Jim Costa: “I thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for her leadership on this important issue. Mr. Chair, as the…”

“I thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for her leadership on this important issue. Mr. Chair, as the co-chair of the Victims' Rights Caucus with my colleague Congressman Ted Poe, I am a proud cosponsor of this important legislation for victims in America who have suffered from these crimes. A free and open internet, we all believe, is essential to economic growth, entrepreneurship, and enterprise in the 21st century, and America leads the way. This new technology age has reshaped our lives and allowed for greater access to learning, greater ability to shape our own futures as Americans, and with economic benefits we could not have imagined 15 years ago. Sadly, there are some people who look at these freedoms and the openness of the internet and see ways to exploit, abuse, and prey on innocent children and teenagers in the name of profit. It is outrageous, and it is a crime. I am speaking of the scourge of sex trafficking, which has impacted the lives of too many young people in the San Joaquin Valley that I represent and throughout America. Today, here in Congress, we look squarely at traffickers, pimps, and victimizers and say we must do a better job in protecting our citizens. As a result of this legislation, our laws will no longer be manipulated and used as a cover for their abuse. No longer will these people be able to hide behind the shield that the internet provides you when knowingly contributing to this horrible crime.…”