he has lived and breathed these issues. click thank you. those are from ohio. we have a lot of people in this coalition.

one is an ohio state buckeye fan. to the phone 25 oppose fast track. but let me say this. the 2006 2,008, 2,010 2,012 2014 election is all about economics. make no mistakes. the anxiety that people feel all across the country these issues have decimated the middle class in the united states of america. if we want as democrats to connect with those voters would need to talk about the issues they care about. we are duly elected, the ones on the ground with a

steel mill closes. hugging wives and kids that have lost their jobs making 50 60 70 $80,000 per year. not ask our opinion. we are the ones whether it is intellectual property in california we are the ones on the front lines seeing the negative effects. we should be considered and we see the positive effects when we put tariffs a billion-dollar steel mill in youngstown ohio. that is what can happen in the united states if we stand up and have fair trade there is a reason why the

public unions are up on this a reason why teachers are here a reason why sister simone campbell is here. these these have a ripple effect through our communities. teachers feel it because there is no tax base to pay teachers more. local government folks are not having the budgets they used to have because these trade deals have the estimated to have decimated local government funds. we are closing down churches , schools all across it has come to a head and fast track. i am proud to be a part of this coalition. thank you. [applause] federal campaign director. [applause]

>> thank you. it is a pleasure to be here. i am privileged to come here to speak about the dangers of fast track. people that understand transpacific partnership rushed through congress will threaten our air water communities, and i believe the people here today see the danger of unfair trade and the danger of rushing it through congress without oversight. fast track also undermines our basic democratic

tenants. check and balance is a part of our democracy, protected in the constitution. fast track undermines that incredibly seriously. today we join our colleagues it is difficult. our members know how to make your voices heard. we will not be silenced and we we will continue to speak out. we are confident that because we are speaking for the american public the people who have so much to lose that we will eventually be heard. it is my privilege to introduce congressman alan grayson. [applause] >> trade is a simple concept.

that is not what is happening. day after day month after month, and year after year americans are buying goods and services manufactured by foreigners and they are not buying goods and services manufactured by americans. we are creating millions -- no, tens of millions of jobs in other countries and losing tens of millions of jobs in our country because foreigners are not buying our goods and services. they are buying our assets. we lose twice. we lose the jobs and are driven deeper into international debt and ultimately bankruptcy. that is the endgame of this.

it is it is not free trade. it is fake trade. that is why before-and-after was enacted this country never had a trade deficit as much as $140 billion a year and ever since then you have had a a trade deficit of over $140 billion per year we have we have had a trade deficit of half a billion dollars now for the past 14 years. look back across history all across planet earth. you will see the 14 largest trade deficits in the history of mankind are the american trade deficits for the last 14 14 years. i cannot rule out the possibility that somewhere on alpha centauri there might be a larger trade deficit but here on planet

earth, no. listen. thanks to fake trade right now one seventh of all the assets in this country every business every plot of land, every car one seventh of all the assets in this country are now owned by foreigners. ultimately if we keep going this way they we will all be. that is why we have the most unequal distribution of income and wealth in our history. we are in a deep hole. when you are in a hole, stop digging. stop digging. i am calling upon our leaders the american people let's stop digging. let's not only have a trade policy for once let's have

a trade deficit policy and deal with a reality that has robbed the american people for decades. let's stop digging deeper raise ourselves up and climb out of this whole and rebuild the 25 rebuild the american middle class. thank you very much. [applause] all right. >> thank you, congressman. i am the consumer group of food and water watch. and as others have said we have enough problems with our own food safety.

our concern has been with the safety of imported food. the agency in this country that is beleaguered with increased imports is the food and drug administration the congress in 2,010 past the food safety modernization act and we are going through the implementation process it mandated that the fda improve surveillance of imported food. there is a section that requires the fda to double physical inspection of foreign facilities that export products to the united states every year starting in 2011 until 2016.

in 2016 that while requires fda do about 10000 physical inspections. because the congress has failed to fully fund the law we have been stuck at 1300 physical inspections, yet the level of food import continues to increase. i just did a quick check of imported refusals from the 11 countries and based upon the 2 percent inspection that fda does at our ports of entry over 3300 products were refused entry by the fda because of all sorts of

issues and many were food products. violations range from labeling violations to microbiological contaminations, such as salmonella, e. coli, botulism. science 25 china which is waiting in the wings for this to be negotiated alone has 2300 violations. imported refusals. why are we -- it should be a slow trap. we do not have the regulatory capacity to deal with increased trade from a food standpoint. on the meat and poultry side which has a more rigorous system requiring countries that want to export meat and

poultry to the united states to go through a food safety assessment to determine whether their system is comparable. we have seen a steady erosion of inspection requirements. up until the wto we had an equal to standard for meat and poultry export to the united states. what we have seen over recent years there has been a reduction in the level of inspection that goes on. we need a slow track. this is way beyond the necessary requirement at this. >> thank you. >> i would like to introduce my neighbor in maryland congressman donna edwards. >> hello. [applause]

>> i represent 725,000 people in maryland. we lost 70,000 jobs with nasa. i was thinking back to that day. i was not in congress at the time but i was standing on the steps of the capitol working with my colleagues at trade watch as an advocate at congress watch shaking hands with members of congress and trying to convince them to not vote for something that would trade away jobs. i remember standing there on a long wet evening with my five -year-old hoping i could convince people to come over and say hello because we could tell them

the next generation of american children would be deprived of jobs because of what we were about to do in passing nafta. here we are and it is right back where we were with an agreement that trades away american jobs. getting rid of american provisions. if if we had the ability not to have fast track and put amendments on the floor of the house of representatives you no what i would do i would put an amendment in their solidifying buy american provisions because united states tax dollars can be used -- [applause] american taxpayer dollars should not be used to subsidize products overseas. not only do we need to say no to fast-track but to a t

tp that trades away american jobs. it is not that you have lost millions of manufacturing jobs but we want you to lose more. to say to say we want to trade away environmental standards that we uphold and give a bargain to people overseas who are not upholding those same standards. it is time to end that kind of free trade and let's have fair trade and make sure we can begin to create jobs and grow and build things in america. stop ttp. no to fast-track.

[applause] now i have a great pleasure of introducing my good friend from illinois. [applause] >> i am proud to stand before a mighty coalition that says that fast tracking a bad trade deal is not acceptable to us and should not be to the congress. at the same time sidetracking worker rights, wages, safety, environmental and consumer protection laws access to affordable prescription drugs here and around the world off the track is the ability of congress to protect long fought for laws and turn them over to corporations now that want to so-called harmonize our laws meeting often bringing them to the

lowest common denominator around the country the biggest international corporations who could then challenge any law that somehow interferes with their profits. that is that is what we know is in the transpacific partnership. so we think that -- and not even near the track right now. the millions of constituents who are represented by these members of congress whose voices are needing to be heard and i hope in the next few months and weeks because of our ability to organize -- we have great organizers here -- that the voices of the american people we will be heard and we we will say no to fast-track and no to tpp. thank you. [applause] now i would like to bring forth a new member.

his voice has been absolutely resolute for working families. you know for me this is about my hometown. icon from flint, michigan. general motors was founded in flint, michigan. the workers sat down on the job and held out until they got the first the iw contract. we built the american middle class. rewarding corporate interests that put workers on the back burner. what do i say? i asked this question. what do i say to the people

i represent you were told back in the 1990s the way we can rebuild our manufacturing base is with these trade agreements? in my hometown we once had 79,000 people working in manufacturing in the automotive industry. today there are 10,000. we have lost 90 percent of our jobs all after trade agreements were negotiated theoretically to strengthen american manufacturing. when i am asked will, will this agreement protections for labor standards in it that are adequate with enforcement that are strong i have to say i don't know. when i i am asked if their will be environmental standards with enforcement mechanisms i have to say i don't know. no matter what we can see all that is given away what

do i say to the people i represent? we have a process that has me as an elected member of congress to sit down and be quiet and wait and trust. you know what? we trusted folks before and saw our jobs go away. not not on our watch. we are not going to let that happen again. appmack with that let me introduce my buddy, body my new friend, he is not newish, my good friend. [applause] >> thank you very much. my colleagues have stated the case for the american people very well today. with regard to this trade

agreement and the fast-track fight ahead of us that this is not about -- there is no legacy at stake here. the only legacy we no of is the legacy of the failed trade agreement nafta, no enforceability the environmental impact where corporations from partnering nations are able to override or domestic laws able to sue based upon the fact that future profits are stake able to undercut clean air water, resource protections in the station. i don't think the american people no that or want that. a a simple. we are elected with an obligation to do our job.

fast-track robs us of the obligation and authority. we have been elected to assure that the public right to no is presented to them. fast-track robs fast-track robs us of the obligation, denies the people the right to no and we proceed with an agreement that is not enforceable and is built on the legacy of failure. the nafta debate, i was watching. i was watching c-span actually, i think. a colleague got up to defend the deal and said on the floor, nafta is vital. it will end our problem with immigration. >> yeah, right. >> it will secure our borders. it will provide growth for our country in terms of jobs and growth and security for latin america.

i ask you to judge that comment to the reality of today and fight this fast track. thank you very much. [applause] >> i will introduce myself. i am from los angeles. i represent the port of los angeles, which is the largest container port in the united states and i understand the economic value of trade. i am very much pro- trade. trade supports millions of good paying jobs for hard-working americans at our ports and throughout the supply chain throughout the country. some people mischaracterize us as being anti- trade. i repeat, i strongly support trade. however, i am opposed to

trade deals that have harmful consequences for american workers and deals that give unfair advantages to those who exploit workers and destroy this environment that is why i oppose fast track. fast track takes away from congress our authority to regulate trade and be involved in negotiations. under fast track we would be stripped of our ability to negotiate amend, and make deals better and only be allowed to vote yes or no. that sounds like a recipe for a raw deal not a good deal. speaking of deals we traded john dingell and got debbie dingell which so far i think is a fair trade. [applause] >> i am the knew girl on the

block from michigan but i am no knew girl to the subject of trade. i was honored to go to detroit with the president and have him visit a ford motor plant and see a plan that is doing well. if we pass legislation that we are talking about right now it we will set us backward. i support the comments that have been made. we are told that any fast track deal will not include currency. currency is the mother of all trade barriers. in the last two years and $8000 advantage in this country to the japanese and they use it against the best built product made in america and made in michigan , then used to undercut.

that is not fair trade and it is not fair trade when we export middle-class jobs to other countries. how many people have focused on the fact that toyota made more money and profits on currency than ford motor did in all production around the world last year? i want fair trade. i have lived in the auto plants, knows plants, knows the working people of gm, ford, and chrysler. we cannot compete with the bank of japan or the government of japan. if we don't have a a us government that is fighting for us in this country. that is why i oppose. [applause] and now -- [applause] [inaudible conversations] >> i am known for being

quiet. my new colleague from california who is wonderful. you are on. >> first of all, all, i have been a member of congress for less than 48 hours. i am -- this coalition what i think i think is the most important thing we can talk about and domestic policy and global policy in the united states. the future of the american workforce arguably the most powerful and the history of the planet the middle class who has provided us with the benefits we so enjoyed. in an economy based upon consumer goods we are eviscerating the middle class that provides the base. why do we keep taking away their ability to create a

better life for their kids? when i talked to my constituents in the bay area poverty, we poverty, we should be careful when it comes to trade. first, do no further harm to the american workforce. democracy and transparency. a lot of americans think that democracy is unnecessarily distasteful. the us house of representatives somehow does not work as efficiently as it should. that is the base of democracy. lincoln once famously said in american politics with public sentiment you can do anything. without it you can do

nothing. this is a perfect example of this. don't pass fast track. [applause] >> i represent new york 20 in upstate new york. i had i had a conflict on my schedule and arrived a little late. we were we were thrilled to see the overflow crowd coming out of the room which speaks to the interest and passion of this issue there can their can be no more important issue that speaks to the dignity of the worker and the quality of life of working families. i i want to thank our colleague, congresswoman rosa delauro. you heard earlier from my friend and colleague. we both claim the i 90 corridor door

in upstate new york. we york. we both claim the area to the erie canal. it gave birth to a network of communities to mill towns which became the epicenter of invention and innovation allowed for the worker to express creative genius and the american dream. that the -- that dream still nurtures us. this denies and suffocates that dream and brings about injustice around the world. so we are diminishing the quality of life and people in this world by ask here in washington. when i think of that great investment of the eureka now

which enable us to be this manufacturing kingpin of the national economy, we need to continue that and invest in a more hopeful tomorrow. i was asked several times as we are ramping up to come back to the new session of congress not -- a number of middle income community types asked me go to washington and get something done. what they want is a legitimate agenda, the dignity of a job and the opportunity to earn a paycheck and allow their children to have more hope and a better tomorrow. this suffocates all of that. my district is not asking me to ship away jobs trade

away jobs, dirty our environment, allow our -- subject to our children to the ugly sins of the past and not asking me for a fast track that denies our voice in the process. congress must have a voice in these negotiations. the the american public needs for congress to echo their concerns. there is no mistaking that. i am proud to stand with my colleagues and lend my voice to theirs. i am proud to associate myself with unionized labor environmental and advocacy groups that speak to economic social, and environmental justice. there are opportunities to open a process.

we should not be left in the dark. what do we stand for? do we want to subject children to terrible conditions hand over an environment to the next generation that is more polluted economic consequences to be the rule of the day? do we stand for that suffocation of the american dream, the greatest this world has ever known? i am proud to stand with my colleagues. [applause] >> great job. to job. to my colleagues, the atmosphere group, thank you. i i have never been more proud. thank you for being here today and putting a fine.. we will not have fast track.

let's open it up for questions. and please identify yourself. >> thank you very much for speaking. a piece of legislation that relates to enforcement. >> a trade agreement negotiated by the trades are we have to have enforcement. .. >>

>> think about that. one month of the saying is that they sold that day bought from was transferred to them? the fact that there would not sell american cars? that has troubled me since i have been here. in the major complaint of the trade agreements is that it was based on child labor on the mexico texas border. now that has changed but with that enforcement with this bill that will never change. this week or next week at the latest. >> you spoke of the lack of

that house to pass the measure is and where do get those figures from? right now is it talks about 22 house republicans in late 2013 that they oppose this in only 78 are left in the house but 17 are on record in opposition. >> where i get my energy? [laughter] there is precedent in the house of representatives for the fast track 1988, 171 democrats had republicans came together around this issue. and several months ago we had 151 democratic members

signed a letter that was signed by myself in there is also a separate letter from republicans that we pointed out of 27 members republicans and democrats who sent individual letters saying they were opposed to the fast track. is a 190 members both democrats and republicans assigned the letters saying they were opposed to fast-track. also there were to run 30 house members who signed a letter saying without the issue of currency manipulation if they would not vote for the legislation. a naval base speaking in

that house. we have every reason to believe that we cannot defeat fast-track. one of my colleagues said in a conversation that we have yet to see the people who support fast track from both parties. and this coalition is not a one-shot deal. we got everybody here. these people work day in and day out over the last year over the last several months to address this issue. and i believe the thought was fast track would be brought up long before we're way are today in 2015. this has stopped it.

civic either looking at corporations so a kind of efforts have been made for other countries or legislatures? >>. >> alaska and the of my colleagues to address it. >>. >> we do what town hall call once a month and though last one we had the opposition from new zealand analyst julia. not the government but the ngo world to say why does the u.s. bring deals and they are not good for us either. i was recently in honduras

and saw the devastation there but i know there is a lot of questions. >> i think recently from korea talk about not acting in good faith. >> congresswoman you said you went to detroit. did you have the chance to talk to the president about your opposition? the leader of your own party is the biggest supporter. how willing are you with the president's own agenda? >> how i feel is pretty clear. i have been very vocal on this. and i believe it would put us backwards. come to michigan.

fast-track is about to have the ability we need to know the substance it is hidden. with the domestic auto companies, uaw and many other unions are concerned it puts this country at a competitive disadvantage i of for working men and women of this country. >> what about the president? >> they will address these issues. >> the reality is all of us have the support of the president and the president's agenda but we each represent a congressional district that is is in jeopardy because of a bad trade deal and it is our responsibility as members of congress to show we support the president in the american people. i support those people.

[applause] >> and for so many of us i will speak for myself as a member of congress i have opposed fast-track it does not matter who is in the white house because it is not in the best interest of the working men and women. >> i do want to be clear we would not be where we are without president obama and i want to thank him for his leadership. that is my first point we would not be where we are. >> let me give one example in the first came down here, going through bankruptcy three naphtha. now probably one of the of last high quality begins suits makers we talked about trade problems with vietnam. they are not even paid a dollar and our god bless them.

we are concerned it will decimate improvement them as we have seen but when i ask to see what was going to happen and as you heard before i could not have a member of my staff with me. there was a young girl showing you row after row of short jackets, long jackets and i said i need it to know if she said i have no idea. also to of the industries that our alive the most of the financial industry and the pharmaceutical industry. think about that for of minutes and if that does not make your blood run cold. [laughter] >> to any of you think it is possible to achieve ratification with a multilateral group?

>> fast-track is critical to move forward in our trading partners look at whether or not for our purposes it is fast track and to defeat that right now. when anybody ever sees tpp they will make the decision if they want to be there but that process has been so poor the administered. i want to read a couple of quotes and i said i was keeping mind our own rhetoric. rather than trade agreements with the peterson institute

has an early supporter of naphtha estimated the growth of u.s. wage inequality is attributable to the trade trends we are not speaking in a totally but from data and research. and talking with the people we are representing. the economic challenge of the united states today is people are not paid enough from the job that they have. wages are stagnant. this effort will only increase that wage stagnation. >> talk about u.s. trade

have they discussed that position on fast-track with that leadership? >> that democratic caucus has whole to have a discussion that the view was that this was not coming up with the reading of the press coming up very soon and we are prepared to address that issue so in fact, the caucus has not discussed it and we will see those discussions happening very shortly. >> so it what about the assertion the president would walk away? >> the white house has said what they will do.

let's we aren't looking lot at is to you believe fast-track is the bad issue? we have not seen this document it was like being in a nursery school. you cannot have the staff with you that does not have cert for classified documents. you can take notes you cannot take papers out of the room and everything has to go back. we are the duly elected people with 435 congressional districts we have to represent their interests and that is what we are trying to do. i'll go back to say we have the opportunity to read line by line the affordable care act. i was here with the clinton

health care bill emerged and we had tutorials on a regular basis for that legislation all be asking is left us read the bill to know what is it. and not after the deal is consummated but before. >> but can you see that finding republican votes is key? i you actively engaging to reach across the aisle as well? >> i think as i said before from 1988 there were 71 republicans who voted against fast track in a number of people have already emerged for i have not had direct conversations

but i believe there will be republican votes against fast-track for whatever reason. they have the same issues with regards to jobs that all of us do and not eliminated to the jobs among democrats and others. so i believe they will join forces. >> we can give you pulling in republican dates 80 percent was fast track and we can make that available to anyone here. >> were you able to talk to the president about this yesterday? >> we did not have a

conversation. >> thank you very much. [applause] step congress is debating the keystone xl pipeline and we are joined by a ms. lopez

to covers this issue and who was leading the effort in the house? >> 84 having me. because after the midterms last year which mcconnell said it was the first item to send across the desk but republicans want to push the president and now they have the vote to pass it through all of congress. right now in the house from a number of republicans including senator sessions to vote on fridays. >> natalie wood of the first to come up but the issues of the 113th with 38 democrats? what is different war is there anything with democratic votes? >> there is not really anything different when it

comes to the democrats to vote for or against the bill but those that are opposed are sticking to the line says says representative defazio that are not on board do not plan on changing their approach at all. >> last time there we're elected oral considerations with the midterms in the white house did not issue a veto threat what did they object to with the keystone bill? >> the reason the white house issues the veto threat that it circumvents the ongoing process of the state department and this is the it industry did review. the the president has the authority to say whether or not it is in the best interest of the nation because it crosses the border from canada into the u.s.. also ongoing litigation in nebraska and they want that to be resolved before the

state department issues a final recommendation. >> you cover the senate energy markup. if it advances the keystone bill. to say it has gone to the process six years ended is still not through the process. and the democrat from west virginia says the veto threat was not the way a democracy works. would you say that debate was bipartisan support? >> there was only one democrat in the committee that voted for the bill that was senator manchin who was also a co-sponsor but there are a number of democrats a

total of nine that our behind it and six are co-sponsors. in the rest of the democrats voted against the measure. >> host: it may be too far down the road but if it passes the house and senate and he vetoes the bill will the senate have the votes to override the veto? >> that is tricky. with all the democrats that they say supports the bill, there are 63 behind passing that keystone xl bill so that means they have the filibuster-proof majority but it will be a hard push. but the house does not have the votes to override the president's veto. >> host: and ms. lopez you can read more at to the hilt.com or follow her on

twitter. thank you for the update. >> friends, colleagues, a countryman especially the people of ohio, a fake you for sending me here. and let's welcome all of the new members and their families to what we all know to be a truly historic day. [applause] today is important for our country committee senators took the oath this afternoon. 13 for the first time in the new republican majority accepted its irresponsibility -- a new responsibility. we know hard work awaits and many important opportunities await as well.

[inaudible conversations] >> first of all, i want to welcome every video 12 talk about later arrivals and the red light there is running

late or incapacitated so we're getting emails from people who want to be here but they are stuck for over an hour. if people come in a of the late they have an excuse. good morning. thank you for braving the cold. i have the pleasure to the public policy and government affairs for google it is a great honor to haute the mccain institute for rights for girls today. so with the point of personal privilege for all you have done senator you're on point to change settings

for all the work you have been doing and senator portman the same goes for you you have been on the senate caucus to end trafficking with that bipartisan taking place to enter into russa conversation but first of all, senator for being here, thank you you really are the legislators undertaking a lead to make sure we don't forget those for whom it is often too painful to think about. i had a conversation before and we said how many years ago you read the stories it was not front-page. you would read about a young

girl who was baseless or nameless and you could not proceed. . . so much better than some of those other countries.

i want to thank them for there. and all of you from the administration to have shown how important this issue is to the president another attempt to raise the consciousness of individuals now, google was founded on the belief that technology can solve some of the worlds greatest challenges. charitable organizations on the front lines and these grants have been used to support ongoing work and the continuing development of ongoing tools. we worked to watch the global human trafficking hotline which supports better support for victims

and identifies trends and hotspots. having the conversation on how to deal with after the fact and prevent. our ongoing commitment and collaboration extends far beyond. this has been a priority. we help on difficult issues and many of you probably do not know this but recently we launched a knew feature connecting victims of human trafficking with organizations who can help. hotlines phone numbers operating hours. if someone is in that moment and have just as a second to do what may be not the most accurate and appropriate search help we will rise to the top.

we are airing on the side that that is what they are looking for as opposed to not. in 12 countries, 14 languages and has led to the opening of 20 cases since august of last year. there is a world that cares about them. in addition we at google hold ourselves accountable to five accountable. we do not tolerate employee and supplier conduct that contributes to human slavery and trafficking. i am proud of this work and institutes like the mccain institute all who are instrumental to end human slavery and trafficking. we are humbled by the work you do and strengthened that

knowing we can be a voice. talk more about this work it is my honor to invite to two incredible women to talk about where we go from here. cindy does not talk about this very much. she does not only talk the talk. she walks the walk. she saw something at a gas a gas station in yuma, arizona and did not think it looked right and she called the police and save the young woman's life. can you talk to us about that moment. >> i was driving from san diego to phoenix pulled into a gas station got out of my car and was pumping gas.

i could see two girls and this guy off to the side kind of hovering a little bit. the girls were children little, young teenage girls i knew it was not right. i tell people, trust your gut and i trusted my. i called the police and pulled my car out of the gas portion and sat around the other side because i want to make sure they showed up. i am happy to say that the police did the right thing and handling it. it was really a good thing. >> a really good thing. >> yes, it was. >> thank you. >> no you no -- >> that moment you got out of your comfort zone. most of you in this audience

know malika. again i am done here. i want to thank you all for allowing us. we are privileged at google to talk about this important issue. ladies, the floor is yours. >> thank you so much, susan and thank you all for being here on this cold they. i want to begin us and ground us this morning in the lives of the children who are bought and sold for sex here in this country we no that their are at least 100,000 american children who are being bought and sold on our streets. the majority are girls

between the ages of 12 and 14. they are girls like sonja. a a girl i met last month in a los angeles courtroom. fifteen years old had on her face tattooed the name of her trafficker. her trafficker sold her to at least ten different men and night and when she tried to escape he beat and tortured. girls like her are not considered anything but a child prostitute. in our public square conversation in the media and policy circle the way

we talk about girls like her is as child prostitutes but we are here today to change that we are here to recognize that what happens to traffic children is not about prostitution. it is about violence and abuse. and so because of this we are announcing our no such thing campaign. there is there is no such thing as a child prostitute. girls who are repeatedly raped, raped, abused, and exploited are not child prostitutes. they are children who are victims and survivors of child rape. and because they are victims and survivors of child rape they deserve all of the

protections, support and services that we provide to other abuse children. and so that is our work for this campaign. that is the campaign we are doing and i am so honored to be able to do this campaign with google and the mccain institute and mrs. mccain. for those of you at google you no that susan molinari is a force of goodness. susan is our archangel our constant and fierce champion i am i am so humbled to have the support of google in doing this not only because they are trying to create a world without slavery, but also because they represent the

idea we can reimagine and reinvent and rethink our world. and that is what the no such thing campaign is. reconsider and reimagine how we talk about girls who are being bought and sold. and i am honored to do this work with you misses mccain. in the story that was shared you are a voice for that child has been forgotten, discarded and i have watched how you are a constant presence of love and fearlessness for those who have been most hurt.

i am honored to do this work with you and with google. i want to say we are here today and each of us has the power to do something as part of this campaign. this campaign is is about asking each of you to use the power of twitter, social media to be able to say, there is no such thing as a child prostitute. use that power to change the language. language matters. please join us to give dignity and justice to children who are being bought and sold for sex.

please join us and giving dignity and justice to the way these girls are suffering and name it correctly. there are only victims and survivors of child rape. thank you. >> i am very happy to be here with google and with rights4girls. this is something we talked about together within the group of people who work on this on a daily basis to remind people out there and teach people and make them aware of the fact that this is a human rights issue. it is about runaway children but not entirely. the best line i have heard and what i love to here you say is that there is no such thing as a child prostitute.

i like to remind armin at home real men don't buy little girls. that is a portion of this issue we we will be working on but i want to thank you for what you do. google, when we first came to you with ideas and thoughts and complaints and all the things you do when you start with this google was the first one to not only listen but to act on it. this arena, this internet arena which is mind-boggling , you all are obviously the leaders and play such an important role. we look forward to being able to hopefully stop this at least within the borders of the united states right now.

thank you. you have been such an inspiration to me. i get frustrated at times and want to go kick a door. i think of people like you and others like you and the important work that you do. >> a round of applause. [applause] [inaudible conversations] >> we get up? [inaudible conversations] [laughter] [inaudible conversations] >> okay.

welcome. i am so grateful that two of the most important people on this issue not only on capitol hill but nationally are here today to join us. within this group they don't need much of an introduction but i want folks watching this on c-span and others to no who these people are. senator amy klobuchar is a woman that is tenacious, thoughtful direct and hard working on this issue. she and i have spent a great deal of time on this together plotting, sharing frustrations and sharing our successes. believe me she has had a few successes on this. minnesota has done really

well on this issue and is continuing to make strides to break barriers. i want to thank you for being here. she is a great travel partner too. senator portman, we have known each other a long time, and i won't tell you the story we just recited out there. [laughter] >> the debate practice. >> and he was so good i got up and left the room. i used to get so frustrated with him. it is great. campaigns are great. >> tell us now what you said late in the evening. [laughter] >> i love you. thank you so much for being here and and i know you

are under a time constraints this morning. your work on this issue has been remarkable. you are not in this because it is politically expedient but because you believe it. i am grateful you join us today. let me know when you have to leave. thank you for being here. first of all specifically talked to us about just what is going on on capitol hill , where you think we we will go with this issue this year, what we will be done and how we can help you. >> thank you. this is about not only helping us with legislation in congress but the mccain foundation internationally. we all no we love the

internet but it has been used by perpetrators and ways we did not imagine. thank you melissa, as well. our work is not done in congress generally but certainly in the area of sex trafficking. we have a bill out of the judiciary committee called the safe harbor bill which kids at changing the way we think about this problem. the third biggest criminal enterprise in the world after illegal drugs and illegal importation of guns. that is what is happening right now. one of the things mentioned earlier is the prevalence of

this crime in the united states. 100,000 victims over 80 percent of the victims in the us are from the us. we have one of the strongest laws in minnesota which basically says you did not prosecute victims of a crime predominantly young girls. we have taken 25 prosecutors and police have worked together and taken this to a different level just this year a prosecutor got a 40 year sentence against the perpetrator someone who ran a sex ring. what we did is ramp this up to the federal level. we introduced a bill that gives incentives to states

to enact these kinds of laws including arizona. not all of them have gone quite to the degree of the safe harbor law. we want to expand. it allows victims to be eligible for job training programs. one other bill we want to advance at the same time one of the cosponsors of this bill is one that creates a victims fund by raising fines on perpetrators that are running sex rings who are prosecuted federally. the ones that are prosecuted federally, you raise the fines, about 30 million which is used for shelters.

i would just in with one comment something that nicholas kristof has done a lot of writing about this. women hold up half the sky. if you put your head in the sand and pretend this is not happening you are giving up half the guy. worldwide it is hard for us to be the moral compass on this issue. when more women rise up in general we have more democracy and progress. this is about victims of crime and the future of these countries working hand-in-hand to solve this crime.

>> sen. senator portman. >> first, thank you not just for this but what you do in so many ways. involved in refugees and horrific conditions around the world. now she is focused right here at home. it would it would be shocking to most of my constituents to here that their are 100,000 euros girls and some young boys being trafficked and it happens in every major city midsized city, were all community in our country. i got involved because we have an organization. really, a parochial school contacted me my first couple months here and said, would

you come talk to us about sex trafficking. these girls looked into the issue and found out that it was number four in the country in terms of prostitution which is not necessarily an indictment of toledo. they have focused on the issue. i have to be careful to say that. some cities have been wrongly accused of being problem areas. i congratulate them on focusing on the problem. i did a video for these girls. because of that i got into the issue and it was so emotional that they identify this. the more you look into it

the more you realize it is a classic example in our country. we we sometimes.overseas where their are lots of examples of this trafficking of humans goes along with so many other horrific crimes including terrorism but it is happening here, too. senator amy klobuchar has been a leader on this for many years. the idea partly is just more awareness. thanks to malika saada saar and others we have been able to raise the awareness of this issue. we have had several conferences. now i think it is fair to

say in pretty much every office on the senate side to five i am not as familiar on the house side to five is someone who understands this issue and is able to deal with the issue at the federal level but also back home to get these members of congress engaged. i think ohio is one of the cutting edge states. i want to thank you for your work malika saada saar. certainly the work of google will take it to a knew level as they tend to do. that has driven this involvement. whatever google touches -- [laughter] exposure and raising awareness this is a great

way to do it. the internet is a mixed blessing. am i allowed to say that at google? >> we are really into freedom of speech. [laughter] >> but amy said it well. so much of this is done online. so many are now doing a better job of identifying the problem because of that. that. there have been amazing successes and horrific stories. recently. recently a man was arrested in northeast ohio who solicited a young girl online to who happen to be a police officer in his 40s. when they met they were able to arrest him and stop a predator. that is what this is ultimately about. we have been trying to get legislation out there that deals with this issue. a lot of these children are

missing. one out of every nine is likely to be a victim. think about that. we have legislation that has been introduced. i will give you an example in ohio. i checked this morning. sixty-seven young people have gone missing since december 1 67. we only have photographs for a minority of them. forty-one of those we have no photographs for. that is part of what our legislation does nationally. let's do more to get data so that people can no they are and help to find. i was with some catholic nuns.

it is heart-wrenching, but about 5 feet 1 inches tall at a gas station. she walked up to the car and luckily there were police officers not far behind. this is happening. keep your eyes open. another piece of legislation that is important the data and response act. the data part we got passed in the last congress. this is something an example of success. the rest relates to how to deal with children who are trafficked. are they criminals or victims? we shifted to these are

victims. this part of the legislation has not been enacted yet. we would love to talk to you about it and work on it. finally, a new piece of legislation coming out this week this month is a month where we ought to hold this issue up. the combating human trafficking act focusing on the demand side. increasing penalties. amy has been a big part of that, too. [applause] there are good things going on. when i was first elected four years ago there has been a significant shift in terms of awareness and specific legislative work. i am unfortunately in the first markup of the new

congress scheduled after this but at the same time. >> i'm sure you see one of our chief cosponsors is here senator mccain has arrived. >> my god i had no idea. >> yes. >> i had approached him today to say what cindy wants cindy gets. he said, i feel the same way about it. [laughter] >> i felt i felt the same way when i asked him to get on the bill. >> as i said earlier cindy has been dealing with these issues for so many years. good to see you my friend. thank you for coming. thank you. [applause] you know one of the issues i wanted to raise command you and i talked a great deal about it the word prostitution and victim. with all the work happening

around the country are but up against huge groups of people who say, what do we do about these child prostitutes. >> when you think about it the average age is 13 not old enough to drive a car. to think that you would think of that person as the one you should criminally prosecute makes no sense. if anyone has read these stories about the victims they have had tough life growing up get promised a bunch of things. a girl in minnesota ran away from home. she becomes a victim. a a lot of times they get them hooked on drugs. they are clearly victims.

if you if you are going to go after the people running these rings the only way is to get the victims testify. and and you both get them to testify if you put them in jail. he will get them to testify if you give them new lines and an education. it is that simple. we have seen it work for you get much more cooperation if they feel that you have given them a safe harbor a place to live in the place to get an education which is why this bill that we have includes not just the idea you don't prosecute them call them prostitutes but given the chance to be in job programs so they have a chance to find shelter.

>> it is also an offer for public-private partnerships, something in arizona we are pushing right now. we we don't have much in the way of victims services. funding is a big issue. we also have a little bit of resistance to just what you said. we have an active safe harbor. this cultural change within those of us who can do something about it. >> the conference of state legislature. there is a school. they literally, when people are arrested for buying sex they make them go to the school taught by woman who

herself was a victim and now runs a shelter. she is tough. that is part of the approach. this is the kind of guy you are. the perpetrators. and so their are things you can do to shift the culture to show who the real perpetrators are sent to the victims are. are. and i want to commend cindy for the work she is doing to bring the super bowl here and working with the nfl. but we no it is one of the

biggest events in the country. perpetrators gravitate to these kind of things. that is something else to keep an eye on. >> we just stumbled upon an advertisement for models. i talked to the fbi yesterday and they got them it was amazing. we are making headway. one of my favorite topics backpage.com. it was just purchased by an overseas company. >> i did not no that.

but for exactly what we talked about the ability to go offshore. i would like to hear about your opinion organizations like that. >> a lot of this is trying to figure out ways our first amendment rights. you run into legitimate issues. they key is to try to figure out when things are criminal and to try to get this out there. we want to make it easier to get the information they need. >> one of the things simply

do away with the adult services section, much like what craigslist did. the first amendment issue comes into play because they hide behind it. let's go offshore for a minute and talk about mapping for a minute. hopefully build a map of these cartels and then be able to predict. >> a lot of this we know victims are in the us. not just victims of sex trafficking but drugs and

other things they are trafficking. and so mapping and being able to figure out where the victims are and what is happening can make all the difference in international prosecutions. what we saw in mexico for instance, the mexican government is heightening awareness and have been a huge help in working with us in victims in the us a lot of times girls. and that kind of mapping which i think i think involves talking to major airlines, major hotel chains and getting their employees up to speed. it is not just about one gas station but figuring out where these international hotels are. awareness of employees and having eyes all over the world employing technology and get information together

this is a combination of changing the culture and our mindset, changing the laws which i am convinced we we will do this year. year. a version of this bill passed the house. we want to see it updated a little bit but we have worked well with the house. that is not the issue. we need to get this done i would hope in the first six months of the year so we can set an example not just to the rest of the countries but the private sector partners that we are serious >> we have time for one more. now that we get through the sporting season we are packed with events going on. >> i thought you meant

congress at the end of the year. [laughter] >> continue on. >> anyway what do we do? is there a way that we can really encourage these large conventions and large events that occur to not put up with this and help stop it before it starts? >> i love your idea of looking at this as a criteria. groups look at the criteria of whether or not local law enforcement and states have this as part of their enforcement routine. you know that major conventions this attracts some of these sex traffickers.

if you are an organization deciding where your convention will be you should look at the laws on the books and how involved law-enforcement is. it is simply something you look at. the local chambers will go why don't we get a law in the books on this? i think it we will help us. >> exactly. i want to thank you. i have been given the sign. i just want to say, i am proud to be able to work with senator amy klobuchar on this issue. i will let you no how we survived the super bowl. >> 2018. when they tried to bid they kept talking about how warm new jersey was. they did not mention the temperature yesterday

20 degrees below zero. this is the week of the super bowl. it might be a little warmer in arizona. we welcome everyone to the super bowl. thank you. [applause] [inaudible conversations] >> before him on child sex trafficking continues with more. members on both sides of the aisle talked about how congress is combating child sex trafficking. [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] >> good morning. we are going to start our second panel in just a moment. thank you all for being here. i am the director of law and policy for rights4girls and work with lawmakers in washington to advance policies to protect vulnerable children. today we are joined by members of congress. one of our members we are waiting for we are honored

to have with us today congressman maloney congressman zero congresswoman bass and congresswoman wasserman schultz thank you so much for being here. i first wanted to t5 and we are joined by congressman weichert. thank you so much. welcome and thank you for being here. i want to give out panelists and opportunity to talk about why this is an important issue. i thought we would get things started with you, congressman wasserman schultz.

[inaudible conversations] >> thank you both to google and rights4girls and yasmin vafa, for your lead. this is an issue something i have been passionate about and had the privilege of working on since my days as a state legislator. one of the last pieces of legislation i passed as a member of the state legislation. the protect our children act coordinated the largest law-enforcement army

quarterback of the department of justice to instead of the silos that previously existed, make sure we have one coordinated effort specifically focused on and often underworked piece of the puzzle the exportation of children online. just like child pornography is not pornography, child prostitution is not prostitution. it is rape. the average for a girl once she begins being trafficked is to be raped 6,000 times during her time being trafficked. there is no acceptable number but that is horrific

the average life expectancy is seven years. as a mother of an 11 -year-old and 15 -year-old girl it is hard to get your mind wrapped around that kind of war the fact that in the united states of america one in four girls will be the victims of sexual violence is an epidemic. you must be careful about throwing the word epidemic around, but it is an epidemic. we have an opportunity for me as a member of the appropriations committee in addition to the incredible legislation and work my colleagues on this panel are doing to work together. try as we might our

founding fathers came up with a good map, a final for the appropriations process to make sure we can make a difference not only to the appropriate dollars to combat these crimes but adding language that ensures we have some agencies and federal t5 i hate to use the term bureaucrats but the people who help us fight these crimes make sure they are moving in the right direction. $42 million for department for department of justice victim support, $68 million for the missing children's fund and the

requirement of a prioritized traffic prevention and participate in the task force. we need to effectively work together so that we can make sure we reach achievable goals. >> let me thank google and rights4girls and the mccain institute. often the public talks about the dysfunction in congress. everybody on this panel has worked together. i look forward to the next congress. the particular focus i have is the intersection between

child trafficking and the child welfare system. a young woman that many of us here have probably encountered said this to me and it devastated me. what she said is you know being a foster child prepared me to be trafficked. trafficked. i looked at her stunned. she said you move me around every few months and so i never attached to anybody and everyone in my life was paid to be in my life. what difference when a parent came along. in fact the difference she made was he was the first person that said he loved me. i was stunned in silence. think about that. until we fix the child welfare system the average

kid is moved multiple times. i made an 18 -year-old who had been in the child welfare system since two and had been moved 66 times. the problem the problem is child abuse and neglect is defined in our country as the abuser or neglect or is a caretaker or parent. where does a pimp fall and that? this is not defined in our system. the piece of legislation was a bill a bill that said, we need to look at the child welfare system and make sure it is prepared to deal with the population. overwhelmingly girls, but but their are boys involved as well. we should not view them as prostitutes.

we should also not use the term john for the purchaser because that person is a child molester and that is how they should be viewed. that is something we need to take care of. thank you. >> well, good morning. i am a member of congress from texas. in my other life i was a prosecutor and criminal court judge. in congress i am aware as you you are, of what is taking place in our country the selling of america's youth across the nation there are two types of trafficking.

i first came in contact with this issue in the ukraine several years ago more recently in central and south america. i met a girl named lily and honduras. she was ten a trafficking victim many young women in the americas and other places and death in the united states. we have international trafficking of children in the us. we also have the issue of american children being trafficked across the country. i am from houston. unfortunately, houston texas is one of the hubs in the nation for trafficking of children. we have been working on this issue for a long time trying to get our hands around what the problem is and what we can do about it. the problem generates of

course with the trafficker. there are three entities. the trafficker. i call them the slave master modern-day slavery. on the other end the victim. of course that is a victim and not a child prostitute. society society and law enforcement needs to understand when they arrested child for child prostitution they should not be arrested for child prostitution. they should be taken to a shelter where they are treated as a victim of criminal conduct. the real issue is the person in the middle and that is the demand. there is a demand for trafficking. the days of boys being boys

is going to be over in the united states. [applause] they will be treated like criminals because they are. those three entities are dealt with in a bill sponsored last year that passed the house. carol maloney and i may not agree on a lot of things and after she and i got through the language barrier t5 she is from new york. she thinks i talk funny. we dealt with those three entities, trafficking, strong punishments for them. treat the victims as victims rescue, restore. statistics i will give you one.

about 2500 to 3,000 animals shelters in the united states. good. we need them. i have three dalmatians, and i got one from operation rescue but their are only about 300 beds for child trafficking sex victims in the united states. we have to change that provide them places to go. in all fairness to law enforcement when they arrest the child and no they are not a victim they don't have a a place to take them so they put them in the juvenile justice system. we have to change that as well. and also the person in the middle the demand we will let the public know they are. they will they we will go to jail and pay for the crime they committed. hopefully when this bill

comes up again this year we will add a provision to make sure federal judges to convict these traffickers and those people involved in the demand have the option also to impose stiff fees because a lot of these people have a lot of money. let's take it away from them because it was money that was gained illegally. that money then needs to go to a fund for child trafficking victims to provide resources, shelters, and attention that they need make those criminals pay for the crime they have committed and provide an avenue for victims to receive compensation and help. [applause] we are going to send this message. we are working

working together in a bipartisan way, unanimous way and american way. thank you for being here. america's kids are not for sale. thank you. [applause] >> thank you so much. i am pleased to be here with google and the mccain institute and rights4girls. i want to mention my good friend kayfor. now hosting the the first class that we will be the first high tech school just for high tech high-tech where we will graduate the next geniuses. i am so pleased to be here with representative poe. we introduced our bill yesterday. ..

they don't want to believe it happens in the united states of america, and there are startling statistics out of the state department, and i was one of the legislators that helped develop their program the trafficking and persons report that rates foreign countries how they treat trafficking and whether they treat it combat it and try to stop this terrible crime, but their numbers are roughly

600,000 to 800,000 around the world. we really don't have good numbers for america. it's been put in several bills i've authored but never seems to happen. we need put more pressure on the justice department to come up with good data. without good data you don't get good programs and i'm glad to hear we have 300 beds. when i did my survey three years ago we had 50 beds to treat victims of trafficking. and i have a bill in, probably with -- he should be on it, that would help and fund more beds for people that are trafficked. and a along with our important bill that shifts the focus away from the victim and on to who is causing the crime the molester of children this is an important step forward. building on that bill i i have a bill i absolutely love. why it hasn't passed i don't understand because it's so good and cos