House Judiciary Committee Approves Bills to Combat Human Trafficking

Washington, D.C. – The House Judiciary Committee today unanimously approved four bills to combat the growing problem of human trafficking in the United States. The Committee first approved by voice vote the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (H.R. 181), a comprehensive anti-human trafficking bill authored by Congressman Ted Poe (R-Texas). This bill boosts support and protection for domestic human trafficking victims by increasing and streamlining law enforcement resources, enhancing victims’ services, and strengthening our laws to ensure that both buyers and sellers engaged in sex trafficking are held accountable for their crimes. Rep. Poe applauded the Committee’s approval of this legislation: “In a time of seemingly constant partisan gridlock there is one thing we can all agree on: our children are not for sale. Human trafficking is a criminal enterprise that exists in cities across America, especially in my hometown of Houston, Texas. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA) addresses each of the three different groups involved in the crime of human trafficking: the trafficker, the buyer and the victim. JVTA implements a new, robust and aggressive strategy to help combat human trafficking in the United States. It targets demand by treating those who buy sex from minors and other trafficking victims like what they are: criminals. Finally, JVTA encourages a victim-centered approach to fighting human trafficking so that victims are no longer treated as criminals. Last year the House took historic steps to end modern day slavery in America. I am hopeful that this Congress the bill will make it to the President’s desk.” The Committee then passed the Human Trafficking Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Act (H.R. 350) authored by Congresswoman Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) by voice vote. This bill launches a review that will look into federal and state trafficking prevention activities in order to identify best practices to stop human trafficking; requires an inventory of existing federal anti-trafficking efforts to make sure all federal agencies and programs work together and that federal resources are being targeted where needed; and improves existing Department of Justice grants, ensuring that the grants also support shelters for survivors. “We have to do everything we can to protect young people from this unconscionable industry.  And when we fail to prevent trafficking, we have a responsibility to intervene and help survivors recover. The provisions being debated today would give caregivers, state law enforcement officers, and others more tools to end trafficking in our communities. My hope is that we’d also be able to open the door for local shelters to receive the support they need to house survivors, because trafficking victims looking to get out must have a safe place to go,” said Rep. Noem on the approval of this bill. The Committee also approved by voice vote the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act (H.R. 159), sponsored by Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.). This bill provides incentives to states to adopt safe harbor laws that treat trafficked children as victims, rather than as criminals or delinquents. The bill also provides an avenue for victims to access job skills training so that they can begin to rebuild their lives. Rep. Paulsen praised the Committee’s approval of this legislation: “The crime of sex trafficking continues to be pervasive in communities across the country and our nation’s laws need to catch up. The Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act will encourage states to adopt ‘safe harbor’ legislation that will treat children involved with sex trafficking as victims, not criminals. For us to bring traffickers to justice and get victims the services they need, we need to bring the young girls trapped in sex slavery out of the shadows. We can no longer wait on this issue, and I’d like to thank Chairman Goodlatte and the Judiciary Committee for their work on these four critical bills.” Finally, the Committee approved by voice vote the Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation (SAVE) Act (H.R. 285), authored by Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), to criminalize those who knowingly advertise or profit from advertisements that offer the commercial exploitation of children and trafficking victims. “Sex trafficking is hiding in plain sight. I am proud that House Republicans are leading the way to fight the scourge of sex slavery, raise awareness and pass important legislation to protect women and children all across this nation. The SAVE Act will amend the criminal code, and give prosecutors the tools they need to investigate and prosecute those who knowingly advertise sex slavery.   I thank House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte for prioritizing these important sex trafficking bills, including the SAVE Act, in the 114th Congress,” said Rep. Wagner on the bill’s approval. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) stated the following on the Committee’s approval of these four bills: “Sex traffickers and their buyers dehumanize their victims, treating them not as human beings created in the image of God, but instead as objects to be used for their own profit or pleasure. While we have strengthened our laws to combat human trafficking, we still have work to do to put an end to these heinous crimes. I am pleased that the House Judiciary Committee today approved several crucial pieces of legislation that hold everyone involved in these crimes accountable, whether they sell, buy, or market these children to potential buyers. These bills also ensure that exploited children are treated as victims rather than as criminals and provide much-needed resources to victims of sex trafficking that will help them reclaim and rebuild their lives. I thank my colleagues, Representatives Ted Poe, Kristi Noem, Erik Paulsen, and Ann Wagner, for working on these important bills and look forward to the House acting on these bills soon.”Background: According to the FBI, sex trafficking is the fastest-growing business of organized crime and the third-largest criminal enterprise in the world. One organization estimates that child sex trafficking in the U.S. is a $9.8 billion industry. As many as 300,000 American youth are at risk of becoming a victim of sex trafficking. While the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking has often been carried out by state and local law enforcement, the enactment of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (TVPA) in 2000 made child sex trafficking in interstate commerce a federal crime. The TVPA is the primary legislative vehicle authorizing services to victims of trafficking and was most recently reauthorized in 2013.