[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 50]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        RESPONSE NEEDED REGARDING SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN MILITARY

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise to associate myself 
with the remarks that my colleagues have made on the existence of an 
economic crisis and to ask this administration to wake up. I hope that 
we will do something to deal with the catastrophic subprime mortgage 
collapse, and that is to call for a moratorium on all foreclosures 
across America, those individuals who are behind in their payments and 
those who are in fact keeping up with their payments. Some response has 
to come.
  But I do want to step aside from the economic engine and the need for 
that to cite a situation that I think is drastic and, of course, a 
disaster, and that is the tragedy of the young marine, the young woman, 
who has now lost her life in North Carolina, and to ask the United 
States military what happens when a woman alleges sexual harassment, 
or, in this instance, rape. I think it is imperative that we have a 
system and a response that was not given to this young woman.
  Some years ago, the Women's Caucus, Republicans and Democrats, raised 
the question of sexual harassment that was permeating our United States 
military. They are too good for this and this must stop. I am saddened 
by her loss. I believe it could have been avoided. We need a response, 
and we need it now.

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