Press Releases

Today, Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) led a bipartisan group of Members of Congress in the introduction of a resolution condemning the abduction of Nigerian school girls by the terrorist group Boko Haram, which has claimed responsibility. Many Members of Congress co-sponsored the resolution including Reps. Ed Royce (CA-39), Eliot L. Engel (NY-16), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27), Chris Smith (NJ-4), and Karen Bass (CA-37), leadership of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Subcommittee on the Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations. Congresswoman Wilson issued the following statement:

"I am deeply disturbed by the kidnapping of hundreds of female students in Nigeria. This atrocity shines a light on the terror that so many girls face around the world every day in attaining the basic right of an education.

"We in the international community must make it clear that all children deserve the chance to pursue an education without fear or harm. Attacking and abducting young girls who are pursuing an education is unconscionable and must never be tolerated.

"We must do everything within our power to ensure the safe return of these precious young girls, and strengthen efforts to protect them from those who conduct violent attacks. We must end this nightmare for these girls. I support Secretary Kerry's decision to send a security team to Nigeria. It will take the collaboration of the Nigerian government, the international community, and the United States government to assist in efforts to rescue the missing girls. These young women could be our daughters, our sisters, our nieces – we must bring back our girls."

A joint statement, list of co-sponsors, and text of the resolution will be available tomorrow.