[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 258 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 258

 Calling for a Commission within the United Nations that will build a 
21st century abolitionists movement to end slavery, human trafficking, 
                   and exploitation around the world.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 3, 2005

Ms. Millender-McDonald (for herself and Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Calling for a Commission within the United Nations that will build a 
21st century abolitionists movement to end slavery, human trafficking, 
                   and exploitation around the world.

Whereas trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable people is a problem that 
        affects virtually every country in the world;
Whereas the globalization of the world economy has increased the movement of 
        people across borders, legally and illegally, especially from poorer to 
        wealthier countries;
Whereas an overwhelming majority of those trafficked and exploited are women and 
        children;
Whereas trafficking in people, especially women and children, for prostitution 
        and forced labor is one of the fastest growing areas of international 
        criminal activity and one that is of increasing concern to the U.S. 
        Administration, Congress, and the international community;
Whereas the fear of infection with HIV and AIDS among customers has driven 
        traffickers to recruit younger women and girls, some as young as 7, 
        erroneously perceived by customers to be too young to have been 
        infected;
Whereas according to the most recent Department of State estimates, between 
        600,000 and 800,000 people are trafficked across borders each year 
        worldwide and combined with trafficking within countries, the total 
        figure is estimated at between 2,000,000 and 4,000,000;
Whereas international organized crime has taken advantage of the freer flow of 
        people, money, goods and services to extend its own international reach;
Whereas there is no single victim stereotype, a majority of trafficked women are 
        under the age of 25, with many in their mid to late teens;
Whereas like global terrorism, and global catastrophes, human trafficking and 
        exploitation is the responsibility of the global community and should be 
        addressed by the United Nations through the establishment of a 
        commission;
Whereas the international community began meeting in 1999 to draft a Protocol to 
        Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women 
        and Children in conjunction with the United Nations Convention Against 
        Transnational Organized Crime;
Whereas the United States, along with Argentina, introduced the draft protocol 
        in January 1999; negotiations were concluded in 2000 on a revised draft;
Whereas on November 15, 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 
        Convention on Transnational Crime, including the Protocol on 
        Trafficking. The Convention and Protocols formally signed in Palermo, 
        Italy, in December 2000, were designed to enable countries to work 
        together more closely against criminals engaged in cross-border crimes;
Whereas the United States signed the United Nations protocol on Trafficking in 
        December 2000, but has not yet ratified it; and
Whereas the increased threat of global terrorism, on-going wars and natural 
        catastrophes such as tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes, and the 
        international community's response to these occurrences has a direct 
        impact on human trafficking, slavery and exploitation: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the United Nations should create a Trafficking, 
        Slavery, and Exploitation Commission; and
            (2) this commission should work to develop recommendations 
        regarding measures to be implemented in carrying out 
        humanitarian efforts to prevent, and treat the adverse effects 
        of, human trafficking and exploitation in regions of war, 
        terrorism, and natural disaster, and in regions subject to any 
        other circumstance that renders susceptible populations 
        vulnerable to human trafficking and exploitation
                                 <all>