[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8577-8583]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       CONDEMNING THE ABDUCTION OF FEMALE STUDENTS BY BOKO HARAM

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 573) condemning the abduction of female students by 
armed militants from the terrorist group known as Boko Haram in 
northeastern provinces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 573

       Whereas, on the night of April 14, 2014, 276 female 
     students, most of them between 15 and 18 years old, were 
     abducted by Boko Haram from the Government Girls Secondary 
     School, a boarding school located in the northeastern 
     province of Borno in the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
       Whereas, all public secondary schools in Borno state were 
     closed in March 2014 because of increasing attacks in the 
     past year that have killed hundreds of students, but the 
     young women at the Government Girls Secondary School were 
     recalled to take their final exams;
       Whereas, Boko Haram burned down several buildings before 
     opening fire on soldiers and police who were guarding the 
     Government Girls Secondary School and forcing the students 
     into trucks;
       Whereas, according to local officials in Borno state, 53 
     students were able to flee their captors, and the rest remain 
     abducted;
       Whereas, there are reports that the abducted girls have 
     been sold as brides to Islamist militants for the equivalent 
     of $12 each;
       Whereas, the group popularly known as ``Boko Haram'', which 
     loosely translates from the Hausa language to ``Western 
     education is sin'', is known to oppose the education of 
     girls;
       Whereas, on April 14, 2014, hours before the kidnapping in 
     Borno state, and on May 2, 2014, Boko Haram bombed bus 
     stations in Abuja, Nigeria, killing at least 94 people and 
     wounding over 160, making it the deadliest set of attacks 
     ever in Nigeria's capital;
       Whereas, Boko Haram has kidnapped girls in the past to use 
     as cooks and sex slaves, and has claimed responsibility for 
     the kidnapping in Borno state on April 14, 2014;
       Whereas, late May 5, 2014, suspected Boko Haram gunmen 
     kidnapped an additional 8 girls, ranging in age from 12 to 
     15, from a village in northeast Nigeria;
       Whereas, reports estimate that more than 500 students and 
     100 teachers have been killed by Boko Haram and have 
     destroyed roughly 500 schools in northern Nigeria, leaving 
     more than 15,000 students without access to education;
       Whereas, Boko Haram has targeted schools, mosques, 
     churches, villages, and agricultural centers, as well as 
     government facilities, in an armed campaign to create an 
     Islamic state in northern Nigeria, prompting the President of 
     Nigeria to declare a state of emergency in three of the 
     country's northeastern states in May 2013;
       Whereas, human rights groups have indicated that the 
     Nigerian state security forces should improve efforts to 
     protect civilians during offensive operations against Boko 
     Haram;
       Whereas, according to nongovernmental organizations, more 
     than 1,500 people have been killed in attacks by Boko Haram 
     or reprisals by Nigerian security forces this year alone, and 
     that almost 4,000 people have been killed in Boko Haram 
     attacks since 2011;
       Whereas, the enrollment, retention, and completion of 
     education for girls in Nigeria remains a major challenge;
       Whereas, according to the United Nations Children's 
     Emergency Fund (UNICEF), some 4,700,000 children of primary 
     school age are still not in school in Nigeria, with 
     attendance rates lowest in the north;
       Whereas, studies have found that school children in 
     Nigeria, particularly those in the northern provinces, are at 
     a disadvantage in their education, with 37 percent of 
     primary-age girls in the rural northeast not attending 
     school, and 30 percent of boys not attending school;
       Whereas, women and girls must be allowed to go to school 
     without fear of violence and unjust treatment so that they 
     can take their rightful place as equal citizens of and 
     contributors to society;
       Whereas United States security assistance to Nigeria has 
     emphasized military professionalization, peacekeeping support 
     and training, and border and maritime security;
       Whereas, the Department of State designated Boko Haram as a 
     Foreign Terrorist Organization in November 2013, recognizing 
     the threat posed by the group's large-scale and 
     indiscriminate attacks against civilians, including women and 
     children;
       Whereas Boko Haram is one of a number of radical Islamist 
     terrorist organizations and extremist groups that pose a 
     growing threat to United States' interests in the region as 
     well as broader peace and security; and
       Whereas these radical Islamist groups, which include Ansar 
     al-Sharia, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, The National 
     Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa, and others have 
     carried out deadly attacks in the region and constitute a 
     growing threat to North and West Africa: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) expresses its strong support for the people of Nigeria, 
     especially the parents and families of the girls abducted by 
     Boko Haram in Borno state, and calls for the immediate, safe 
     return of the girls;
       (2) condemns Boko Haram for its violent attacks on civilian 
     targets, including schools, mosques, churches, villages, and 
     agricultural centers in Nigeria;
       (3) encourages the Government of Nigeria to strengthen 
     efforts to protect children seeking to obtain an education 
     and to hold those who conduct such violent attacks 
     accountable;
       (4) commends efforts by the United States Government to 
     hold terrorist organizations, such as Boko Haram, 
     accountable;
       (5) supports offers of United States assistance to the 
     government of Nigeria in the search for these abducted girls 
     and encourages the government of Nigeria to work with the 
     United States and other concerned governments to resolve this 
     tragic situation;
       (6) recognizes that every individual, regardless of gender, 
     should have the opportunity to pursue an education without 
     fear of discrimination;
       (7) encourages the Department of State and the United 
     States Agency for International Development to continue their 
     support for initiatives that promote the human rights of 
     women and girls in Nigeria;
       (8) urges the President to immediately strengthen United 
     States security, law enforcement, and intelligence 
     cooperation with appropriate Nigerian forces, including 
     offering United States personnel to support operations to 
     locate and rescue the more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by 
     Boko Haram, and to support Nigerian efforts to counter this 
     United States designated foreign terrorist organization; and
       (9) calls on the President to provide to Congress a 
     comprehensive strategy to counter the growing threat posed by 
     radical Islamist terrorist groups in West Africa, the Sahel, 
     and North Africa.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any 
extraneous material into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, the world is now fully aware of 
the absolute terror of Boko Haram. Over the last few months, there have 
been over 500 schools burned to the ground by Boko Haram.
  Struck by the brazen abduction of nearly 300 innocent schoolgirls, 
people are now asking, ``What is Boko Haram?'' Sadly, for the 
communities in northern Nigeria, they know the answer to that. They 
know what Boko Haram means to them. They know that the definition of 
``Boko Haram'' is ``Western education is a sin,'' and they know that, 
for this particular organization, of particularly great importance is 
that young women not be educated.
  Sadly, for the communities in northern Nigeria, they know that Boko 
Haram believes that you can kidnap women, you can sell young girls, you 
can treat them as chattel, and you can enslave them, but the one great 
sin is should you try to educate them, because should you try to 
educate them, you will meet the fate of over 100 teachers who have been 
slaughtered in northern Nigeria for trying to educate young women.
  Boko Haram in total has killed some 4,000 individuals now. The 
communities in northern Nigeria live in constant fear, losing any 
normalcy of life. Most

[[Page 8578]]

of the schools in whole regions have been shut down. Community centers, 
farms, and businesses have been boarded up and closed.
  Even with the recent focus on rescuing these young women, Boko Haram 
has been able to continue its reign of terror. Its militants have 
relatively sophisticated weapons, they have ample funds, and they have 
advanced training. This group is the vanguard of a foreign-backed move 
to transform and radicalize Nigerian society, as many Nigerians have 
told me in the country.
  Since the abduction of these 300 students, more girls have been 
kidnapped, and more Nigerian security units have been attacked. This 
group, my friends, is not going away.
  Boko Haram lives up to its name. They have killed, as I say, over 100 
teachers, but over 500 students. They have denied tens of thousands of 
young Nigerians an education, but they have a very alternative 
framework for education--or indoctrination--that they intend to 
supplant. Despite knowing the dangers, these young women were committed 
to their education, the ones that were abducted.
  This resolution importantly puts the House on record saying that we 
are committed to getting them freed. The resolution supports U.S. 
assistance to the Nigerian Government in trying to rescue these girls 
and calls for a more active U.S. role. Tomorrow, we will hear from a 
young woman who herself was kidnapped by Boko Haram and escaped.
  It is clear that the Nigerian security forces are facing an uphill 
battle in the fight against Boko Haram. Some of these problems are 
internal--some unprofessional and corrupt units that are poorly 
equipped and poorly trained. That has led some to say that we should 
not be involved. But, Mr. Speaker, it tells me that U.S. involvement is 
critical. Without U.S. expertise, including intelligence sharing, it is 
clear that the threat from the U.S.-designated terrorist group will 
grow, these girls will suffer, others girls will suffer, and the region 
will be destabilized.
  U.S. forces are well positioned to advise and assist. They can advise 
and assist Nigerian forces in the search and rescue of these girls. In 
this role, U.S. forces--expertly trained to deal with hostage 
situations and trained in jungle environments--could help Nigerians 
with intelligence planning and logistics up until the point the 
operation is launched. And if some U.S. laws would hinder such 
assistance, the administration should use its waiver authority under 
these extraordinary circumstances.
  An advise-and-assist operation would have the benefit of boosting 
morale and effectiveness of the Nigerian forces. It would ensure expert 
planning, and it would ensure the best chance of success of rescue. 
This isn't dissimilar to the operation against the Lord's Resistance 
Army in eastern Africa, where U.S. forces have been embedded with local 
units, training and constraining Joseph Kony, and it has been used in 
the past to eliminate al Qaeda-linked terrorists in North Africa.
  While these girls are foremost in our mind, there are larger 
considerations too.

                              {time}  1845

  Indeed, commanders at the Pentagon have stated that Boko Haram is a 
threat to Western interests, and one of the highest counterterrorism 
priorities in Africa, they tell us; and that is especially the case, 
given Nigeria's position as the continent's most populous country and 
biggest economy.
  This resolution is a show of solidarity with these young kidnapped 
girls, with their families, and with the communities in northern 
Nigeria who have lived under constant fear of Boko Haram for far too 
long.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I rise in strong support of H. Res. 573.
  I would like to begin by thanking our former committee colleague and 
our colleague, Ms. Frederica Wilson of Florida, for offering this 
important resolution. I would also like to thank our chairman of the 
Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Royce, for working with us on this piece 
of legislation in a bipartisan manner.
  This resolution strongly condemns the abduction of nearly 300 
schoolgirls by the Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram and supports 
U.S. and international efforts to assist in their recovery.
  On April 14, these schoolgirls were doing what young women and girls 
all over the world do every day, studying for tests, playing with 
friends, and building a future for themselves.
  That day, Boko Haram--which roughly translates to ``Western education 
is forbidden''--abducted these girls, tore them away from their 
families and their communities. Today, more than a month later, we 
still don't know where they are. Our thoughts are with their families, 
and we pray that they are safely reunited with their children as soon 
as possible.
  This mass abduction is only the latest atrocity committed by Boko 
Haram. Since 2010, they have launched hundreds of attacks and murdered 
over 5,000 people. The group has burned schools and killed students, 
attacked churches and mosques, murdered Christian and Muslim religious 
leaders, and set off bombs in the capital city of Abuja.
  The United States and other international partners have offered 
assistance to bring the schoolgirls home, and we all hope these efforts 
will prove successful, but we must also recognize that Nigeria's 
approach to countering Boko Haram has not been effective. With its 
heavy-handed approach, the Nigerian military has often alienated the 
very population that could be providing valuable information about Boko 
Haram's activities.
  Instead of fostering relationships with the community, the military 
has built a record of indiscriminate destruction, theft of personal 
property, arbitrary arrests, indefinite detention, torture, and 
extrajudicial killing of civilians--all this with impunity. This serves 
only to help Boko Haram recruit and radicalize new members.
  I hope the Nigerian Government will see this kidnapping and the 
reaction of Nigerian citizens as a wake-up call to reevaluate their 
counterterrorism strategy and that we can work with them to develop a 
comprehensive strategy to combat Boko Haram, one that included civil 
society, development, and better civil-military relations.
  Meanwhile, we in the United States must do all we can to ensure that 
these girls are returned home to their families safely and soundly.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
important resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Smith), the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on 
Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International 
Organization.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Royce for 
swiftly bringing this important resolution, H. Res. 573, to the floor. 
I thank Congresswoman Frederica Wilson for her sponsorship and also 
Eliot Engel for the bipartisanship that has been exhibited on behalf of 
this very, very important and timely resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, nearly 2 months ago, a large group of uniformed men, 
Boko Haram terrorists, kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls from the Chibok 
Government Girls Secondary School. This case has recently caught the 
attention of the international community, and people worldwide are 
now--and belatedly, I would suggest--calling for swift action to 
recover these innocent young women.
  Unfortunately--and perversely--Boko Haram now basks in its 
international attention and continues to release videos to demonstrate 
the leverage they believe they have gained by this and other 
kidnappings. Meanwhile, boys caught by these terrorists are not 
kidnapped; they are summarily executed. Fifty-nine of them were killed 
in one school alone in Borno State just this past February.
  Mr. Speaker, the Government of Nigeria continues to be slow to react 
to this outrageous situation, even after accepting much-needed 
international security assistance.

[[Page 8579]]

  It is only since the uproar in Nigeria and outside the country that 
the Nigerian Government has asked for international assistance in 
addressing this situation. That request has triggered a U.S. 
interagency team consisting of personnel from the Departments of State, 
Defense, Justice, USAID, AFRICOM, and the FBI.
  That team was led by AFRICOM commander General David Rodriguez and 
Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human 
Rights Sarah Sewall, who will testify tomorrow at Chairman Royce's 
hearing.
  This enhanced engagement is welcomed in light of weak efforts by the 
Nigerian Government and a police-military-security apparatus that we 
have found to operate in a very divided manner and make enemies among 
the Nigerian public by their clumsy and sometimes brutal response to 
Boko Haram terrorist attacks.
  Mr. Speaker, it is worth noting here that, for years, many of us--and 
this has been bipartisan--have been calling on the Obama administration 
to declare Boko Haram a foreign terrorist organization.
  I held a hearing back in 2012 and asked, rather pointedly, of then-
Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson why Boko Haram was not so 
designated, particularly in light of the killings that occurred at the 
U.N. facility in Abuja. There were no good answers. We tried again. I 
finally went on a factfinding trip in September of last year.
  We went to Jos, Greg Simpkins, my staff director and I, and met with 
people who were the survivors of firebombing attacks that occurred in 
their churches while they were at mass or at church service on Sunday. 
We heard harrowing tales.
  We even brought one of the survivors, a man named Ikenna Nzeribe, who 
came and told how an AK-47 was put to his jaw. He was told: You either 
renounce your faith in your Jesus or you die. He said: I am ready to 
see my Lord.
  The trigger was pulled, and he lost half of his face and was left for 
dead.
  I say that because the brutality of this organization--which now has 
some 300 young, innocent women that are probably being raped and abused 
in so many ways--just underscores the need for concerted action, first 
and foremost, by Nigeria and, secondly, by a full assist by the 
international communities.
  Earlier today, five mutually reinforcing bills to combat human 
trafficking passed on this floor of the House of Representatives. This 
is another vivid, extraordinary, hard example of human trafficking, of 
stealing young girls right from their school, putting them in trucks, 
and then taking them into the bush where horrible things are being done 
to them.
  We need to leave no stone unturned, and if that means lifting in the 
sense of only working with those troops that are human rights certified 
to assist the military of Nigeria, parts of the Leahy amendment may 
have to be waived, we have to provide that command and control and that 
ability for the Nigerian military to find and bring these young girls 
back to safety.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman 
from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) be yielded the remainder of my time, and 
that he may control that time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 1 minute to 
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), our Democratic leader.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding; and I 
thank my colleague from California, Mr. Royce, the chairman of the 
committee; and Mr. Smith and others who have brought this resolution to 
the floor.
  I am especially proud of the work of Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, 
for her work on the resolution before the House to condemn the 
abduction of female students by armed militants. Thank you, 
Congresswoman Wilson.
  We have been fortunate to have the leadership of our Congressional 
Black Caucus, led by Congresswoman Fudge--who I see on the floor right 
now--Congressman Keith Ellison and Congresswoman Barbara Lee, among 
others who have come and gone in the course of the debate.
  We have called the Congressional Black Caucus the conscience of the 
Congress, helping to rally our Nation to the cause of these abducted 
girls and working to address the broader threat to women and girls in 
Africa and around the world.
  I associate myself with some of the remarks of my colleague, Mr. 
Smith, about the fact that so many bills today on the floor address 
human trafficking, the trafficking of children, that passed earlier, 
and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee was very much a part of that.
  I rise this evening, Mr. Speaker, in support of the resolution 
introduced by Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and to stand in solidarity 
with the young Nigerian girls who are still held in captivity by Boko 
Haram.
  Their kidnapping is outside the circle of civilized human behavior. 
It is a despicable and abhorrent crime that cries out for justice, nor 
is this the first time that Boko Haram has attacked young Nigerian 
students.
  They have murdered dozens of young boys, shooting and burning more 
than 50 of them to death in their boarding school. Their assault on 
communities is an affront to the human rights of men, women, and 
children everywhere.
  I think it is important to note, Mr. Speaker, that we have a moral 
responsibility to help, certainly to find and rescue these girls. We 
must not and will not rest until we bring them back; bring back our 
girls.
  But when we bring them back, we have to bring them back without the 
taboo, without the stigma that they have been kidnapped and assumptions 
made about their treatment. Whatever that has been, I know that their 
families want to welcome them back with open arms, and we have to be a 
party to that.
  The worst thing, the most cruel form of torture for someone who has 
been kidnapped, as Mr. Smith knows as a champion for human rights 
throughout the world, is to tell those who are kidnapped or abducted or 
imprisoned that nobody really cares about them anymore, that nobody 
knows that they are kidnapped and nobody cares about them anymore.
  In this case of these young girls, to also say because you have been 
kidnapped and certain assumptions have been made about your treatment, 
you will no longer be welcomed home, even if you are freed, that is 
vicious. That is vicious, and I know it is a view not shared by the 
families of these girls and should not be shared by anyone.
  As the resolution states, women and girls must be allowed to go to 
school without fear of violence and unjust treatment, so they can take 
their rightful place as equal citizens and contributors to society.
  It is an outrage that women and girls in any part of the world face 
this kind of intimidation simply for seeking an education. It is an 
outrage that human trafficking continues to threaten communities 
anywhere, and I thank all of my colleagues, again, for the 
participation and the long debate about trafficking that preceded this 
debate now.
  Today, we join together to say to those girls in captivity in Nigeria 
and around the world that we will not abandon you. We will stand up for 
you until justice is done. The thoughts and prayers of the world are 
with them, their families, and their communities.
  As I have said, the capture and captivity of these girls challenges 
the conscience of the world in a very specific and different way, and 
perhaps that difference will make a difference in how we deal with it.
  Again, I thank our colleagues for bringing this resolution to the 
floor. I commend Congresswoman Wilson for her leadership.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to 
the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wilson), the author of this 
resolution.

[[Page 8580]]


  Ms. WILSON of Florida. Thank you, Congressman Engel. I would like to 
thank the leadership of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the original 
cosponsors of this bipartisan legislation, Congressman Engel, 
Congressman Royce, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, Congressman Smith, 
Congresswoman Bass, and the support of Leader Pelosi.

                              {time}  1900

  I stand here today on the House floor demanding that we ``bring back 
our girls.'' I am outraged and heartbroken over the kidnapping of 
hundreds of female students in Nigeria by the terrorist group Boko 
Haram.
  These girls have now been away from their home for more than a month. 
I cannot even begin to imagine what this is like for these girls, for 
their mothers, their fathers, their brothers, their entire village. We 
must end this nightmare.
  The abduction of these girls was committed to keep them from getting 
an education. The girls knew the dangers they might encounter. Their 
school had previously been closed due to terrorist attacks, but they 
went to school anyway. They went because they were determined to get an 
education, determined to build a better life for themselves and for 
their families.
  Women and girls have the right to go to school without fear of 
violence and unjust treatment. I believe that we must do everything in 
our power, Mr. Speaker, to ensure the safe return of these precious 
young girls. That is why I introduced H. Res. 573, to send a clear 
message to Nigeria and to the international community: women around the 
world have the right to be free and live without fear. Women should not 
be forced to risk their lives to get an education they want and 
deserve.
  H. Res. 573 puts the U.S. House of Representatives firmly on record 
condemning the atrocious attack and Boko Haram's violent attacks on 
civilian targets in Nigeria.
  H. Res. 573 seeks to hold those who conduct violent attacks 
accountable.
  H. Res. 573 reaffirms our support for the assistance that the 
President and the administration is providing to help Nigerians find 
the girls and calls for the development of a comprehensive strategy to 
counter the threat of radical terrorist groups like Boko Haram.
  H. Res. 573 calls for the safe return of these girls to an 
environment that protects children seeking to obtain an education.
  In these girls, I see our daughters, our sisters, our nieces. I see 
their hopes and their dreams. These girls are strong, determined, 
courageous, and understand the value of an education. As a past 
principal, I understand, and we must support them. We know that girls 
who are educated make higher wages, lead healthier lives, and have 
healthier families. Education is truly a girl's best chance for a 
brighter future, not just for herself, but for her family and her 
nation.
  I have a large constituency of Nigerians in my district. On Saturday, 
I participated in a rally to encourage Nigerian President Goodluck 
Jonathan to do more to find the girls. My constituents were calling him 
``Badluck Jonathan'' in their frustration because he is not doing 
enough to find these girls. ``Badluck Jonathan is not doing enough'' 
was the call and the rallying cry at the rally.
  I walked away from the rally with this shirt that reads, ``Nigeria,'' 
and I walked away with my heart still full of worry, still full of 
concern, and I am puzzled. Are they hungry? Are they sheltered? Can 
they shower? Can they take care of their womanly needs? Have they been 
raped? Have they been beaten? Have they been sold? Are they still even 
alive?
  God of our weary years. God of our silent tears. We are reliving the 
past. The past of the slave trade. The past of the torture and 
suffering that we endured as slaves. We should never, never relive the 
indignities of the past.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would remind all Members to 
maintain proper decorum in the Chamber.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Frankel).
  Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Engel, thank you and 
Congresswoman Wilson for bringing this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, what we have seen take place in Nigeria, the crimes 
perpetrated by Boko Haram, is simply unthinkable and appalling.
  There are some crimes against humanity that should not be tolerated 
regardless of where they occur in the world. The violent kidnapping of 
over 250 girls for the sole reason that they were seeking an education 
is one such crime, innocent girls who should be carefree but instead 
are prisoners enduring the unimaginable. In the 21st century, we cannot 
let this kind of horror against children go unanswered.
  First, I want to thank President Obama for sending a 
multidisciplinary team to Nigeria where they are working with the 
United Kingdom, France, and Israel to help resolve this crisis.
  I am proud to support this resolution condemning Boko Haram and 
calling for continued United States support to return these girls 
safely to their families and bring these terrorists to justice.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New 
York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney).
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the 
gentleman for yielding and for his extraordinary leadership on this 
issue and so many others.
  Great appreciation to the sponsor of this, my good friend Frederica 
Wilson, who spoke with great feeling on the floor. We appreciate so 
much your leadership in this area and other areas.
  These young girls in Nigeria were kidnapped from their school in the 
middle of the night, terrorized and held captive, and may now be sold 
like so many inanimate objects into a lifetime of forcible rape. There 
is no kind of crime more appalling, no offense or worse, no act of 
depravity more harmful to the community of nations than this kind of 
barbarism.
  As horrible as this crime is, this represents only a small fraction 
of the global trafficking in human beings. Just today, a report by the 
U.N. noted that trafficking, forced labor, and modern slavery are big 
businesses generating profits estimated at $150 billion a year. It is a 
global enterprise that we must put out of business.
  They committed this terrible act in part because they wanted to send 
a message. Well, let's send one back to them today, a message that the 
nations of the West will spare no effort, no expense in helping to 
return these girls safely to their families. We will pursue the 
perpetrators of this atrocity by every legal and lawful means to the 
ends of this Earth or until the end of their days.
  Let us declare that the children of this world here at home or in 
some far-flung corner of the world are not for sale. They are not to be 
used as slaves or as shields or as barter. All those who attempt to 
profit off this ancient evil will be considered the common enemies of 
humanity.
  My time is up.
  We will not stop until these girls are returned to their homes.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, allow me to thank the gentleman for the 
time. I thank my dear friend Frederica Wilson from Florida for bringing 
forth this important resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, a number of people across the country who are of the 
Muslim faith contacted me and Congressman Carson, who happen to be the 
two Members of that faith in this body, and expressed to us how 
outraged and offended they were by the actions of Boko Haram. What we 
did is said, well, you guys write a letter and we will draft it; we 
will get a lot of signatures on it, and we will send it to Nigeria. And 
that is what we have done.
  It is written in English and in the Arabic language, and we are 
trying to get

[[Page 8581]]

it translated into Hausa right now. It has well over 30 leaders in the 
community. It just reads a little bit this way. I doubt I will have the 
time to read the entire letter, but it reads:

       We urge you to immediately release the young children you 
     have unconscionably taken. Your actions have shocked Muslims 
     across the United States and the world and have disrespected 
     our faith and the teachings of the Prophet (peace and 
     blessings be upon Him.)
       Your justification for stealing these children--that 
     education for girls goes against Islam--has no basis 
     whatsoever in our faith. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and 
     blessings be upon Him) wisely emphasized that every Muslim 
     man and women has a duty to seek education. You have truly 
     strayed from the path when your actions betray its first 
     command ``Iqra,'' which means to read.
       You do not represent Islam or what Muslims know to be the 
     teachings of Islam. Your attempt to transform a central tenet 
     of Islam into a vile lie used to kill and maim innocent 
     Nigerians of all faiths is transparent.
       You treat children like cattle. It is abhorrent and sinful 
     to pretend to be a Prophet to whom Allah has spoken.

  It goes on. The last sentence reads such as this:

       If you would like to follow the teachings of Islam, listen 
     to the global chorus.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).
  Mr. ELLISON. ``If you would like to follow the teachings of Islam, 
listen to the global chorus of voices that are enjoining you to do what 
is right: return these children to their families and replace the evil 
in your heart with peace and learning.''
  It goes on to be signed by myself, Congressman Carson, and many 
others.
  We join our colleagues, both sides of the aisle, in the demand for 
the return of these precious children immediately.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Lee).
  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, let me thank first of all my 
ranking member for yielding and for your leadership on so many issues, 
including this tragic issue that we are dealing with today, and also to 
Chairman Royce for continuing to ensure that these issues and these 
resolutions and bills continue to be bipartisan.
  Also, I just have to thank my colleague Congresswoman Frederica 
Wilson for your steady and tremendous and clear and passionate 
leadership. This is such an important issue that yourself, 
Congresswoman Jackson Lee, and others continue to bring to the 
forefront, and I just have to say once again thank you for this.
  This resolution puts the United States Congress on record expressing 
strong support for the people of Nigeria, especially the parents and 
families of the girls abducted by Boko Haram.
  We join the international community in calling for the immediate and 
safe return of these innocent girls. The world is shouting, and we have 
seen this and heard this over and over again, ``Bring back our girls.''
  These girls were pursuing their education. These are crimes against 
humanity and cannot be tolerated.
  Nigeria, in partnership with the international community, must do 
everything it can to protect all children and men and women against 
such violent attacks. Since 2013, more than 4,400 men, women, and 
children have been slaughtered by Boko Haram. These are terrorists who 
have gotten away with murder. Enough is enough. We must do everything 
we can to bring our girls home and to bring an end to Boko Haram's 
reign of terror.
  I want to commend and thank our administration for once again being 
on the right side of history. I think in this resolution, Congresswoman 
Wilson encourages and supports what has taken place now within our own 
executive branch, but we must do more. I believe both sides of the 
aisle have come together to support your legislation to say let's do 
more, let's bring our girls back, and let's bring this reign of terror 
by Boko Haram to an end.

                              {time}  1915

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time both sides 
have remaining.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York has 3 minutes 
remaining. The gentleman from New Jersey has 9\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for 
his leadership, the chairman of the committee from California, and Mr. 
Smith from New Jersey, who is managing the bill, and I thank very much 
the sponsor of this legislation, Ms. Wilson, who has brought us 
together around a very important statement. Members of the United 
States Congress will have the ability to stand and to take a very 
public view that the thugs of Boko Haram will no longer be able to run 
rampant without the attention of the United States and the people 
around the world.
  I have, Mr. Speaker, the geographic area in which Nigeria is in, from 
Benin and Togo, to nearby Ghana and Niger, Chad, and Cameroon. We 
wonder where these girls are now. So it is very important that we are 
condemning this horrific act. We wonder where these children are.
  We have used the term ``girls'' and we want to bring them home, but 
these are children who cannot consent to leaving home, to marrying, to 
changing their religion. So in one sweep we have sex traffic girls, we 
have violated religious freedom, and we have taken children away from 
the bosom of their family.
  So as I hold up in my hand these names, many whom we should call--
these are real people. I would ask today as we stand to support this 
resolution that we push for a relief fund for these girls, we push for 
Nigeria to establish its own special ops so that they can safely find 
these girls, and we tell the Islamic world, we tell al Qaeda in 
particular, to stop funding these groups. And we thank Mr. Ellison.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. ENGEL. I yield an additional 10 seconds to the gentlewoman from 
Texas.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Let me also indicate that it is important for the 
United Nations peacekeepers and the African Union and others to realize 
this is a much larger issue. Today I stand on the floor of the House 
and condemn Boko Haram, but ask that these girls be rescued and brought 
home safely.
  Mr. Speaker, as an original co-sponsor, a senior member of the 
Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees, and, most important, a 
mother, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 573, a resolution 
condemning the abduction of female students by armed militants from the 
terrorist group known as Boko Haram in northeastern provinces of the 
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
  I thank my colleague from Florida, Congresswoman Wilson, for 
introducing this bipartisan resolution and urge all Members to support 
it because it is important for the House to go on record in opposition 
to the brutal and outrageous assaults on human dignity and freedom 
committed by the Boko Haram, a militant group that has no respect for 
the rights of women and girls.
  Since 2013, more than 4,400 men, women, and children have been 
slaughtered by Boko Haram.
  The victims include Christians, Muslims, journalists, health care 
providers, relief workers. And schoolchildren.
  I urge our government, the United States of America, to assist the 
Government of Nigeria in developing its own capacity to deploy 
specialized police and army units rapidly to bring Boko Haram leader 
Abubakar Shekau to justice and to rescue the more than 200 schoolgirls 
who were kidnapped from the Chibok School for Girls in Borno State on 
April 15, and the 11 schoolgirls kidnapped last night in the Warabe 
community of Borno, and reunited them with their families and loved 
ones.
  Boko Haram's reign of terror must be brought to an end.
  I also call upon our government to work with the African Union and 
the international community to detect, disrupt, and dismantle Boko 
Haram's funding sources derived from other Islamist groups, including 
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian 
Peninsular (AQAP), the Al Muntada Trust Fund, and the Islamic World 
Society.

[[Page 8582]]

  I commend President Obama on his decision to deploy American security 
experts and equipment in Nigeria to help locate and rescue the abducted 
schoolgirls, and we applaud Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan for 
accepting that assistance.
  The leader of Boko Haram has threatened to ransom or sell the 
abducted schoolgirls into the human trafficking market for about twelve 
dollars each ($12.00 USD).
  I say to him: ``Don't you dare.''
  Boko Haram's outrageous conduct will not be tolerated or overlooked 
for not only is it a violation of the girls' human rights, it is also 
contrary to United States policy, which supports and promotes equal 
access to education and economic opportunity for women and girls.
  As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, injustice anywhere is a 
threat to justice everywhere.
  So we will not stand idly by.
  But we do stand in solidarity with the good people of Nigeria and 
especially those beautiful and courageous schoolgirls who wanted 
nothing more than to get an education to make life better for 
themselves and their beloved country.
  We will not forget or forsake you.
  This is what I think we should do.
  First, since we know that terrorist groups cannot operate effectively 
without reliable and steady funding to support their criminal acts, the 
United States should work with the international community to detect, 
disrupt, and dismantle the funding networks financing Boko Haram.
  Published reports in the media indicate that Boko Haram has received 
as much as $70 million from other Islamist groups, including Al-Qaeda 
in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula 
(AQAP), the Al Muntada Trust Fund, and the Islamic World Society.
  Second, as I mentioned, the United States should work with the 
Government of Nigeria to develop its own capacity to deploy specialized 
police and army units rapidly to prevent and combat sectarian violence 
in cities and around the country where there has been a history of 
sectarian violence.
  The creation and deployment of an elite highly trained rapid response 
unit was used to successful effect by the Indonesian Government in 2004 
to neutralize the Laskar Jihad terrorist organization.
  Third, the United States should also take appropriate action to help 
the Government of Nigeria establish a Victim's Fund to provide 
humanitarian relief and economic assistance to the victims of attacks 
by Boko Haram so that they can rebuild their lives and communities.
  ``People are the great issue of the 20th century,'' declared then-
Senator Hubert Humphrey in 1948.
  Mr. Speaker, the well-being of people remains the great issue of the 
21st century.
  And there is no better measure of any society than the way it treats 
its women and girls.
  Boko Haram understands that when Nigerian girls are educated, 
Nigerian women can succeed; and when Nigerian women succeed, Nigeria 
succeeds.
  And that is why it is so important that the United States help 
Nigeria ensure that Boko Haram fails.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the record a copy 
of the May 8, 2014 letter to President Obama from myself and 15 Members 
of Congress commending his decision to deploy American security experts 
and equipment in Nigeria to help locate and rescue the kidnapped 
schoolgirls urging the Administration to work in concert with the 
Government of Nigeria and the African Union to bring Abubakar Shekau 
and other leaders of Boko Haram to justice.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  In closing, I would like to once again thank Congresswoman Frederica 
Wilson and Chairman Royce for helping to move this resolution forward 
in a timely manner. The Senate passed a similar resolution last week, 
and I am pleased that we will soon follow suit.
  We must do all we can to hold Boko Haram accountable for the mass 
abduction of schoolgirls and the many other terrorist attacks it has 
committed.
  Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and friends of the 
abducted girls, and we will not rest until they are returned to their 
loved ones. We will do everything in our power to get them home safely 
and soundly.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, let me just say that we are really speaking with one 
voice tonight, and that is on behalf of the young women, the young 
girls, who have been abducted by Boko Haram. Thankfully, there is 
absolutely no divide between Republicans or Democrats, and really the 
world. The world is speaking out.
  This is absolutely outrageous, but it is part of a trend and a surge 
that is happening in many parts of the world, including in Africa. Al-
Shabaab in Somalia. We know the terrible killing spree that went on in 
Kenya, in Nairobi, not so long ago. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, 
al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Ansar-al-Dine and Mujao in Mali. And 
then, of course, Seleka in the Central African Republic. And then, of 
course, Boko Haram.
  Number nine of the whereas be it resolved ``calls on the President to 
provide Congress a comprehensive strategy to counter the growing threat 
posed by radical Islamist terrorist groups in West Africa, the Sahel, 
and North Africa.''
  They are bad, Mr. Speaker, and they are getting worse. Many of us 
have been calling in a bipartisan way for years that Boko Haram be 
designated a foreign terrorist organization, and it was belated. It 
took years to designate this organization, this cruel, insensitive, and 
murderous organization. Thankfully, at least now everyone gets it, but 
unfortunately there are many, many victims who are suffering.
  The war on terrorism, Mr. Speaker, remains largely unfinished. My 
hope is that this resolution and the commitment of the U.S. Government, 
the French, and the European allies, and frankly people around the 
world, even the Chinese know because they were recently hit as well, 
will understand that Boko Haram has to be stopped. All means necessary 
have to be employed to mitigate--no, not mitigate--destroy this threat 
to children, to women.
  Let's not forget: here is a group that targets schools, literally 
abducts children, kills the men, the boys, and abducts the young girls. 
Just in May and April they conducted the worst attack on bus stations 
throughout Abuja. The worst hit. It barely made the papers, Mr. 
Speaker.
  Boko Haram is a murderous organization, and it is about time we all 
did our part to ensure that they end their rein of terror.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill, which 
I am proud to cosponsor, and I thank the Gentlelady from Florida, 
Congresswoman Wilson, for spearheading this effort.
  It has now been over a month since over 230 girls and young women 
were kidnapped from their school in northeastern Nigeria. Boko Haram, 
the terrorist organization that has been attempting to impose its 
extremist views onto millions of people in Nigeria and in neighboring 
Niger and Cameroon, is a dangerous and destabilizing force in West 
Africa.
  This is a region where millions of people are trying hard to overcome 
poverty and where national and local governments are focused on 
creating opportunities that can expand a growing middle class--
ingredients for peace, prosperity, and democracy.
  The very name of Boko Haram means a rejection of secular education 
and the democratic values it teaches. The girls who were kidnapped--in 
an action that is nearly unthinkable to those of us here in America in 
2014--are courageous individuals who dared to go to school and pursue 
opportunities that generations of girls and women before them never 
had.
  Congress ought to condemn Boko Haram forcefully and send a clear 
message not only that the world cannot--and will not--accept its brand 
of violent extremism, but also that the American people stand in 
solidarity with all the girls and young women of West Africa who are 
bravely pursuing an education or yearning to do so. West Africa faces 
many challenges, and it's time to marshal the resources of the U.S. 
government and our allies to help address those challenges and to 
ensure that all the girls and young women who were abducted can return 
safely home.
  I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill so we 
can bring our girls home.
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of H. Res. 573, 
condemning the abduction of female students by armed militants

[[Page 8583]]

from the terrorist group known as Boko Haram in northeastern provinces 
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
  I am outraged by the abduction in April of over 270 innocent 
schoolgirls who were taken from their boarding school in Borno State, 
Nigeria. My thoughts and prayers remain with these students and their 
families as we seek their immediate safe return.
  I was horrified to watch Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the extreme 
Islamist group Boko Haram, admit in a video message he was responsible 
for this horrendous act. It was painful to hear him refer to these 
young innocent girls as ``slaves'' and threaten ``to sell them in the 
market.''
  According to media reports, Boko Haram has destroyed many Nigerian 
schools and killed dozens of students. Boko Haram continues to show an 
immoral disregard for the most fundamental of human rights, thus we 
must do all we can to aid in the student's safe return.
  No family should have to fear their children could be abducted and 
placed in the human trafficking market to be sold, raped or killed. 
Boko Haram has to be stopped and their leader Abubakar Shekau must be 
apprehended and brought to justice. The Nigerian government should use 
all means necessary to find the girls and return them to their 
families.
  I am encouraged that the U.S. government is already providing 
counterterrorism support, logistics, technical expertise and training 
to Nigerian investigators in this effort. I am glad Nigeria and four 
neighboring countries will share intelligence and border surveillance 
to find the students as we must combine our efforts to ensure their 
safe return. Additionally, I encourage the Nigerian government and 
leadership to strengthen efforts to protect children who are seeking an 
education as no student should fear for their life in an effort to 
further their education. We must work swiftly in an effort to find the 
girls and assure their safe return to their families.
  I have joined my colleagues in sending a letter to President Obama 
urging the Department of State to use every avenue possible to assist 
in the immediate recovery of the missing girls and to support the 
welfare and safety of all women and girls in Nigeria. I urge our 
international partners to join with us until the girls are safely 
reunited with their families and Boko Haram is brought to justice.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 573, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________