Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act -- Veto

Floor Speech

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Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise to speak about human sex
trafficking--an issue that plagues the world and our Nation. Today I
join my colleagues, Senators Cornyn, Wyden, Klobuchar, and King, in
supporting legislation to help fight this evil and to stop it from
spreading. Sex trafficking is real. It is affecting millions of people
around the world. We should not tolerate it, and we cannot turn a blind
eye. This modern-day form of slavery has continued to grow in the
shadows all around us. It is time to take action.

The scale of this problem is difficult to calculate; yet many
estimates, including those from the United Nations and various human
rights organizations, show that millions of human beings are being trafficked every year. Meanwhile, the criminals who force these victims into slavery profit to the tune of $32 billion annually.

Mr. President, 300,000 children right here in the United States are
at risk of becoming victims of this vile practice. Teenagers are the
primary targets. These kids are being sold into a life of physical and
emotional abuse. Often they are runaways who flee violent households
looking for a way out. Women and girls represent a disproportionate
amount of those trafficked around the world, but this does affect all
of us. The pain and suffering victims experience is hard to describe in
words. Simply put, it is evil. We must do more to stop this plague, and
our work begins by setting a clear example.

This Sunday we will commemorate International Women's Day. As we
celebrate the progress women have made here in the United States and
around the world, we must also use this moment to remind ourselves of
the work that still needs to be done.

As I mentioned, Senator Cornyn and I, along with several of our
colleagues, introduced a new bill to address this issue. This
legislation would set up a deficit-neutral fund to support people
abused by sex trafficking. Through enhanced reporting and mechanisms
that would reduce demand, this bill can serve as the next step in
providing care for victims of trafficking and child pornography.
Furthermore, Senator Cornyn's bill protects victims in courts by
treating the traffickers as violent criminals. By labeling traffickers
in this way, convicts can now be detained while they await their
judicial proceeding. Funding for the bill comes from increased fines
placed on those convicted of trafficking.

While nothing can erase the pain inflicted on these victims, we must
do what we can to make a difference. I encourage all of my colleagues
to join in this effort and stand against this vile practice.

A number of my colleagues have other bills as well. We should take
the time to consider solutions that are offered by all of them. Our
government has a responsibility to stand up and to act for those whose
voices grow weak in the shadows of this imperfect world. This is our
moment to do something. These victims do not have time to wait. We must
act now.

I ask unanimous consent that all time spent in quorum calls before
the 2:20 vote this afternoon be equally divided.

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