Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today I wish to bring renewed attention to the continued violence perpetrated by Boko Haram against women and children. It has now been 2 years since the horrific kidnapping of 279 school girls in Nigeria. In the aftermath of this brazen attack, Senator Mikulski and I, joined by the other women in the Senate, strongly advocated for the imposition of sanctions on Boko Haram, and the international community responded by doing just that. We were grateful for Secretary Kerry's swift action to get this done at the United Nations, and Boko Haram is now subject to a complete asset freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo. In addition, the Senate unanimously passed legislation that I authored to require a comprehensive, 5-year strategy to combat Boko Haram at the end of last year. Next week, I am sending a letter signed by many of the cosponsors of this legislation to our colleagues in the House of Representatives, urging them to take up this important measure. Nevertheless, Boko Haram has continued to wage its relentless war on innocent civilians in Nigeria and throughout the Lake Chad Basin since it declared its allegiance to ISIS last year. More women and more girls have been kidnapped. Although some of the captives have escaped, most are still lost, likely subjected to forced marriages, religious conversions, sexual trafficking, slavery, and possibly forced to carry out suicide bombings on behalf of Boko Haram.…”