JUST IN: Hearing Descends Into Chaos As Keating Grills Waltz Over Human Trafficking Prevention Cuts

[00:00:00]In your opening statement, you took great pride in pointing out uh the hundreds of countries that sided with the US uh on given resolutions. And uh I just want to note uh point of shame to the brought to this country when the US sided with uh three countries, Russia, Belarus, and North Korea in refusing to condemn Russia's actions uh illegal actions, illegal aggression against Ukraine, and denied supporting their territorial integrity.

[00:00:29]Prior to uh being in Congress, uh I was a district attorney. I had my own sexual assault unit, uh my own sexual assault investigatory unit, prosecutorial unit. I started a child advocacy uh to treat children that were victims of sexual assault. And I worked with regional and federal-based task force dealing with human trafficking, particularly trafficking of children.

[00:00:56]And in Congress, I had the opportunity to travel and to uh hold a hearing uh with Ukrainian mostly uh women on the ground risking their lives in a hot war zone uh trying to bring rescue recovery and treatment to children that were sexually assaulted by Russian soldiers. The stories they told me were horrific.

[00:01:21]Serial rapes occurring to young children with Russian soldiers starting in the morning, continuing through the day, and all night with their parents and grandparents being forced to witness this.

[00:01:33]Terrible, terrible examples of sexual assault uh time and time again, and war crimes with Ukraine.

[00:01:43]Now, I want to ask you, given all that and given my experience knowing that we're going to combat this, we have to do this uh on uh an international basis and a regional basis to be uh successful the way I was with those task force.

[00:01:58]Uh why did the US withdraw from the UN on key offices? The offices for children in armed conflict, the office of sexual violence in conflict, the office of violence against children. Why would the US ever withdraw given what I just laid out, given what Russia is doing, but given what's happening all over the world? Why would they ever withdraw for that?

[00:02:26]>> Congressman, I would not conflate the our evaluation of the effectiveness of a particular office of an organization versus caring about the issue. I just last week hosted with Ann Tibo and the Tibo Foundation.

[00:02:39]>> your point, sir.

[00:02:40]>> Can I answer your question?

[00:02:41]>> Thank you for five seconds No, you answered that. Now, I'm taking your answer that you gave me and I'm asking you another question.

[00:02:48]>> Sure.

[00:02:48]>> And I wasted time doing it. Don't filibuster me. Listen, >> Is 10 seconds a filibuster?

[00:02:54]>> would talk >> Okay.

[00:02:55]>> having agencies that you didn't have control over, that were ineffective.

[00:02:59]Okay, let's talk about one that the Trump administration does have control over, that does have the ability to shape, and that's the State Department.

[00:03:09]If that's the case, why did the Trump administration, when it has control with the State Department, why did they fire 70% of the department's trafficking in persons office, uh and that office, as you know, uh closes legal gaps and deals with online exploitation, sexual exploitation of children?

[00:03:31]The office develops protection and partnerships with foreign countries with the goal of strengthening that capacity, preventing, and effectively prosecuting and convicting child traffickers. So, all right, you don't want you just want to dismiss the meager probably monies that it takes to deal with international when did you have control of >> just signed this year an executive order. President Trump just signed this year an executive order getting after in a very serious way sexual exploitation of children. I just hosted a major event at the UN around the sexual exploitation of children with INL with with the international narcotics law enforcement with the UN office of drugs control I'm giving you an answer. The president takes this very seriously. You just don't like the answer >> because it cuts against your narrative, isn't it? I wonder how you would have reacted when you were on the other side of this.

[00:04:29]>> I am just saying you are not allowing the witness to answer the question.

[00:04:32]>> has control >> takes this very seriously. The first lady has saved of the people Ukrainian children from Russian camps. The first lady herself is going after this >> The executive order dealing with >> It has the force of law as you know.

[00:04:48]>> Your administration is sitting there withdrawing from having a place at the table on these critical issues and you're sitting there putting your own spin on the regional aspect of that being the most important thing and you're hurting children. We are saving children around the world while this body is withdrawing from this. They shouldn't be cutting personnel from this. I yield back.

[00:05:11]>> Mr. Keating, would you like an extra 5 seconds where he was answering you earlier?

[00:05:16]>> Sir, I was answering the in part question that was there. He kept trying to fill the bus up. Let's not have this hearing about filibustering. What goes around comes around.

[00:05:25]>> Just wanted to make sure you didn't want an extra 5 seconds when you