Senate passes resolution condemning Nigerian kidnappings

The Senate passed a resolution on Tuesday condemning the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian girls.

{mosads}Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said the world is watching and now is the time for the Nigerian government to stand up against the terrorist group responsible for the kidnapping, Boko Haram.

“It’s sickening to think that these girls are at the mercy of the slavers,” Reid said on the Senate floor. “I’m concerned that the Nigerian government response and dealing with Boko Haram is very tepid.”

S.Res. 433 passed by voice-vote after the Obama administration announced it would send a team of military and law enforcement personnel to Nigeria to assist in the search for 276 schoolgirls kidnapped by an extremist group, Boko Haram.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said that there was “no room anywhere for kidnapping.”

“We passed a very important resolution expressing support for the young girls kidnapped in Nigeria,” Boxer said. “We will do everything we possibly can to get these girls home.”

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) said the resolution called for U.S. action against the Islamic terrorist group targeting teenage girls and threatened to sell them into slavery because they don’t believe in educating women.

She said there should be an international effort to support families who send their children to schools.

— This article was updated at 4:50 p.m. to include Reid’s remarks.