[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 97 (Friday, June 27, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     H.R. 2620: TRAFFICKING VICTIMS PROTECTION REAUTHORIZATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 2003

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the 
Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003, which is 
intended to improve the United States efforts in combating the scourge 
of human trafficking. I am very pleased to have Congressmen Lantos, 
ranking member of the International Relations Committee, Congressman 
Pitts and Congresswoman Slaughter, join me as original cosponsors.
  According to a recently released U.S. Government estimate, 800,000 to 
900,000 women, children, and men fall victim to international 
trafficking each year and end up prisoners of slavery like practices in 
the commercial sex industry, domestic servitude, sweatshops, and 
agricultural farms, among other destinations.
  In October 2000, we adopted the Trafficking Victims Protection Act 
(TVPA), P.L. 106-386. As a result of that law, the U.S. Government 
allocated $68.2 million last year to combat trafficking in human 
beings. In the past two years, federal prosecutors initiated 
prosecutions of 79 traffickers--three times as many as in the two 
previous years. Nearly 400 survivors of trafficking in the United 
States have received assistance, facilitated by the Department of 
Health and Human Services, to begin recovering from their trauma and to 
rebuild their shattered lives. Thanks to the efforts of the State 
Department, USAID, and the spotlight put on the issue through the 
annual Trafficking in Persons Report, governments worldwide have also 
begun taking significant actions against human trafficking.
  Despite these substantive inroads, people continue to be bought and 
sold in modern day slavery. Victims continue to face obstacles in the 
process of securing needed assistance. We are not yet addressing 
trafficking in persons as an organized crime activity. We have not yet 
aggressively targeted sex tourism as a factor contributing to the 
demand for trafficked persons in prostitution, and more specialized 
research is needed.
  The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) would 
address these and other areas of concern, would authorize funding to 
continue our government's efforts against trafficking, and would build 
upon the experience of implementing the TVPA to refine U.S. laws and 
practices to better fulfill the intent of that law. Specifically, the 
TVPRA would enhance the prevention of human trafficking by:
  Requiring that U.S. Government contracts relating to international 
affairs contain clauses authorizing termination by the United States if 
the contractor engages in human trafficking or procures commercial 
sexual services while the contract is in force;
  Promoting innovative trafficking prevention initiatives, such as 
border interdiction programs; and
  Requiring airlines to inform passengers about U.S. laws against sex 
tourism.
  The TVPRA would enhance protections for trafficking victims by:
  Allowing Federal, State, or local law enforcement authorities to 
certify, for the purpose of receiving benefits, that a victim of 
trafficking has cooperated in the investigation or prosecution of 
trafficking crimes;
  Allowing trafficking victims to sue their traffickers in U.S. courts;
  Eliminating the requirement that a victim of trafficking between the 
ages of 15 and 18 must cooperate with the investigation and prosecution 
of his or her trafficker in order to be eligible for a T-visa;
  Allowing benefits and services available to victims of trafficking to 
be available for their family members legally entitled to join them in 
United States; and
  Providing for the confidentiality of T-visa applications.
  The TVPRA would enhance prosecution of trafficking-related crimes by:
  Permitting federal anti-trafficking statutes to be used to prosecute 
acts of trafficking involving foreign commerce or occurring in the 
special maritime or territorial jurisdiction of the United States;
  Making human trafficking crimes predicate offenses for RICO charges; 
and
  Encouraging the use of International Law Enforcement Academies to 
train foreign law enforcement authorities, prosecutors and members of 
the judiciary regarding human trafficking.
  The TVPRA would improve the U.S. Government's response to trafficking 
by:
  Encouraging critical research initiatives;
  Mandating a report on Federal agencies' implementation of the TVPA;
  Designating that the Director of the State Department Office to 
Monitor and Combat Trafficking shall have the rank of Ambassador-at-
Large; and
  Prohibiting the use of funds to promote, support, or advocate the 
legalization or practice of prostitution.
  The TVPRA would reauthorize appropriations for each of FY 2004 and 
2005:
  $4 million to the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat 
Trafficking;
  $15 million to the Department of Health and Human Services;
  To the Secretary of State, $15 million for assistance for victims in 
other countries; $15 million for programs to improve law enforcement 
and prosecution; and $15 million for trafficking prevention 
initiatives;
  $300,000 to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
for trafficking prevention and legal reform programs;
  $15 million to the Department of Justice for assistance to victims in 
the United States and $250,000 for anti-trafficking training activities 
at the International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEAs);
  $15 million to the President for foreign victim assistance 
(prevention activities); $15 million for assistance to foreign 
countries to meet the minimum standards to combat trafficking; $300,000 
for research; and $250,000 for anti-trafficking training activities at 
the ILEAs; and
  $10 million to the Department of Labor.
  Mr. Speaker, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 enjoyed 
broad, bipartisan support in both Houses of Congress. We are making 
progress in our battle against modern day slavery, but clearly there is 
still much work to be done by government authorities, by civil society, 
by our faith communities, and by all men and women of good will. As 
lawmakers, we have the opportunity to make our contribution to this 
endeavor. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this commonsense 
reauthorization bill to support and enhance the good work which has 
been undertaken.

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