Date: 2014-06-19
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Let me thank the chairman of the subcommittee and. as well. the ranking member for the courtesy of your staffs and for the work that this committee is doing on behalf of our Nation. Mr. Chairman. I rise today as the ranking member of Homeland Securitys Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee. working on human trafficking and smuggling. as I come from a city that has been called the epicenter of human traffickingHouston. Texas. So I thank both the chairman and the ranking member for this opportunity to put forward this simple and straightforward amendment that affirms the example of the national goodness that makes America the most exceptional nation on Earth. The amendment says that none of the funds made available by this act may be used in contravention of article II. section 2 of the Constitution. I am joined on this amendment by Congressman STEVE STOCKMAN. Congresswoman Lois FRANKEL. Congresswoman FREDERICA WILSON. and Congressman JOHN CONYERS. Mr. Chairman. recently. I was proud to support House Resolutions 573 and 617. strongly condemning the ongoing violence and systematic gross human rights violations against the people of Nigeria that have been carried out by the militant organization Boko Haram. especially the April 15. 2014. kidnapping of more than 200 young girls who were kidnapped from the Chibok school by Boko Haram. This is what the people of northeast Nigeria are facing every single day. Since 2013. more than 4.500 men. women. and children have been slaughtered by Boko Haram. In addition. it took the United States 25 months after the first two Americans were attacked. and 1 year after the third and fourth Americans were targeted. before Boko Haram was designated a foreign terrorist organization. It took the United Kingdom 16 months from the time its first citizen was killed by Boko Haram to legally brand them as terrorists. It took the United Nations 33 months after the United Nations headquarters in Nigeria was bombed before Boko Haram was sanctioned as an al Qaedalinked terror group. On June 2. 2014. the European Union finally designated Boko Haram as a terror group. NGOs have indicated that. in April. the average deaths were hundreds a week by Boko Haram. and later it was an average of 100 deaths a day. So they couldnt do enough killing. killing of Christians and Muslims and journalists and health care providers and relief workers and schoolchildren. They had to kidnap 200 children. 200 girls. The international community. working with the African Union. is assisting the government of Nigeria in locating and rescuing the missing girls. bringing an end to Boko Harams reign of terror. and ensuring that they are brought to justice because of their crimes against humanity. On May 21. 2014. the President notified the Congress that. pursuant to the authority vested in him by article 2. section 2. as the Commander in Chief. and to conduct foreign relations. that he had directed deployment of approximately 80 U.S. Armed Forces personnel to Chad as part of the U.S. efforts to locate and support the safe return of our 200 girls reported to have been kidnapped in Nigeria. The President informed the Congress that these personnel would support the operation of intelligence. surveillance. and reconnaissance aircraft for missions over northern Nigeria and the surrounding area. The force will remain in Chad until its support in resolving the kidnapping situation is no longer needed. My simple amendment indicates that nothing in this bill will contravene the Presidents authority while these girls are missing. Mr. Chairman. four Members of Congress. over June 12 to June 16. went to Nigeria. We were in northeast Nigeria. We were in the Borno State. in Abuja. We visited with the victims. the girls who escaped from the Chibok school. They drove 2 days to meet with us to tell us of the outrageous violence. and how they were laid on the ground. and the Boko Haram. pointing AK47s at their heads. said: Answer my questions or die. Then we met a woman whose throat was sliced. and her husband. a police officer. was decapitated. The enforcement. the military. and the police officers of Nigeria need our help. No. this is not an encouragement or a suggestion at all for boots on the ground. It is a simple collaboration that will stop the siege of Boko Haram that is spreading across Africa and the surrounding area. It is almost like the unknowing understanding of the Taliban by many in America before 91 Boko Haram is a disaster waiting to happen for the continent. In a state like Nigeria that is about to be 440 million people. that has a 7 percent growth rate. and is one of the most prosperous nations in Africa. it has 60 percent poverty. it has 10 million children out of school. And Boko Haram is burning hospitals. schools. Christian churches. mosques. and killing pastors and emirs. So this amendment is to remind us. just as Hubert Humphrey said. "People are the great issue of the 20th century." Now they are the great issue of the 21st century. It is time to treat our boys and girls and women with respect. As I close. I ask my colleagues to support the amendment. to stop the headlines like this. as Boko Haram continues to rage across Nigeria. I ask support for the Jackson Lee amendment. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Chair. I want to thank Chairman FRELINGHUYSEN and Ranking Member VisCLOSKY for shepherding this legislation to the floor and for their devotion to the men and women of the Armed Forces who risk their lives to keep our nation safe. Mr. Chair. thank you for the opportunity to explain my amendment. which is simple and straightforward and affirms an example of the national goodness that makes America the most exceptional nation on earth: At the end of the bill (before the short title). insert the following: SEC. . None of the funds made available by this Act may be used in contravention of Article II. section 2 of the Constitution. Mr. Chair. it was a proud occasion when the House passed H. Res. 573 and H.R. 617. resolutions strongly condemning the ongoing violence and the systematic gross human rights violations against the people of Nigeria carried out by the militant organization Boko Haram. especially the April 15. 2014 kidnapping of more than 200 young schoolgirls kidnapped from the Chibok School by Boko Haram. Since 2013. more than 4.400 men. women. and children have been slaughtered by Boko Haram. The victims include Christians. Muslims. journalists. health care providers. relief workers. And schoolchildren. The international community. working with the African Union. is assisting the Government of Nigeria in locating and rescuing the missing girls. bringing an end to Boko Harams reign of terror. and ensuring that its crimes against humanity are documented so its leaders can be held accountable. On May 21. 2014. the President notified the Congress that pursuant to the authority vested in him by Article II. Section 2. as Commander in Chief and to conduct foreign relations. that he had directed the deployment of "approximately 80 U.S. Armed Forces personnel to Chad as part of the U.S. efforts to locate and support the safe return of over 200 schoolgirls who are reported to have been kidnapped in Nigeria." The President informed the Congress that "these personnel will support the operation of intelligence. surveillance. and reconnaissance aircraft for missions over northern Nigeria and the surrounding area. The force will remain in Chad until its support in resolving the kidnapping situation is no longer required." The Jackson Lee Amendment simply makes clear that nothing in the bill contravenes the Presidents authority to take the actions just described which he has determined to be in furtherance of U.S. national security and foreign policy interests. Boko Harams outrageous conduct will not be tolerated or overlooked for not only is it a violation of the girls human rights. it is also contrary to United States policy which supports and promotes equal access to education and economic opportunity for women and girls. "People are the great issue of the 20th century." declared. thenSenator Hubert Humphrey in 1948. Mr. Chair. the wellbeing of people remains the great issue of the 21st century. And there is no better measure of any society than the way its treats its women and girls and boys and families. Boko Haram understands that when Nigerian girls are educated. Nigerian women can succeed. and when Nigerian women succeed. Nigeria succeeds. And that is why it is so important that the United States help Nigeria ensure that Boko Haram fails. I urge my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee Amendment. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas .