[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 101 (Thursday, June 26, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4111-S4112]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Nigerian School Children

  I also come to the floor today to talk about another sadness, the 
sadness about the fact that the Nigerian school girls who were abducted 
by Boko Haram continue to be held in captivity. I come to the floor to 
say that just because it is not in the headline does not mean that 
these girls are not still in danger for what has happened to them.
  We need to continue to speak up and speak out. That is not to 
minimize Iraq. That is not to minimize Iran. This is not to minimize 
all of the other problems facing the world. But we all had Web sites 
and hashtags and so on saying: Bring our girls back home. I am here 
today saying to Boko Haram: We have not forgotten. We are proud that 
our President sent 80 troops to Chad to assist in the effort to locate 
these kidnapped girls.
  We understand that there continues to be the search effort. We do not 
want it to be a recovery effort. We need it to be a rescue effort. 
These girls were kidnapped. It is despicable. It is unacceptable. They 
are threatening to sell these girls into trafficking. Now after holding 
them for 73 days, I have no idea what they have had to endure.
  It goes on. They are continuing to kidnap children. They are 
kidnapping girls, some as young as 3 and 4. That was the other day. 
They are also kidnapping little boys. What kind of organization is 
this? Now, in response to the violence there, I know we, the women of 
the Senate, signed a letter to President Obama asking for international 
sanctions against Boko Haram, and that they be added to the U.N. Al 
Qaeda sanctions list. The United Nations actually acted. They actually 
acted promptly. So now they are on the terrorist list. We need to take 
all of the appropriate actions that support the sanctions that go with 
it.
  I am hopeful we can find these girls. But we cannot stop our advocacy 
for them, for close to 100 girls, and now for the new children that 
have been kidnapped--boys as well as girls.
  We need to be able to take all necessary international steps that are 
legal to be able to rescue them and bring them home. Now this terrible, 
terrible situation has also generated the conversation about the 
education of children around the world, particularly girls. For some 
reason, there are those around the world who do not want to see girls 
get a basic education. Malala, who wrote her book about it, took a 
bullet wound in her brain because she wanted to go to school, because 
she wanted to learn to read. As she said: One child, one book at a 
time, we can change the world.
  We have put money in the Federal checkbook in foreign ops to really 
help with the education of the children around the world. Right now 
there are 62 million girls throughout the world who are not in school. 
They are not in school for two reasons. They are not in school because 
of the lack of capacity, like books and teachers, and they are not in 
school because of the bigotry against them.
  We need to do something. I know that we are moving towards a vote. I 
say to Boko Haram: Let these girls go. Let's bring them back home. I 
say for those who are searching for them: Do not lose heart. We have 
got to deal with that. But we also have to come to grips with the fact 
that we cannot let millions of girls around the world not have access 
to education. Education is as important as water. We need water to 
live. You need education to make a life for yourself.
  We look forward to working with our colleagues across the aisle. We 
hope to move the foreign ops bill that has money in the Federal 
checkbook to do this. When we return from the break I will have more to 
say. I hope it will be: Thank God we found them and we brought them 
back to their mothers and fathers.
  Millions of these girls who fight for their right to attend school 
are risking their lives. Facing harassment, threats, and even violence 
to get an education and have the opportunity to thrive and succeed.
  Additionally girls who are in school often do not have access to 
adequate supplies needed to do their work, lack basic bathroom 
facilities, and that provide them security and safety.
  They lack trained teachers and adequate learning environments.
  This is unacceptable. We must make a real effort to address this far-
reaching global crisis.
  This kidnapping of the Nigerian school girls also illustrates the 
horrifying reality of human trafficking.
  Over 20 million people throughout the world are victims of human 
trafficking.
  This is something that we cannot accept.
  The U.S. Government is committed to addressing this problem.
  I am happy that the State Department has announced that USAID will be 
launching a new program called ``Let Girls Learn''.
  ``Let Girls Learn'' provides $231.6 million for new programs to 
support primary and secondary education and safe learning:
  In Nigeria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Jordan, and Guatemala.
  Making sure that girls receive an education needs to be a priority 
for all of us.
  When girls are educated their families and communities are better 
off.
  Girls who receive basic education are three times less likely to 
contract HIV.
  Education helps women increase their income, allowing them to better 
support their families and contribute to their nation's economy and 
overall success.
  The United States must continue to be a leader in the fight to make 
sure girls across the world are able to receive an education in a safe 
environment.
  I also call on all nations to make this a priority and to put their 
words of support into action, and for governments around the world to 
make every effort to ensure that children can receive an education in a 
safe environment.
  Education is a basic human right that should not be deprived 
regardless of where you live or where you come from.

[[Page S4112]]

  Making sure that all boys and girls have access to basic education is 
something I have always fought for and something I will continue to 
fight for.

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