[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 7, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H1467]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING JESSICA MELNIK FOR HER WORK IN FIGHTING AGAINST SEX 
                              TRAFFICKING

  (Mr. PAULSEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Jessica Melnik, a 
junior at Hopkins High School and the founder of a student-run 
nonprofit, Girls United Minnesota, for her work fighting against sex 
trafficking.
  Jessica, along with fellow members of Girls United Minnesota, took 
action to spread awareness after they observed a fellow classmate who 
was a target of sex trafficking. They soon realized that Minnesota 
ranks 13th in the Nation for its prevalence of sexual exploitation and 
they stepped forward to do something about it.
  Girls United Minnesota started by working with local law enforcement 
and nonprofits to organize public awareness events throughout our 
community. Jessica and her friends are also working with State 
legislators in Minnesota to expand education on sex trafficking in 
schools and create more resources for the victims of sexual 
exploitation.
  Mr. Speaker, the determination and the hard work of Jessica and her 
classmates at Girls United Minnesota is nothing short of inspiring, and 
their impact is literally helping to save lives.

                          ____________________