[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 318 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 318

                Raising awareness of modern day slavery.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 26, 2023

 Mrs. Blackburn submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
                   to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
                Raising awareness of modern day slavery.

Whereas it is estimated that tens of millions of children, women, and men around 
        the world are subjected to conditions of modern day slavery;
Whereas it is estimated that human trafficking, both sex trafficking and forced 
        labor, generate more than $150,000,000,000 in illicit profits for the 
        traffickers and those who help facilitate the crime;
Whereas the International Labour Organization 2021 Global Estimates Report 
        indicates there are 49,600,000 people in modern day slavery, including 
        27,600,000 in forced labor and 22,000,000 in forced marriage;
Whereas the 2021 Global Estimates Report indicates modern day slavery is only 
        rising, increasing by more than 9,000,000 since 2016;
Whereas, despite being outlawed in every nation, modern day slavery exists 
        around the world, including in the United States;
Whereas, out of the 28,000,000 people trapped in forced labor, 17,300,000 people 
        are exploited in the private sector, 6,300,000 people are in forced 
        commercial sexual exploitation, and 3,900,000 people are in forced labor 
        imposed by state authorities;
Whereas, around the world, 55 percent of forced labor victims are women or 
        girls;
Whereas more than 12,000,000 of the individuals trapped in modern day slavery 
        are children;
Whereas an estimated 22,000,000 people were living in forced marriage on any 
        given day in 2021, with women and girls making up 14,900,000 of the 
        total;
Whereas the Department of State 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report identifies 
        governments with a ``documented `policy or pattern' of human 
        trafficking, trafficking in government-funded programs, forced labor in 
        government-affiliated medical services or other sectors, sexual slavery 
        in government camps, or the employment or recruitment of child 
        soldiers,'' including the Governments of Afghanistan, Burma, the 
        People's Republic of China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, the Democratic People's 
        Republic of Korea, Russia, South Sudan, Syria, and Turkmenistan;
Whereas the People's Republic of China's Government policies are separating 
        800,000 to 900,000 Tibetan children from their families and communities 
        to eliminate Tibetan identity and supplant it with a Chinese nationalist 
        identity to neutralize any resistance to Chinese Community Party rule;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China's exploits and profits 
        from over 1,000,000 Uyghurs detained and subjected to forced labor in 
        the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region;
Whereas there are reports of Ukrainians being forcibly removed to remote areas 
        of Russia;
Whereas the International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Russian 
        officials for the kidnapping and deportation of Ukrainian children;
Whereas the Washington Institute for Defense and Security report on modern day 
        slavery indicates that displaced Ukrainian women are being forced into 
        sex slavery and domestic servitude;
Whereas the Trafficking in Persons Report indicates that forced labor is part of 
        an established system of political repression and a pillar of the 
        economic system in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea;
Whereas North Koreans are systematically forced into labor overseas, primarily 
        in Russia and China, in violation of United Nations Security Council 
        resolutions;
Whereas the Trafficking in Persons Report indicates that the Government of Iran 
        condones and, in some cases, directly facilitates sex trafficking of 
        Iranian adults and children;
Whereas human trafficking, modern day slavery, and forced labor are evil and 
        stand at the center of global and national security concerns;
Whereas the United States Government, along with international allies, 
        organizations, and private sector businesses, is working to prevent 
        forced labor and modern day slavery in global supply chains;
Whereas, every year since 2010, the President of the United States has 
        designated the month of January as ``National Human Trafficking 
        Prevention Month''; and
Whereas the United Nations recognizes July 30 as ``World Day against Trafficking 
        in Persons'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates July 30, 2023, as World Day against 
        Trafficking in Persons;
            (2) commends each individual who supported the month of 
        January as ``National Human Trafficking Prevention Month'';
            (3) notes the dedication of individuals, organizations, and 
        governments to end modern day slavery; and
            (4) calls for concerted, international action to bring an 
        end to modern day slavery around the world.
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