Sheila Jackson Lee: “A 16-year-old was found beaten and stabbed to death after being advertised as a prostitute on Backpage. I might suggest…”

“A 16-year-old was found beaten and stabbed to death after being advertised as a prostitute on Backpage. I might suggest that we follow one great philosopher in California who asked: Can we all get along? This amendment is needed in order to give enhanced powers to State attorneys general that they can provide the extra litigation leverage for individuals who are impacted in a devastating manner. As I said, we have to be concerned about the First Amendment, but we have got to protect our children. Every time I think of this precious young lady, Desiree, and the tears of her mother who testified before the other body in the Senate hearing, I think it is important that we move forward. If we move forward, we can build on this legislation. I intend to offer additional legislation that we will need so that we can put a stop sign in front of the dastardly behavior of online sex trafficking. So I ask my colleagues to support the Walters amendment in order to ensure that we can move forward and, as we move forward, make a difference in the lives of these children. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the Walters Amendment, which addresses problems states and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and advocates have faced in their attempts to hold online sex traffickers responsible for their despicable behavior. Congress decided more than 150 years ago that no person--no woman, no child, no boy or girl--deserves to be bought, sold, or owned by another person.…”