Karen Bass

This hearing certainly fits the bill regarding the incarceration of Jacob Ostreicher, a U.S. citizen who for over 2 years has endured a nightmare that is both unfair and unjust.

I hope that today's hearing increases awareness among our colleagues and leads to a truthful accounting of that fatal evening.

I ask unanimous consent to insert my statement in the Record opposing the indefensible Mother's Day gift--more work and less pay for working moms. Happy Mother's Day. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the…

The harm of trafficking may be more clearly seen in the eyes of an abused 12-year-old girl who is being robbed of her freedom, robbed of her youth and of her hope.

I think we even need to get away from using the term 'prostitution' because I don't know how you can be a prostitute at ten.

The original Trafficking Victims Protection Act, championed by our colleague Chris Smith, established a plan to eliminate the scourge of human trafficking.

Working in human trafficking is a bipartisan cause.

As always, I want to extend my appreciation to Chairman Smith for his leadership in this, on this issue...

Again, I want to really commend the panel for the work that you have been doing and for your testimony today.

It is far past time for this government to be bringing all the pressure we need to bring to bear on regimes around the world that turn a blind eye or, as is the case of Cambodia, law enforcement agencies that are actually culpable in these…

Representative Bass alluded to, which requires companies to disclose their anti-trafficking policies.

But congressional action is not enough. We must undertake a whole of society approach to ensure the safety and dignity of trafficking victims.

But the struggle that I and Subcommittee Chairman Chris Smith have had over the last few years is with the State Department and their lack of willingness, their lack of honesty in naming names and in putting on the tier III list these…

It is absolutely unacceptable to allow the continued victimization and abuse of a population that we have vowed to care for and protect.

If Congress were to say, 'It is the sense of Congress that we do believe that these children should be treated as victims,' that would send a signal to the states.

What kind of support do we have in L.A. County to assist the girls once they are, you know, through the court process?

situational awareness strategies; transport systems; hotels, as Congresswoman Bass mentioned.

I disagree with the part that says that we should only focus on emergency aid because I believe that the work of both of your organizations really leads to us--well, really leads to preventing the type of emergencies that take place.

So it seems like we need to do something in the TIP Report that reflects more about what is happening with our own girls.

Once again, I want to commend you for your unwavering commitment to end human trafficking around the world.

I look forward to working with you, and especially working with the committed women and men at the State Department.

I wanted to share with you several priority issues that I hope you will consider.

I hope that this hearing will lead to improved conditions for the Vietnamese people, where freedom of speech, the end of religious persecution, freedom of the press, any free press, are permitted to thrive in a society that is open and…

I would, first of all, like to join you in that meeting.

Thank you, Representative Horsford. I do have to say, coming from the State house, it was a little discouraging to come here and find not a lot of common sense. So thank you for your leadership. And thank you very much, Representative…