Ted Poe: “Houston recently hosted the exciting Super Bowl LI. As Texas welcomed people from across the United States, the message…”

“Houston recently hosted the exciting Super Bowl LI. As Texas welcomed people from across the United States, the message was clear: no trafficking, not in our city, not in our State, not in our country. As exploiters and buyers roamed the streets looking for prey, Mayor Turner, the Department of Homeland Security, and local law enforcement were prepared to jail traffickers and rescue victims. Well, Mr. Speaker, 183 sex buyers and nine traffickers were arrested; 76 victims were rescued. The local news showed the faces of the arrested traffickers and buyers across the bottom of Houston television screens. The days of hiding in plain sight are over. I am proud of all the work by Houston, the NFL, local law enforcement, all worked together to track down traffickers and buyers during the Super Bowl, making the game a huge success. As the game moves to Minnesota next year, those in the slave trade need to know the law will be ready to capture them. And that is just the way it is. ____________________”