Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. KHANNA. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Schrier for her leadership, Representative Carter for working across the aisle, and the leadership for bringing this bill on the floor for a vote.
I join Representative Carter in thanking Paris Hilton and her husband, Carter, both up in the gallery as we speak. They really helped drive this and start this.
I had coffee with Carter 4 years ago, and we were talking about technology in my district. At the end of it, he says, ``By the way, I am married to Paris Hilton,'' like you just drop that at the end of a conversation.
I said: Paris Hilton. Okay. That is interesting.
Then he said: There is this issue I want to talk about.
I thought: Here we go. Here is some celebrity issue, and the person will fly in, do PR, and leave.
I said: Carter, what is it?
He talked about the institutional facilities, these congregate care facilities and the thousands of American kids who go there hoping to get assistance, hoping to get support, and instead face sexual abuse, horrific discipline, conditions where they aren't given enough food.
He said: You know, Paris went through that.
I was immediately struck by his vulnerability in sharing that. Then I met Paris, I met her mother, and I saw the emotion that she had. I also met so many survivors who told their stories. Representative Carter knows this. Paris and Carter, her husband, and these survivors came to our offices again and again for years because they wanted to do something with these experiences to make it better for America's children.
We are often so polarized in this Chamber. We disagree sometimes on, it seems like, everything. As we approach Christmas and approach these holidays, I think we can feel good that when it comes to America's children, we put them first. We did something right. We did something to help the American people, and we did that because of the commitment and leadership that Paris and so many survivors have shown.
I feel good today about being a Member of Congress, working with Representative Carter, and proud of being part of this institution. I appreciate the leadership for allowing this bill to come. I hope it will pass unanimously.
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