is the government goes to a FISA court.

What is that?

It is a secret court that operates in secret that issues secret warrants.

I personally have an issue with that because it reminds me too much of the Star Chamber in England where they operated in secret and tried people in secret.

As a former judge, I am very concerned about the loss of our Fourth Amendment right of privacy in the United States based on this law. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act courts operate in secret and issue warrants to go after bad guys overseas. So they seize that information and they put it in a database.

Here is what happens: while seizing that information of communication--maybe an al-Qaida guy talking to another al-Qaida guy-- they put that information in a database, but also that information is seized on Americans. Incidental is what they call that. That may be a communication with an American that has nothing to do with terrorism. It could be something else. So that information is seized on Americans based on this warrant by a FISA judge on foreigners. The information is put in the database.

Here is what happens: occasionally, the government decides to go into that database that was seized without a Fourth Amendment warrant and see how many times a name comes up. They call it a query. That is another fancy name for a search. So they search that database to see how many times Bobby Oglethorpe's name pops up. Then they go to their administrative folks and get a piece of paper that allows them then a second search.

They search that database to see if Bobby Oglethorpe is committing crimes in the U.S., having nothing to do with terrorism. Maybe it is bank robbery, maybe it is IRS fraud, maybe it violates other laws in the United States.

So then they seize that information, and we don't know how many times they do that. The Judiciary Committee has asked the Justice Department: How many times have you done that?

They refuse to tell us.

Suspicious, isn't it?

I will tell you how many times it is. According to The Washington Post, 90 percent of the account holders whose communications were collected were not the targets, the bad guys overseas. Ninety percent of them. Many of them were Americans. Nearly half of the surveillance files contained names, email addresses, and other details that the NSA marked as belonging to U.S. citizens or residents.

So what information are they getting?

Emails, communications, text messages. They seize that, then they go through that database to see if Bobby Oglethorpe is a bank robber or whatever, and all of that is done in secret. Remember, secret courts issuing secret warrants, and they don't tell anybody about that. That is a violation of the Fourth Amendment on Americans.

Let me read the Fourth Amendment: ``The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.''

Mr. Speaker, the Fourth Amendment is sacred to this country, and I include in the Record the Fourth Amendment.

Amendment [IV.]

The right of the people to be secure in their persons,

houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches

and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall

issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or

affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be

searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Mr. Speaker, in this situation, government seizes the information without a probable cause warrant. Then they search the information to see how many times Bobby Oglethorpe maybe has violated other laws, and they do it without a probable cause warrant.

That is allowed under 702 of the FISA legislation. We are getting ready to reauthorize FISA. This 702 provision should require a warrant to search that information, a warrant to take the content of that information and make it public, and file on Bobby Oglethorpe.

Mr. Speaker, Congress must set the standard for privacy, not the courts; and we are called upon to fix this spying on Americans and not allow it.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, as Americans gathered around their Thanksgiving tables, joined hands with their families, and gave thanks for their blessings, a Texas Highway Patrol trooper was murdered.

While returning to his patrol car during a routine traffic stop, Trooper Damon Allen was shot in the back by a dastardly criminal, the driver of that vehicle. Trooper Allen was working alone, as most troopers in Texas do. The multiple shots killed Trooper Allen.

The crook had illegally procured a weapon in Trooper Allen's homicide. The criminal, like most do, quickly fled the scene, leading Texas Rangers and other law enforcement on a chase across Texas, but he was finally apprehended.

Mr. Speaker, this wasn't the first time that the criminal had targeted our men and women in uniform. A slew of previous convictions are on his rap sheet, including drug possession, evading arrest, and violence toward law enforcement. The killer is now where he belongs: in the jailhouse. The bandit will face Texas justice.

Texas Department of Public Safety Officer Allen was a devoted husband, a father of three, and a 15-year member of Texas law enforcement. He served with courage, placing the badge--the star--over his heart and reporting for duty every day.

We pray for Trooper Allen and his family. Trooper Allen, like all peace officers, placed his life between us and the lawless. We should remember him and thank God that such men have lived.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, as most of us were sitting down for our Thanksgiving meal with our turkey and dressing, there was an empty chair at the Martinez home because, just a few days before Thanksgiving, 36-year-old Texas Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez was killed manning Texas' often violent southern border.

Initial reports indicate Martinez and his partner were ambushed by a group of illegal immigrants attempting to cross into the United States. The illegals began throwing rocks, hitting the two officers over and over again. Both agents suffered broken bones and major head trauma. Martinez's partner is still in the hospital in critical condition.

Agent Martinez was killed by those seeking to enter the United States illegally by whatever means possible, ultimately, by killing him. The FBI is still investigating the homicide and seeks to bring those responsible to justice.

Rock throwers are not that uncommon on the Texas-Mexico border. Since 2003, 39--39--border patrol agents have been killed while on patrol.

Our agents are outmanned, outgunned, and sometimes outfinanced by the drug cartels trying to enter the United States. Our border protectors deserve our total admiration and support.

We mourn the loss of Border Agent Martinez. May God bless his family.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the world's largest religion continues to be the world's most persecuted religion. Christians are assaulted, murdered, harassed, and their homes and churches increasingly are destroyed.

Recently, in Cairo, while Coptic Christian priest Father Rizkallah was collecting humanitarian aid, he was stabbed to death because he was a Christian.

Now persecution has taken a new twist. While Islamic extremism continues its genocide on Christians and other different sects of Islam, government-sponsored persecution is increasing worldwide. According to Open Doors, 9 of the top 10 countries where persecution exists have large Islam populations. But North Korea, the number one offender, is an atheist nation.

Ethnic nationalism is also a major driver of persecution. Weak and/or totalitarian governments use Christians as scapegoats to keep a grip on power.

Religious freedom is mentioned first in our First Amendment because it is the most important of all freedoms. It is a God-given right for all people of all religions. Americans should lead the way in worldwide religious freedom and in denouncing religious persecution of Christians.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the Open Doors USA Persecution of Christians Watch List.

Open Doors USA Persecution of Christians Watch List 2017

1. North Korea

2. Somalia

3. Afghanistan

4. Pakistan

5. Sudan

6. Syria

7. Iraq

8. Iran

9. Yemen

10. Eritrea

Madam Speaker, Uzbekistan uber terrorist Saipov's attack in New York City is another example why the United States should end the diversity visa lottery. And I emphasize the word ``lottery.''

The program should have ended years ago. Under this 1990 program, the State Department gives 50,000 visas each year to immigrants from different parts of the world using a lottery system. Getting into the United States is like playing bingo. It is a game of chance.

Our immigration system should be changed to accept the best and brightest throughout the world. It is time to go to a merit-based visa system. Grant visas to people who will benefit America. Stop the random system that allowed Saipov to come in; a system that rolls the dice where foreigners win and Americans lose.

And that is just the way it is.