Chris Smith

Thank you so very much. We do have to vote. They are out of time on the floor so I am going to have to run, but I thank you.

With respect to the question about Thailand, as mentioned it is our view, and we do regret it, but it is our view that Thailand should continue at Tier 3.

I was sickened. I was angry. No action was taken by prosecutors against that.

I think it is wonderful that other countries are looking to us for our leadership, but I think it is also critical that we always hold ourselves accountable as well, because we do have a domestic trafficking problem here.

I am very concerned that China fooled the State Department.

It is horrifying that reports indicate there is no place in the world where children, women, and men are safe from human trafficking.

The annual Trafficking in Persons Report required by the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, legislation which I authored, ensures that countries making anti-trafficking efforts a priority are praised and supported, while…

I consider to be a very big mistake.

Each one is a child that suffers from beatings and abuse, a woman raped, or a man who labors in the field as a slave, all for the commercial gain of others.

The United States must continue to call out all of Russia's lawless actions, and the imprisonment of Nadiya Savchenko defies a basic respect for due process and human rights.

Her advocacy on behalf of religious minorities in the Middle East has been laudable and important and critical.

The need to advance religious freedom globally is more important now than ever.

The bill we passed 15 years ago needs to be updated to match the new challenges of the 21st century.

Fifteen years ago, Congress had the foresight to make the advancing of religious freedom U.S. foreign policy and a priority.

Both measures enjoy bipartisan support as is typical of the cooperation which characterizes both this subcommittee and our full committee.

The subcommittee will come to order.

Calling for the release of Ukrainian fighter pilot Nadiya Savchenko, who was captured by Russian forces.

H.R. 1150 is named after our dear friend and colleague for many years, Congressman Frank Wolf.

Section 202 of our new bill would require a report on neglected tropical diseases in the U.S.

If we had an additional $25 million, as you suggest, well, that would allow us to treat 30 million more people

In your testimony you said it is estimated that the annual global funding gap is over $220 million per year.

We want to feed people. We want healthy children and mothers and families and to mitigate and eradicate these parasites.

Even in the face of the worldwide challenges these tropical diseases pose, the administration has proposed cutting the budget in this area by 17 percent.

That is why I have introduced today H.R. 1797, the End Neglected Tropical Disease Act.

We cannot afford to assume that what may seem to be exotic diseases only happen to people in other countries.