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Huizenga, 172 House Members Call For Greater Action To Address Human Trafficking, Help Kidnapped Nigerian Girls

Today, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) released a bipartisan letter written by Congressman Robert Pittenger (NC-09), Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Congressman Mike Honda (CA-17), and Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-03), that was sent to President Obama on Friday.  In the letter, Congressman Huizenga and 172 of his colleagues call on the President to provide greater assistance in securing the freedom of the more than 200 kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls and detail potential courses of action President Obama can take unilaterally as well as through the United Nations.

From the letter to President Obama:

"The mass kidnapping and threat of human trafficking are human right violations that cannot be tolerated. Human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery, which America must proactively seek to end. We call on you to lead in publically condemning these actions and seeking action at the United Nations to unite the global community behind this cause.

"We believe there is much more the United States government should do to address the growing threat Boko Haram poses to international peace and security. We urge you to work towards adding Boko Haram and Ansaru to the United Nations Security Council’s Al-Qaida Sanctions List, the mechanism by which international sanctions are imposed on Al-Qaida and Al-Qaida linked organizations. While the Department of State officially designated the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in November of 2013, Boko Haram’s addition to the Security Council’s Sanctions List would further curtail its terrorist activities. In addition to efforts with the United Nations, creating a strong working relationship with the African Union is also important to bring about a sustainable peace in the region."

After releasing the letter, Congressman Huizenga issued the following statement:

"Human trafficking has gone under the radar for too long both domestically and internationally.  We cannot allow anyone, especially terrorists, to kidnap, exploit, and sell women and children.  The recent kidnapping of schoolgirls in Nigeria is a tragic reminder that modern day slavery exists. The United States needs to take a leadership role in making sure terrorist organizations like Boko Haram and human traffickers around the globe cannot operate with impunity. I applaud President Obama for sending an interdisciplinary team to Nigeria to support bringing these girls back to their families."

  • Read the full letter to President Obama here
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