Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman very much. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act, and thank Mr. Paulsen and the cosponsors for this legislation. I thank the Judiciary Committee for this historic day--and days to come. Because even as we speak on the floor of the House right now, there are children that are being trafficked. There are young girls who are being abused. There is human slavery. I just want to give this example that I think is so much the story of what we are speaking of. If a 45-year-old man had sex with a 14-year-old girl, and no money changes hands, she would likely get counseling and he would likely get jail time for statutory rape. But if the same man left $80 on the table after having sex with her, she would probably be locked up for prostitution and he would probably go home. He is something called a word that I don't even want to use because he is involved in human trafficking, sex trafficking, abuse, and violation of a child that cannot give consent. In a hearing that we held in Houston, what we determined was when those young girls are violated at that age, they are destined, in many instances, for a life of prostitution and to be trafficked and held by individuals who call themselves pimps, but are literally slaveholders.…”