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<dc:title>119 HR 2961 IH: Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. House of Representatives</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2025-04-17</dc:date>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
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<distribution-code display="yes">I</distribution-code><congress display="yes">119th CONGRESS</congress><session display="yes">1st Session</session><legis-num display="yes">H. R. 2961</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES</current-chamber><action display="yes"><action-date date="20250417">April 17, 2025</action-date><action-desc><sponsor name-id="S000522">Mr. Smith of New Jersey</sponsor> (for himself, <cosponsor name-id="M000687">Mr. Mfume</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="M001157">Mr. McCaul</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="S000168">Ms. Salazar</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="J000311">Mr. Jack</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="C001063">Mr. Cuellar</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="W000812">Mrs. Wagner</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="R000600">Mrs. Radewagen</cosponsor>, and <cosponsor name-id="K000391">Mr. Krishnamoorthi</cosponsor>) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the <committee-name committee-id="HJU00">Committee on the Judiciary</committee-name>, and in addition to the Committee on <committee-name committee-id="HED00">Education and Workforce</committee-name>, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned</action-desc></action><legis-type>A BILL</legis-type><official-title display="yes">To reauthorize the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, and for other purposes.</official-title></form><legis-body id="H4B02DC4C28944E4F9A2497D5DEA9E856" style="OLC"><section id="HE0CFDAA511704F85A8753CEA71F64411" section-type="section-one"><enum>1.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025</short-title></quote>.</text></section><section id="HD21D4F247849453DBF6FE51E0ADECA2F"><enum>2.</enum><header>Table of contents</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The table of contents for this Act is as follows:</text><toc container-level="legis-body-container" quoted-block="no-quoted-block" lowest-level="section" regeneration="yes-regeneration" lowest-bolded-level="division-lowest-bolded"><toc-entry idref="HE0CFDAA511704F85A8753CEA71F64411" level="section">Sec. 1. Short title.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HD21D4F247849453DBF6FE51E0ADECA2F" level="section">Sec. 2. Table of contents.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H7ECD7A9A5F53416696C89467DD70D6B3" level="title">Title I—Combating Trafficking in Persons in the United States</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HEFC4AF32C54F47FB915C78CD22893EC6" level="section">Sec. 101. Modifications to grants to assist in the recognition of trafficking.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H6EB327F2B22D4C808605BA489293FD6A" level="section">Sec. 102. Human Trafficking Survivors Employment and Education Program.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H0941C44EB35A423482F19FF14011ADF7" level="title">Title II—Authorization of Appropriations</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HF17F7EF8F0BD45CAA660FD15B9293C94" level="section">Sec. 201. Extension of authorizations under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HD5B01898FA1E48F5B14271D6FDA6D2F9" level="section">Sec. 202. Extension of authorizations under the International Megan’s Law.</toc-entry></toc></section><title id="H7ECD7A9A5F53416696C89467DD70D6B3"><enum>I</enum><header>Combating Trafficking in Persons in the United States</header><section id="HEFC4AF32C54F47FB915C78CD22893EC6"><enum>101.</enum><header>Modifications to grants to assist in the recognition of trafficking</header><subsection id="HC01C152A042D4B23BD5EAED138A50124"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Amendments to authorities To prevent trafficking</header><text>Section 106(b)(2) of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/22/7104">22 U.S.C. 7104(b)(2)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HF1BBF121E86B49E6A46BEDF56CE99B9C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in the heading, by striking <quote><header-in-text level="paragraph" style="OLC">Grants to assist in the recognition of trafficking</header-in-text></quote> and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="paragraph" style="OLC">Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking Prevention Education Grants</header-in-text></quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H9358AC7F521F4CEBA3417C6AD71C0D95"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subparagraph (B) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting <quote>under a program named <quote>Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking Prevention Education Grants</quote></quote> after <quote>may award grants</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H92A04717D56641ACB756D85CA9BEFE38"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in the heading of subparagraph (C), by inserting <quote><header-in-text level="subparagraph" style="OLC">for frederick douglass human trafficking prevention education grants</header-in-text></quote> after <quote><header-in-text level="subparagraph" style="OLC">program requirements</header-in-text></quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5D1C720E2B414C8C90B76025034EFFD2"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by amending subparagraph (D) to read as follows:</text><quoted-block id="H22D7F296BF2148D4AEA46F6E71E4520D" style="OLC"><subparagraph id="HA76F98DC8F2E4A74A8C4AD87DAB04700"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Priority</header><text>In awarding Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking Prevention Education Grants under this paragraph, the Secretary shall—</text><clause id="H7DB847EE4093432C8DB3583C12AA28DC"><enum>(i)</enum><text>give priority to local educational agencies serving a high-intensity child sex trafficking area or an area with significant child labor trafficking;</text></clause><clause id="H7464DF21B01043CC923091A015908530"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>give additional priority to local educational agencies that partner with non-profit organizations specializing in human trafficking prevention education, which partner with law enforcement and technology or social media companies, to assist in training efforts to protect children from labor trafficking and sexual exploitation and abuse including grooming, materials depicting the sexual abuse of children, and human trafficking transmitted through technology; and</text></clause><clause id="H9F2DB472C873468CAF3C1C488115CB41"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>consult, as appropriate, with the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Labor, and the Attorney General, to identify the geographic areas in the United States with the highest prevalence of at-risk populations for child trafficking, including children who are homeless youth, foster youth, youth involved in the child welfare system, and children and youth who run away from home or an out-of-home placement.</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="H103C1E61D1E04BC9A1130C3FD9E0C26D"><enum>(5)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block id="HC5BC6A967C2048A897C2ACF978B161A4" style="OLC"><subparagraph id="HD9B6B22101EA4EBFBE3978CBEBDDEC66"><enum>(E)</enum><header>Criteria for selection</header><text>Grantees should be selected based on their demonstrated ability to—</text><clause id="H3BAF4968907E45B5A50D4E294237F88E"><enum>(i)</enum><text>engage stakeholders, including survivors of human trafficking, and Federal, State, local, or Tribal partners, to develop the programs;</text></clause><clause id="H854CE84C1B194FEF95816DADDC914757"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>train the trainers, guardians, K–12 students, teachers, and other school personnel in an age-appropriate and trauma-informed fashion; and</text></clause><clause id="H205668616886476FB6A593D0CFAB4ABE"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">create a scalable, repeatable program or model, to be publicly available for distribution online, that can be adapted to address the needs of any school to prevent child labor trafficking, child sex trafficking, and child sexual exploitation and abuse including grooming, child sexual abuse materials, and trafficking transmitted through technology that—</text><subclause id="H6F0644A655454D97B1D57ED6C31203B9"><enum>(I)</enum><text>uses evidence-based (as such term is defined in section 8101(21)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/20/7801">20 U.S.C. 7801(21)(A)</external-xref>)) best practices; and</text></subclause><subclause id="H82AAFCD368484769B4CC1D9B5E6DC3CF"><enum>(II)</enum><text>employs appropriate technological tools and methodologies, including age-appropriate and trauma-informed approaches for trainers, guardians, educators, and K–12 students.</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE2168F89690642318042D6532390FD57"><enum>(F)</enum><header>Train the trainers</header><text>For purposes of subparagraph (E), the term <term>train the trainers</term> means having experienced or master trainers coach new trainers who are less experienced with a particular topic or skill, or with training overall, who can then teach the material to others, creating a broader reach, sustainability, and making efforts cost- and time-efficient (commonly referred to as <quote>training of trainers</quote>).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD164C8172E474E83A09E07E5E624655E"><enum>(G)</enum><header>Target beneficiaries</header><text>The Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and the Secretary of the Interior to determine the appropriate recipients or students at risk of being trafficked or exploited, to be reported with respect to grants under this paragraph, which shall include, at a minimum, homeless youth, foster youth, youth involved in the child welfare system, and children and youth who run away from home or an out-of-home placement.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H05C509D3320A4C719A4C3DAC148B485D"><enum>(H)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 540 days after the date of the enactment of this subparagraph, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committees on Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Committees on the Judiciary and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and make available to the public a report, including data on the following:</text><clause id="H6F3000F65BCB48718179C667848F1A64"><enum>(i)</enum><text>The total number of entities that received a Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking Prevention Education Grant over the past year.</text></clause><clause id="H48B8452B7ABB45518AE54916A8FCEEFA"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>The total number of partnerships or consultants that included survivors, non-profit organizations specialized in human trafficking prevention education, law enforcement, and technology or social media companies.</text></clause><clause id="HDD64863D07AE42FABF42329BBF923507"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>The total number of elementary and secondary schools that established and implemented evidence-based (as such term is defined in section 8101(21)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/20/7801">20 U.S.C. 7801(21)(A)</external-xref>)) best practices through programs developed using such grants.</text></clause><clause id="HD34B6D70581E496C95312FA53D5DC364"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>The total number and geographic distribution of trainers, guardians, students, teachers, and other school personnel trained using such grants pursuant to this paragraph.</text></clause><clause id="H474D0FE6157B41889671652B6D2E5BD8"><enum>(v)</enum><text>The results of pre-training and post-training surveys to gauge trainees’ increased understanding of the scope and signs of child trafficking and child sexual exploitation and abuse; how to interact with potential victims and survivors of child trafficking and child sexual exploitation and abuse using age-appropriate and trauma-informed approach; and the manner in which to respond to potential child trafficking and child sexual exploitation and abuse.</text></clause><clause id="H3689D80B432E440FAFE212DD2CA16C61"><enum>(vi)</enum><text>The number of potential victims and survivors of child trafficking and child sexual exploitation and abuse identified and served by grantees, excluding any individually identifiable information about such children and acting in full compliance with all applicable privacy laws and regulations.</text></clause><clause id="H56BA63EB63734657B8B450A447BE0FAC"><enum>(vii)</enum><text>The number of students in elementary or secondary school identified by grantees as being at risk of being trafficked or sexually exploited and abused, excluding any individually identifiable information about such children.</text></clause><clause id="H4F9E0E95F1D948F485C529A5B0F661A0"><enum>(viii)</enum><text>The demographic characteristics of child trafficking survivors and victims, sexually exploited and abused children, and students at risk of being trafficked or sexually exploited and abused described in clauses (vi) and (vii), excluding any individually identifiable information about such children.</text></clause><clause id="HFD8B82AA5CEF4CF3A201D6D3138B1323"><enum>(ix)</enum><text>Any service gaps and best practices identified by grantees.</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H6EB327F2B22D4C808605BA489293FD6A"><enum>102.</enum><header>Human Trafficking Survivors Employment and Education Program</header><subsection id="H5D79FE49DA2C427CB30AF22AF29925EC"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary of Health and Human Services may carry out a Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking Survivors Employment and Education Program to prevent the re-exploitation of eligible individuals who have been victims of trafficking, by assisting such individuals to integrate or reintegrate into society through social services support for the attainment of life-skills, employment, and education necessary to achieve self-sufficiency.</text></subsection><subsection id="H842FF90B8304403E95AE969F364B78E2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Services provided</header><text>Services offered, provided, and funded by the Program shall include (as relevant to the victim of trafficking)—</text><paragraph id="H6BD88CAC5B114D0E85A97BA75309009F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>enrollment and participation in—</text><subparagraph id="H2F696051D332458A82143F1CC965772E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>basic education, including literacy education;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H461245AE02D041FAB2394DDACDE7F2DA"><enum>(B)</enum><text>job-related skills training;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H86F940608D27432F8E99A83EEDDE8CB3"><enum>(C)</enum><text>vocational and certificate programs; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H55E517F9779E4C5C9F36447268EFD14C"><enum>(D)</enum><text>programs for attaining a regular high school diploma or its recognized equivalent;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H77E5DAA4DEC347E7A988EA5DDB2ABBD6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>life-skill training programs, including management of personal finances, self-care, and parenting classes;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HEF0FDBF02F784967A781C57D2E3B9943"><enum>(3)</enum><text>résumé creation and review;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H2C059483434D487EA174D5A9BCD2FBD6"><enum>(4)</enum><text>interview coaching and counseling;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H475CD17D03684218908883FA020E7419"><enum>(5)</enum><text>assistance with expungement of criminal records when such records are for nonviolent crimes that were committed as a consequence of the eligible individual’s victimization, including assistance with credit repair;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H2C54DC59F02A4D4FB332AA9297C450A7"><enum>(6)</enum><text>assistance with enrollment in college or technical school;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC8937365E6464D70BCA4A7BBDF7512AE"><enum>(7)</enum><text>scholarship assistance for attending college or technical school;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H12870E5875C9471C87C5D60CD83972D8"><enum>(8)</enum><text>professional coaching or professional development classes;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HE8D0188B65B74C259DA991B514985CE1"><enum>(9)</enum><text>case management to develop an individualized plan with each victim of trafficking, based on each person’s needs and goals; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HD259BFD4ACAC41F9BE024576FB1BB10F"><enum>(10)</enum><text>assistance with obtaining victim compensation, direct victim assistance, or other funds for mental health care.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H399C56552EA747A2B3A7E72830752BD8"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Service period</header><text>Eligible individuals may receive services through the Program for a cumulative period of 5 years.</text></subsection><subsection id="H57D7F62C048544B8892152D0A6B4BAF3"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Cooperative agreements</header><text>Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall enter into cooperative agreements with one or more eligible organizations to carry out this section.</text></subsection><subsection id="HC448FF322F4045A9BAFD3CF451CE66F9"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text><paragraph id="HCCB1E7F8E7D845198A5EF383F7EB06D9"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Eligible individual</header><text>The term <term>eligible individual</term> means a victim of trafficking who—</text><subparagraph id="HB3AA12328BB64A808C9011614F582DAC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>has attained the age of 18 years; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H39FCABBDE316449FB14A011E6E8C3111"><enum>(B)</enum><text>is eligible to receive services under section 107(b) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/22/7105">22 U.S.C. 7105(b)</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HB323A7AB521F4D3291020A07CE254328"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Eligible organization</header><text>The <quote>eligible organization</quote> may include a nongovernmental organization and means a service provider that meets the following criteria:</text><subparagraph id="HF8D72456BC834383BAD2E91C9F5EA21B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Experience in using national or local anti-trafficking networks to serve victims of trafficking.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H40E1E99339094378B6B8A3711888EAE9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Experience qualifying, providing, and coordinating services for victims of trafficking, as described in subsection (b), that is trauma-informed.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7FBD5FDDE64846B2B16AF4B3293FA1E2"><enum>(C)</enum><text>A provider that has experience identifying and assisting victims of trafficking, as such term is defined in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/22/7102">22 U.S.C. 7102</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H8E738B50DB9D456D9D4E5C694702CC25"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Program</header><text>The term <term>Program</term> means the Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking Survivors Employment and Education Program established under this section.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H32EB5715694D473D9323222F8E996F4E"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Secretary</header><text>The term <term>Secretary</term> means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.</text></paragraph></subsection></section></title><title id="H0941C44EB35A423482F19FF14011ADF7"><enum>II</enum><header>Authorization of Appropriations</header><section id="HF17F7EF8F0BD45CAA660FD15B9293C94"><enum>201.</enum><header>Extension of authorizations under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 113 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/22/7110">22 U.S.C. 7110</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HC1152E7CA64346CE8CBC292A89C13646" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (b)(1)—</text><subparagraph id="H4458B853EF784D9E8C9D6F5A90C701CE" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>To carry out the purposes of sections 106(b) and 107(b),</quote> and inserting <quote>To carry out the purposes of sections 106(b) and 107(b) of this Act and sections 101 and 102 of the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023,</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H13316D31CA5B4C429302FABC036CD786" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>$19,500,000</quote> and all that follows, and inserting <quote>$30,755,000 for each of the fiscal years 2025 through 2029, of which $5,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated in each fiscal year for the National Human Trafficking Hotline and for cybersecurity and public education campaigns, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, for identifying and responding as needed to cases of human trafficking.</quote>; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HD73FD7F858BC4E3C8E65BADA5C2E55D2" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (d)(1), by striking <quote>2018 through 2021</quote> and inserting <quote>2025 through 2029, of which $35,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year for the Office of Victims of Crime Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Human Trafficking</quote>.</text></paragraph></section><section id="HD5B01898FA1E48F5B14271D6FDA6D2F9"><enum>202.</enum><header>Extension of authorizations under the International Megan’s Law</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 11 of the International Megan’s Law to Prevent Child Exploitation and Other Sexual Crimes Through Advanced Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/34/21509">34 U.S.C. 21509</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>2018 through 2021</quote> and inserting <quote>2025 through 2029</quote>.</text></section></title></legis-body></bill> 

