Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, Weingarten Realty owns several shopping centers in Texas. Recently they were sued by plaintiffs who had never visited the shopping center.

The complaint?

Allegedly, nine designated ADA van-accessible parking spaces were not dispersed far enough apart.

Mr. Speaker, on a recent flight, flight attendant Shelia Fedrick of Alaska Airlines noticed a young girl, 14 or 15 years old, with blonde hair. Shelia approached two individuals, but the young girl refused to speak or make contact with her. The man next to the girl was defensive as she tried to make conversation.

Something was just not right. Shelia quickly devised a plan. She convinced the girl to go to the bathroom where Shelia had left a note stuck to the mirror. The girl wrote back on the note, and she needed help.

The flight crew quickly alerted the police on the ground. Shelia Fedrick ended up saving a victim of human trafficking.

Traffickers often ship their victims across the country like baggage. The Department of Homeland Security and flight attendants are working together through training to spot warning signs of modern-day slavery.

Thanks to Shelia Fedrick and other flight attendants for their work in rescuing victims of trafficking. We must continue to stop traffickers in their tracks.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, when I met with Admiral Harris of Pacific Command last year, I asked him which nation's threats concerned him the most. He quickly replied: North Korea.

Proving Admiral Harris correct, North Korea illegally launched yet another menacing ballistic missile. This was a high-tech, pre-fueled rocket that can be launched quickly. This type of rocket has a range of about 1,800 miles--thus, making it an immediate threat to South Korea and Japan as well as our troops that are stationed there.

North Korea has even bigger plans. Kim Jong-un reportedly plans to develop submarines from which to launch the missiles, which could threaten the United States. The last administration pursued an ignorant strategy called strategic patience. That policy clearly failed. North Korea's program is now stronger than ever. Kim Jong-un's threats continue to grow bolder and bolder with no repercussions.

Once upon a time, the United States had North Korea on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. It is time to put little Kim back on that list because he is a world terrorist and a threat to world peace, and he has earned that distinction.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, this past summer British citizens chose to reclaim their independence. In a landmark referendum they decided to leave the European Union and take charge of their economic future. Now, in the wake of Brexit, it is important that we preserve, as Winston Churchill first put it in 1946, the special relationship between the U.S. and the U.K.

Our two nations are bound together by a shared history, a common language, and a friendship that reaches back hundreds of years. Now our two countries got off to a rough start. The Crown opposed our independence and then burned the Capitol and the White House in the War of 1812. But Great Britain is not only our oldest enemy but our oldest ally. For over two hundred years our two countries have partnered together to preserve peace and security. From the trenches of WWI to the mountains of Afghanistan, our men and women have spilt blood together on the battlefield. Our relationship is deep and special.

A trade deal represents yet another opportunity to deepen our relationship. The previous Administration threatened to put the U.K. ``at the back of the queue'' for a trade deal. But that kind of snub to our greatest ally is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing.

A bilateral agreement will enhance the flow of commerce and boost the welfare of our economies. Trade deals that do not help the United States are things of the past. A bilateral trade agreement can be in both our interests.

The U.K. shares many values and business practices with the U.S. Our similarities will help ensure a smooth negotiation process as neither side will be forced into making hard concessions. For example, because Britain's workers are paid at about the same rate as Americans, we do not have to worry about American manufacturers moving factories to the English countryside. Jobs will not be sent overseas. We will be able to streamline regulations and reduce barriers to trade. That means more consumers for U.S. goods. Our two countries already enjoy close economic ties. No country receives more investment from Britain than the United States. And the United States is the largest investor in the United Kingdom.

In my home state of Texas, the U.K. is the number one foreign direct investor. It sends over $2.5 billion dollars a year into the Texas economy. This investment has helped to bring more than 87,000 jobs to hardworking Texans. Texas is a great place to do business. The British people see that. But these kinds of gains are not limited to Texas alone. Every day over a million Americans go to work for British companies based in the U.S. It is critical that we turn our backs on trade. Houston is dependent on the free flow of goods. Over 50 percent of the city's economy is based on the Port of Houston. But that does not mean the United States has to give away the farm to get a trade deal done. We can have free and fair trade. We can level the playing field for American businesses, give American goods better access to consumers around the world, and increase American jobs.

The new Administration has expressed its preference for bilateral deals over more cumbersome multilateral agreements. A bilateral deal with the U.K. is a great place to start. Once the U.K. is able to throw off the shackles of the EU's restrictive trade policies, there will be better opportunities for job growth and investment.

A free trade deal between the United Kingdom and the United States will be an important symbol of our dedication to promoting economic freedom. Together we can come up with the gold standard of trade deals. This deal could serve as a model for future deals or maybe even opened up for other nations to join.

The geopolitical effects of a trade deal may be just as important as the deal itself. This deal can send a message to those opposed to our shared values of freedom and liberty that the United States and the United Kingdom are standing strong together.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, Houston recently hosted the exciting Super Bowl LI. As Texas welcomed people from across the United States, the message was clear: no trafficking, not in our city, not in our State, not in our country.

As exploiters and buyers roamed the streets looking for prey, Mayor Turner, the Department of Homeland Security, and local law enforcement were prepared to jail traffickers and rescue victims.

Well, Mr. Speaker, 183 sex buyers and nine traffickers were arrested; 76 victims were rescued. The local news showed the faces of the arrested traffickers and buyers across the bottom of Houston television screens. The days of hiding in plain sight are over.

I am proud of all the work by Houston, the NFL, local law enforcement, all worked together to track down traffickers and buyers during the Super Bowl, making the game a huge success.

As the game moves to Minnesota next year, those in the slave trade need to know the law will be ready to capture them.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the Ayatollah, the menace of the desert, had defied yet another U.N. resolution prohibiting missile tests. No surprise. Iran just can't follow the rules. Time and time again, Iran has tested ballistic missiles with no consequences. The last time, they launched two missiles with ``Israel must be wiped off the Earth'' written on them in Hebrew. Also, the Ayatollah has clearly stated numerous times he wants to destroy the United States.

Even worse, Mr. Speaker, we are paying him to do it. Yes, that is right. Obama slipped the rogue tyrant $150 billion hoping that appeasement would make the Ayatollah be nice. Well, guess what? Obama was wrong, and the U.S. is less safe. The Ayatollah, in my opinion, is using our money to build weapons to destroy us.

Mr. Speaker, there must be clear consequences for the dictator of Iran and his mullah cronies for warmongering. The people of Iran need to change this regime, and the menace of the desert just needs to go.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, before I came to Congress, I spent my other life in the criminal justice system, first as a prosecutor in Texas, and then as a criminal court judge for over 22 years. I heard about 20,000 to 25,000 felony cases during that time, everything from stealing to killing. I saw a lot of people come to the courthouse, and most of those individuals did not want to be there. That included defendants, but it also included victims of crime.

Victims were people from all types of backgrounds. Mr. Speaker, they all had something in common. They were a silent group of people who were preyed on by criminals. After the crime was over, many suffered for years.

Finally, Congress came up with a novel idea, a law that established the Crime Victims Fund to support victims of crime. But instead of using taxpayer money for the fund, Congress had a different idea. Why not force the criminals, the traffickers, the abusers, and other folks to pay for restitution for the victims of crime. They inflicted pain and suffering on innocent people. They should be the ones to pay for that.

So in 1984, when President Ronald Reagan was President, he signed the Victims of Crime Act, otherwise known to us as VOCA. Because of this new law, convicted felons in Federal Court are assessed fees and fines and must pay into the Crime Victims Fund. The money in this fund is to be used for a wide range of victim services:

It establishes and takes care of domestic violence shelters, where spouses can hide from their abusers.

It establishes rape crisis coalition centers.

It promotes and sends money to victim advocates throughout the United States who go to court with victims of crime, especially violent crime.

It gives victims restitution and pays for critical medical and counseling programs.

It also goes to train police officers. It does a lot of good things and is wisely spent by the Angels of Compassion in victim services that help restore victims.

Over the years, because our Federal judges have continued to fine and assess greater penalties to criminals, the VOCA fund, as of today, holds approximately $12 billion. That is a lot of money, even for Washington, D.C. What a wonderful idea.

And let me make it clear once again: This is not taxpayer funded money. Criminals paid for this. Criminals are paying the rent on the courthouse and they are paying for the system that they have created.

So what is the problem?

Well, the problem is, Mr. Speaker, only a fraction of that money is spent each year for victims, depriving them of needed services and that money. More money continues to go in the fund every year because less and less of a percentage of it is spent, thus, the $12 billion.

Mr. Speaker, the fund, every year, is robbed, literally, by Congress to offset the costs of totally unrelated things, literally stealing money from the victims and sending that money to the abyss of the Federal Treasury to offset special pet projects. That money does not belong to Congress to spend on anything other than victims of crime. It belongs to the victims who have endured suffering and abuse.

Victims do not have a high-priced, high-dollar lobbyist to come up here to Washington and advocate on their behalf to get the money that they are entitled to. That is our responsibility, Congress' responsibility. They expect us to be their voice.

Jim Costa from California and I are co-chairs of the Victims' Rights Caucus, and we believe the first responsibility of government is to protect the innocent, especially those robbed, pillaged, and sexually assaulted by crime.

Congress needs to quit stealing the money from victims and giving it to other projects. We must stop this robbing by bureaucrats, taking money out of the crime fund, so that we can ensure victims have access to the resources that they need to become survivors of crime.

To achieve this goal, Representative Jim Costa and I have reintroduced the Crime Victims Fund Preservation Act. This bill creates a ``lockbox'' to ensure

that money in the fund cannot be used for anything other than victims' programs authorized under the law of the VOCA statute in 1984.

Victims must be rescued and taken care of. The bill ensures the money that victims are entitled to is in a safe place from pilfering hands. Give the victims a fighting chance, and do not continue to victimize them more by taking restitution money from them. It is just wrong to play this financial ledger mumbo-jumbo that Congress plays every year to take money away from victims and give it to other projects.

Don't touch victims' money. It is just wrong, Mr. Speaker.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, Thidwick Books is a small, 865-square- foot bookshop that has been in the same building since 1999, but now it is being forced to either close its doors forever or move away.

Serial plaintiff Craig Yates has sued multiple other merchants, including Thidwick Books. He generally makes vague claims about the designs of retail stores and claims that they violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.

These small businesses do not have the resources to contest unfounded lawsuits or, in many cases, even know what the alleged violations are. The businesses are told to either pay a settlement or get sued with further litigation. Oftentimes, small businesses choose to pay the extortion rather than to defend the expensive, unfounded drive-by lawsuit.

The bipartisan bill, the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017, improves access to public accommodations for the disability community while preventing well-meaning businessowners from falling victim to drive-by lawsuits.

Mr. Speaker, the ADA was designed to improve access for the disabled, not to enrich unscrupulous lawyers and the plaintiffs.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, since 1999, Houstonians wake up each Sunday and get ready for church. They get in their cars and tune into 89.3 KSBJ and start their mornings with Tim McDermott on his show ``Enter His

Gates.'' The show features some of Houston's favorite praise and worship artists. I can't think of a better way to start a Sunday than lifting up God.

For the past 25 years, Tim McDermott has worked to bring followers of Jesus Christ together. Serving as KSBJ President and General Manager since 1992, he is the longest running general manager at any major Houston radio station. It is the mark of a good manager when an organization shows growth, and that's exactly what KSBJ has done. In 1992, when Tim started, the station had only 11 employees and drew around 45,000 listeners each month. Today, the station has close to 100 employees and draws over 800,000 listeners from not just Houston, but all over the west coast.

It is often said that if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life. The same could be said for Tim. He says he's never considered his role at KSBJ a job. Instead, he considers it a passion and a calling. The station's core value system promotes a passion for Christ, a love for people, a servant's heart and the belief that we are better together.

Under Tim's leadership, KSBJ has received various recognitions in the radio broadcast industry, including National Religious Broadcaster's Radio Station of the Year, Christian Music Broadcaster's Station of the Year and Best Christian Workplace. Not only does time strive to make KSBJ an outstanding Christian radio station, he also mentors other radio stations both around the U.S. and internationally.

Congratulations to Tim McDermott and KSBJ on 25 years of service to Houston Communities.

And that's just the way it is.

Madam Speaker, as the United States is gearing up for the Super Bowl in Houston, unfortunately, so are many human sex traffickers.

Just a few days ago, a 21-year-old trafficking victim with mental special needs was rescued in Houston. The young girl was kidnapped off the streets of Ohio by a dastardly trafficker. He put her in his car and told her: Now you work for me. She was brought to Houston specifically to be trafficked at the Houston Super Bowl. However, the woman's mental disabilities and seizures became too much for the moral- less trafficker, so he dropped the victim off downtown Houston where she later was sexually assaulted by a local criminal.

A Good Samaritan rescued the girl and brought her to the hospital. As exploiters and buyers roam the streets looking for prey in Houston, they should know that Mayor Turner, the Department of Homeland Security, and local law enforcement are prepared to jail traffickers and rescue victims.

No trafficking. Not in our town. We will protect victims and prosecute the slave trafficking deviants and buyers.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, Texas has lost another one of our finest men in blue.

Last month, Detective Jerry Walker responded to a call of a man brandishing a rifle and screaming and hollering in his backyard. So the officers arrived, and they ordered the man to drop the weapon, but the outlaw did not comply. He ran into the house and started firing his weapon--shooting at the officers from inside the cover of his home.

During the shoot-out with the officers, the outlaw was killed, but Detective Walker--a 48-year-old father of four and an 18-year veteran of the force--was shot during the shoot-out. This is a photograph of him.

His fellow officers rushed to Detective Walker, and he was later airlifted to the hospital, but he died at the hospital. As his body was transported from the hospital, dozens of officers and emergency responders lined the street, saluting their fallen detective. The song ``Amazing Grace'' could be heard on bagpipes as his body was taken away and traveled down the street.

Not only was Detective Walker an outstanding member of the Little Elm Police Department, but he also wore another uniform. He wore the uniform of a soldier in the United States Army. Walker served our country both at home and abroad.

Mr. Speaker, Little Elm is in north Texas. It has a population of about 3,500 people. It has approximately 21 police officers, and Detective Walker was the longest-serving officer in that town. Detective Walker's youngest child is only a few months old. His four children need to remember that their father died a servant of the people of Little Elm, Texas.

He will be remembered by his family, his friends, and his community as a model officer who protected the innocent. Most importantly, he will be remembered as someone who genuinely cared about the people of the community that he lived in.

Before he became a detective with the Little Elm Police Department, Walker served as a school resource officer at Little Elm High School. Students there remember him as someone who could talk to the students and put them at ease. In fact, the kids just loved him. They often would arm wrestle with their beloved officer during lunchtime.

One such student, Lionel Valdez, met Walker at school at about the same time that Valdez started getting into trouble. Valdez' father had walked out of his own life; so Walker took on a parent's role in making sure that Valdez kept his nose clean and stayed out of trouble while he was in school. He even went so far as to make sure

that he showed up in class. Years after Valdez graduated from high school, he would return to the school and have conversations with Walker--the one man who showed him the light during his darkest times as a student at school.

Jerry Walker was a realtime hero.

Detective Walker, Mr. Speaker, is the sixth officer killed in the line of duty in the first 17 days in 2017. Six deaths in 17 days is tragic. Our Nation must honor those men and women who wear the badge-- the badge of honor, sacrifice. We must back the blue, Mr. Speaker--back the blue--and back officers like Jerry Walker of Little Elm, Texas.

And that is just the way it is.

Madam Speaker, according to a Russian proverb: ``If he beats you, it means he loves you.'' In Russia, that has become the norm. Forty percent of all violent crimes in Russia are done within the home. 36,000 people are beaten by their partners every day.

Madam Speaker, this is disturbing; but the Russian Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to decriminalize domestic violence if it does not cause substantial bodily harm and does not happen more than once a year. So, if a husband beats his wife once a year, that is fine, sayeth the lords of Siberia.

Madam Speaker, domestic violence is not just a family issue; it is a human rights issue. As a lifelong advocate for victims, our societies and countries must recognize the devastating effect of domestic violence. It tears at the fabric of society--and not legalize it, but stop this nightmare wherever it is.

Like my grandmother always taught me, you never hurt somebody you claim you love.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, today I honor another Poe from Texas and an unsung patriot during our Revolution, George Washington Poe. The Legacy of Texas States: ``Born in Ohio, he and his wife, Frances, traveled to Texas as quickly as they could. It was in Texas that he found success in the military, building up the young Army's artillery and seeing to the needs of the men fighting for the Revolution's cause.

We all know the legendary story of Sam Houston and his role in our state's history. It was on this day in 1836 that Houston referred to Poe as a major, no doubt a reference to his volunteer rank since he was officially a third lieutenant in the fledgling regular army. Records show that while the political leaders of Texas wrestled with who should lead the Army in early 1836, Poe remained fiercely loyal to Houston. In a letter to Houston, Poe declared that he and his company ``do not nor will not know any other General than Sam Houston.''

Poe's strong sense of loyalty proved to be fruitful for his military career. He soon was appointed assistant Inspector General of the Army, and was in charge of a 120-man garrison at Velasco. When the General Council assembled and established an official army for the Republic of Texas in March of 1836, Poe was appointed captain of the artillery.

That appointment seemed like a demotion to Poe. In a letter to Thomas J. Rusk, he protested saying he deserved to be a major. In mid-March, Poe and his artillery unit departed Velasco to join Sam Houston again, where it is documented that he later participated in the Battle of San Jacinto, Poe experienced two significant ceremonial milestones in his career that speak to the high regard in which he was held. Poe commanded the artillery piece that fired a salute over the remains of Fannin's men near the mission of La Bahia and later served as marshal of the funeral procession for Stephen F. Austin.

After leaving the military, Poe settled in Houston where he worked in land speculation. Houston remained loyal to his faithful supporter, and nominated Poe to be stock commissioner of the new Republic. Poe died on Texas soil, and although his name has failed to become as legendary as Houston, Bowie, or Travis; his contributions to our history and the success of Texas are worthy of remembrance.''

It is always interesting to hear the history of bygone days of the Texas Revolution, especially about another Poe from Texas.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the lessons learned through the advice of a mentor or coach is often invaluable. For those involved in dance, a director's guidance reaches far beyond the performance. The leadership of a director not only improves a dancer's performance but works to instill values of hard work and discipline. I would like to honor identical twins from Baytown, Texas, Marisa and Larisa Coy, for representing the state of Texas and our country, with honor and dignity during the Black Tie and Boots Inaugural Gala in Washington, D.C. on January 19, 2017.

Under the sisters' direction, all state dancer Jailene Marquez, was selected and performed at the Black Tie and Boots Inaugural Gala. Jailene is the captain of the Goose Creek Memorial High School Dazzlers. Marisa and Larisa are the co-directors of the Dazzlers and JV Charms. They prepared Jailene for her performance and helped fund this once in a lifetime trip. Their support says volumes about their generosity and spirit.

Marisa and Larisa graduated from Ross Sterling High School in Baytown. They continued their education at Lee Community College then transferred to the University of Houston where they both earned a bachelor's degree in education. After college, they returned to their hometown to teach math at Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District.

While attending college, the sisters decided to try out for the Houston Texans cheerleading squad. They both made the squad! Through hard work and determination they juggled appearances, community events, charity functions, and team practices for the next five years. During this time, they had the opportunity to go overseas to visit our troops in Iraq. Being from a patriotic family the sisters were honored that the National Football League included them in this tour.

I commend these remarkable women for their exemplary service and dedication to teaching our nation's youth and for aspiring dancers to follow their dreams. I wish them both the best of luck as they continue on their journey. I am always proud to see fellow Texans succeed.

Madam Speaker, she was a 14-year-old girl when she was forced into sex trafficking. Her name is Tina Frundt.

Like so many other trafficking victims, she was lured away from the safety of her home--a home nearby to this United States Capitol--and she was lured away by a man she thought she knew, and she trusted him.

He sweet-talked her and promised her a perfect life somewhere far away. He was a smooth-talking, slick con artist, tempting her with gifts and affection just to get her into the slave trade.

Her blissful, happy, and trusting world view all came crashing down when she found herself in a dark motel room surrounded by unfamiliar men in an unfamiliar city.

The trafficker forced her to have sex with the men for money. When she refused to have sex, the men just raped her. They stole her dignity, her self-respect, and her happy spirit.

Tina had become a slave on the marketplace of sex trafficking. These disgusting predators used the innocence of children to force them into the horrific life of sex trafficking. Most cannot imagine the depths of the suffering and abuse Tina suffered during the next year. She was forced to have sex with over 18 men a day. When she fell short of the mandatory $500 daily quota, she was beaten and beaten and humiliated. Her life consisted of cigarette burns, broken arms, broken fingers, and intimidation. Tina was arrested, treated as a delinquent, and was shuttled from one jailhouse to another.

Tina and other victims of human trafficking are victims of crime-- they are not criminals; they are not juvenile prostitutes. Under the law, juveniles cannot commit the crime of prostitution. These victims do not belong in the criminal justice system. It is the

vile traffickers and buyers who belong behind bars. In fact, we built jails and prisons for these deviants.

Stories like Tina's are common in our Nation. Sex trafficking just does not happen in foreign countries. As co-chair of the Congressional Victims' Rights Caucus, along with my friend Jim Costa and coauthor of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, along with Carolyn Maloney, it seems to me that, in America, human trafficking victims need to be identified, rescued, and not abandoned.

The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act does three things: it prosecutes the traffickers--the slave traders--and it locks them up. It prosecutes the buyers in that it punishes them like the traffickers; it rescues the victims and treats them as victims, not as criminals; finally, it establishes a fund that is paid by the traffickers and the buyers to help treat and restore victims with long-term care.

Let those crooks pay for the system they have created, and let them pay the rent on the courthouse. America cannot let young girls be bought and sold on the streets of our Nation. These predators are everywhere. They are not old men in trench coats but are young, good- looking guys who are well versed in their vile trade. Their next victim could be anybody's daughter or wife.

No human being should ever have to endure what Tina and other trafficking victims like her have gone through. Tina was able to escape her slave trader, and she has become a survivor. Tina, along with many other survivors, has found a way to turn her darkness of hell into a light for good.

Recently, I was honored to tour Courtney's House, which is a shelter right here in Washington, D.C., that Tina founded to rescue and support trafficking victims. She actively uses her personal experience to connect with those girls and give them support, nourishment, hope-- things that they need. Since 2008, Courtney's House has helped over 500 victims escape the bonds of sex slavery and become survivors.

In this Human Trafficking Awareness Month, I wish to commend Tina's leadership and zeal in helping other victims become survivors. Tina is inspiringly courageous. Victims and survivors should know that we as a society stand with them and by them; and let the law put the traffickers and buyers in jail.

Madam Speaker, justice demands such.

And that is just the way it is.