[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 27, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H589-H592]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND RECOVERY ACT OF 2015

  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 350) to direct the Interagency Task Force to 
Monitor and Combat Trafficking to identify strategies to prevent 
children from becoming victims of trafficking and review trafficking 
prevention efforts, to protect and assist in the recovery of victims of 
trafficking, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 350

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Human Trafficking 
     Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Act of 2015''.

     SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE REPORT ON CHILD TRAFFICKING 
                   PRIMARY PREVENTION.

       (a) Review.--The Interagency Task Force to Monitor and 
     Combat Trafficking, established under section 105 of the 
     Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7103), 
     shall conduct a review that, with regard to trafficking in 
     persons in the United States--
       (1) in consultation with nongovernmental organizations that 
     the Task Force determines appropriate, surveys and catalogues 
     the activities of the Federal Government and State 
     governments to deter individuals from committing trafficking 
     offenses and to prevent children from becoming victims of 
     trafficking;
       (2) surveys academic literature on deterring individuals 
     from committing trafficking offenses, preventing children 
     from becoming victims of trafficking, the commercial sexual 
     exploitation of children, and other similar topics that the 
     Task Force determines appropriate;
       (3) identifies best practices and effective strategies to 
     deter individuals from committing trafficking offenses and to 
     prevent children from becoming victims of trafficking; and
       (4) identifies current gaps in research and data that would 
     be helpful in formulating effective strategies to deter 
     individuals from committing trafficking offenses and to 
     prevent children from becoming victims of trafficking.
       (b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Interagency Task Force to Monitor 
     and Combat Trafficking shall provide to Congress, and make 
     publicly available in electronic format, a report on the 
     review conducted pursuant to subparagraph (a).

     SEC. 3. GAO REPORT ON INTERVENTION.

       On the date that is one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall submit to Congress a report, which shall 
     include--
       (1) information on the efforts of Federal and select State 
     law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking in the 
     United States; and
       (2) information on each Federal grant program, a purpose of 
     which is to combat

[[Page H590]]

     human trafficking or assist victims of trafficking, as 
     specified in an authorizing statute or in a guidance document 
     issued by the agency carrying out the grant program.

     SEC. 4. PROVISION OF HOUSING PERMITTED TO PROTECT AND ASSIST 
                   IN THE RECOVERY OF VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING.

       Section 107(b)(2)(A) of the Trafficking Victims Protection 
     Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7105(b)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting 
     before the period at the end the following: ``, including 
     programs that provide housing to victims of trafficking''.

     SEC. 5. VICTIM OF TRAFFICKING DEFINED.

       In this Act, the term ``victim of trafficking'' has the 
     meaning given such term in section 103 of the Trafficking 
     Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. 
Jackson Lee) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Speaker recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 350, currently under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Wisconsin?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in favor of H.R. 350, the Human 
Trafficking Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Act of 2015 
introduced by Representative Kristi Noem of South Dakota.
  As we have heard on the floor repeatedly this week, human trafficking 
generally and child sex trafficking specifically is a horrible crime 
that sadly exists in all corners of our country. Studies suggest that 
over 290,000 youth are at risk of human trafficking in the United 
States, with children as young as 12 years old becoming victims of 
commercial sexual abuse. While Federal, State, and local law 
enforcement have made great strides to combat and eradicate human 
trafficking, there remains work to be done on this front.
  As in all things, to effectively combat human trafficking, we must 
first fully understand the problem. H.R. 350 requires the existing 
Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking to survey and 
catalogue the methods being employed by our Federal and State 
governments to deter individuals from committing trafficking offenses 
and to report on best practices that can improve the response. The bill 
also directs the Government Accountability Office to report on Federal 
and State efforts to fight trafficking, including the grant programs 
aimed at assisting victims and fighting this crime.
  Finally, in order to help young victims move on from their trauma, 
H.R. 350 clarifies that existing Federal trafficking grants may be used 
for programs that provide housing for victims of sex trafficking. 
Currently, 29 States do not have shelter beds dedicated to the victims 
of sex trafficking. This provision would help address that travesty.
  Similar legislation was passed in the House last Congress but was not 
enacted into law.
  I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle here and on the other 
side of the Capitol to pass this bill, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                 Washington, DC, January 26, 2015.
     Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
     Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, Rayburn House Office 
         Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs regarding H.R. 350, the Human 
     Trafficking Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Act of 
     2015. As a result of those consultations, I agree that the 
     Foreign Affairs Committee may be discharged from further 
     consideration of that bill, so that it may proceed 
     expeditiously to the House floor.
       I am writing to confirm our mutual understanding that, by 
     forgoing consideration of H.R. 350, the Foreign Affairs 
     Committee does not waive jurisdiction over the subject matter 
     contained in this, or any other, legislation. Our Committee 
     also reserves the right to seek an appropriate number of 
     conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this bill, 
     and would appreciate your support for any such request.
       I ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter 
     be included in the Congressional Record during floor 
     consideration of H.R. 350.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Edward R. Royce,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                                 Washington, DC, January 26, 2015.
     Hon. Ed Royce,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rayburn House Office 
         Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Royce, Thank you for your letter regarding 
     H.R. 350, the ``Human Trafficking Prevention, Intervention, 
     and Recovery Act of 2015.'' As you noted, the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs was granted an additional referral of the 
     bill.
       I am most appreciative of your decision to discharge the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs from further consideration of 
     H.R. 350 so that it could proceed expeditiously to the House 
     floor. I acknowledge that although you waived formal 
     consideration of the bill, the Committee on the Foreign 
     Affairs is in no way waiving its jurisdiction over the 
     subject matter contained in those provisions of the bill that 
     fall within your rule X jurisdiction. I would support your 
     effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of 
     conferees on any House-Senate conference involving this 
     legislation.
       I will include a copy of our letters in the Congressional 
     Record during consideration of H.R. 350.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Bob Goodlatte,
                                                         Chairman.

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 350, the Human Trafficking Prevention, 
Intervention, and Recovery Act of 2015.
  According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, sex trafficking is 
the fastest growing business of organized crime and the third-largest 
criminal enterprise in the world. The scourge of our society is 
estimated to be a $9 billion industry in the United States and as much 
as a $30 billion industry worldwide.
  All of the criminals and all of those who wish to do wrong realize 
that it is a bigger and better business than drugs because, tragically 
and unfortunately and with great sadness, they use their product over 
and over again. They use these innocent persons, many women, many 
children, many boys, over and over again.
  Because this criminal activity rarely occurs in public view, it is 
difficult to say exactly how many children are being victimized. What 
we do know, however, is that the problem is extensive. All you have to 
do is walk along any of the streets of major cities and find homeless 
teenagers, or even younger than that, and you will find out that in 
some way they have been tainted and touched and brutalized by sex 
trafficking.
  Madam Speaker, an estimated 290,000 American children are at risk of 
becoming victims of sex trafficking. The National Center for Missing 
and Exploited Children estimates that one of every seven endangered 
runaways who reported to the center are likely victims of minor sex 
trafficking.
  I am told that the average age of minors entering the sex trade is 
between 12 and 14 years old. Vulnerable youth are primary targets. They 
are more easily lured into prostitution and other forms of child 
exploitation, while runaways and children in foster care are especially 
vulnerable. Child victims of sex trafficking can and do come from a 
type of home or socioeconomic background that makes them particularly, 
if you will, in the line of fire.
  The bottom line, however, Madam Speaker, is that all of these 
children are deserving of rescue, recovery, protection, and shelter. 
One of the advocacies that I had in my own hometown was to provide for 
children in foster care that had aged out, because those are likely 
victims, unbeknownst to themselves, and they are worthy of saving.
  The bill before us, H.R. 350, the Human Trafficking Prevention, 
Intervention, and Recovery Act of 2015, is an important step toward 
pursuing traffickers and those who solicit the services of trafficked 
individuals. It mandates a review of Federal and State prevention 
activities by the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat 
Trafficking, and this review is to be done in consultation with 
nongovernmental organizations. That is a great partnership.
  The purpose of this review is to identify best practices in the 
prevention of

[[Page H591]]

trafficking. This study, along with the mandated GAO, will provide 
much-needed intelligence to be shared among those Federal, State, and 
local agencies dedicated to combating sex trafficking.
  And might I add, Madam Speaker, that what is also needed is a 
commitment, an investment of resources, to not just have the studies 
but to make sure that we match the importance of this legislation with 
resources.
  Witnesses testified at a Homeland Security Committee field hearing in 
Houston in March of last year, which I convened and brought Members of 
Congress to Houston for, which has a particularly serious problem.
  First, one of the biggest limitations on the ability of area law 
enforcement agencies to successfully combat human trafficking in and 
around Houston is a lack of data sharing. Another witness said we--
local enforcement--need the Feds to build a Houston trafficking 
regional database accessible only to vice and human trafficking 
personnel to store, share, and search data on all aspects of Houston-
area human trafficking investigations.

                              {time}  1245

  Madam Speaker, the need for the information that will be collected by 
the GAO study and the Interagency Task Force to monitor and combat 
trafficking is not only needed, it is long overdue.
  This bill also addresses a major concern that anti-trafficking 
advocates have shared with me--the lack of housing or shelter for 
survivors. Trafficked kids need a way out, someplace to escape. Without 
such refuge, these children will return to their traffickers, and their 
traffickers will be waiting for them. This bill provides funding for 
local shelters so they get the support they need to house survivors and 
to get these young people started on the path to recovery.
  Today, we are considering several bills that address domestic minor 
sex trafficking, and it is right that we do all we can to protect our 
children. Most statistics indicate that the average age of a female 
when she is first victimized in human trafficking is a very young year 
of age. With this fact alone, we can understand why the majority of 
Federal investigations and prosecutions of trafficking involve minors. 
One of the statements we made on the floor today with all of these 
bills is that the minors are victims--they are not the criminals--and 
they need to be saved. That is what we are committing to.
  I will share with you the testimony of another witness at last year's 
field hearing. The witness said:

       Many of the females my officers are encountering on the 
     streets, in the massage parlors, at the strip clubs, and on 
     the Internet sites are typically 18 to 21. We know from 
     experience that, while these young women may be adults now, 
     they have, with all likelihood, been under the control of a 
     pimp trafficker for many years.

  Madam Speaker, I met those women. Yes, they have been under the 
horrible domination of these traffickers for many years, and some were 
sold by their parents. We need to take definitive steps to ensure that 
this group of victims does not fall through the cracks because we are 
focusing on the minors. We do this by ensuring that the laws we pass 
and the supportive assistance we establish are also available to these 
older young women.
  In closing, Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in 
supporting H.R. 350, the Human Trafficking Prevention, Intervention, 
and Recovery Act. I compliment the sponsors and cosponsors, and I 
encourage them to remember that there are still those other victims of 
human trafficking who are equally deserving of our consideration and 
protection. While we will accomplish much in combating human 
trafficking by our actions today, let us commit ourselves to doing 
more.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 350, the ``Human Trafficking 
Prevention, Intervention and Recovery Act of 2015.''
  According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, sex trafficking is 
the fastest growing business of organized crime, and the third largest 
criminal enterprise in the world. This scourge of our society is 
estimated to be a $9.8 billion industry in the United States and as 
much as a $30 billion industry worldwide. Because this criminal 
activity rarely occurs in public view, it is difficult to say exactly 
how many children are being victimized. What we do know, however, is 
that the problem is extensive.
  Madam Speaker, an estimated 290,000 American children are at risk of 
becoming victims of sex trafficking, and the National Center for 
Missing and Exploited Children estimates that one of every seven 
endangered runaways reported to the Center are likely victims of minor 
sex trafficking. I am told that the average age of minors entering the 
sex trade is between 12 and 14 years. Vulnerable youth are primary 
targets. They are more easily lured into prostitution and other forms 
of child exploitation, and while runaways and children in foster care 
are especially vulnerable, child victims of sex trafficking can and do 
come from any type of home or socioeconomic background.
  The bottom line, however, Madam Speaker, is that all of these 
children are deserving of rescue, recovery, protection and shelter. The 
bill before us, H.R. 350, the Human Trafficking, Prevention, 
Intervention, and Recovery Act of 2015, is an important step toward 
pursuing traffickers and those who solicit the services of trafficked 
individuals. It mandates a review of federal and state prevention 
activities by the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat 
Trafficking, and this review is to be done in consultation with 
nongovernmental organizations. The purpose of this review is to 
identify best practices in the prevention of trafficking. This study, 
along with the mandated GAO will provide much-needed intelligence to be 
shared among those federal, state and local agencies dedicated to 
combatting sex trafficking.
  Witnesses at a Homeland Security Committee field hearing held in 
Houston in March of last year testified,

       First, one of the biggest limitations on the ability of 
     area law enforcement agencies to successfully combat Human 
     Trafficking in and around Houston is our lack of data 
     sharing.

  Another witness stated,

       We (local law enforcement) need the feds to build a Houston 
     Trafficking Regional Database, accessible only to Vice/Human 
     Trafficking personnel to store, share, and search data on all 
     aspects of Houston area Human Trafficking investigations.

  Madam Speaker, the need for the information that will be collected by 
the GAO study and the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat 
Trafficking is not only needed. It is long overdue!
  This bill also addresses a major concern that anti-trafficking 
advocates have shared with me--the lack of housing or shelter for 
survivors. Trafficked kids need a way out, some place to escape to. 
Without such a refuge, these children will return to their traffickers. 
This bill provides the funding for local shelters to get the support 
they need to house survivors and get these young people started on the 
path to recovery.
  Madam Speaker, today we are considering several bills that address 
domestic minor sex trafficking, and it is right that we do all we can 
to protect our children. Most statistics indicate that the average age 
of a female when she is first victimized into Human Trafficking is 
years old. For this fact alone, we can understand why the majority of 
federal investigations and prosecutions of human trafficking involve 
minors.
  I must share with you, however, the testimony of another witness at 
last year's field Houston field hearing. That witness said,

       . . . (many of the females that my officers are 
     encountering on the streets, in the massage parlors and strip 
     clubs, and on the internet sites are typically age 18-21. We 
     know from experience that while these young women may be 
     adults now, they have, in all likelihood been under the 
     control of a pimp/trafficker for many years. We need to take 
     definitive steps to ensure that this group of `victims' does 
     not fall through the cracks because we are focusing on the 
     minors by ensuring that the laws we pass and the support/
     assistance we establish is also available to these young 
     women.

  In closing, Madam Speaker I encourage my colleagues to join me in 
supporting H.R. 350, the Human Trafficking, Prevention, Intervention 
and Recovery Act of 2015, and I encourage them to remember that there 
are still those other victims of human trafficking who are equally 
deserving of our consideration and protection. While we will accomplish 
much in combating human trafficking by our actions today, there is 
still much more to be done.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may 
consume to the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Mrs. Noem), the author of 
this bill.
  Mrs. NOEM. Madam Speaker, for many years, my perspective of human 
trafficking was based off of a scene I had seen in a movie. It was a 
scene in which a father came to a playground, took the hand of his 6-
year-old daughter, took her off to have sex with someone, and then 
brought her back to play. That was a scene from a country far,

[[Page H592]]

far away, but it changed me forever. Oftentimes, when I have thought 
about human trafficking or sex trafficking over those years, I have 
thought about its being far, far away from home. Then I began to learn 
about what a problem we have here in the United States.
  It is not just happening in other countries. It happens here. It 
happens in States like New York, Florida, and California, but it also 
happens in South Dakota, and that is devastating for me for many 
reasons. I have two daughters, and I know that the average age that a 
young girl is trafficked is between the ages of 12 and 14. I have a son 
who is 12, and the average age of boys who are trafficked is between 
the ages of 11 and 13. I cannot imagine my children having to go 
through what some of these victims have had to go through.
  I also spent my life involved in many different youth organizations. 
I have been a children's minister for many years. I still teach Sunday 
school. I have also been involved with 4-H. I have spent my life with 
kids, trying to help their lives become better so that they can build 
the kinds of traits and character they need to benefit the world. I 
recognize that many children don't have those opportunities; yet I see 
the devastating effects of this industry here in our country.
  They say one of the first steps to recovery is admitting that you 
have a problem. We have got a huge problem in this country, and that is 
why you will find these bills on the House floor today. We want to make 
sure that we not only recognize that there is a problem, but that we 
give our law enforcement officers as many tools as possible to get rid 
of this industry and to help as many victims as possible.
  Hundreds of thousands of children are trafficked every single year in 
the United States. Most of these victims are women and girls. Many come 
from tough backgrounds that have led them to the situations they are in 
today; but did you know that most of them, if they are involved in the 
sex trafficking industry, are forced to have sex 25 to 48 times a day? 
That is unfathomable to me. We as a nation have a responsibility to do 
everything that we can to prevent trafficking. When prevention efforts 
fail, we have a responsibility to help those victims recover.
  I know many of my colleagues today have also made this a priority, 
and I am grateful for their leadership on this issue. Last year, we 
passed many of these bills through this House, but they got hung up in 
the Senate even though they were extremely bipartisan over here in the 
House. That is why they are back again today, because we need to get 
these bills signed into law to save our children.
  Now, as we begin the 114th Congress, our resolve is brought forward 
again to fight against human trafficking. I am grateful for everyone 
here today who has sponsored the bills, who has worked on behalf of 
these bills, and I am grateful for their leadership to make sure that 
we pass these bills and get them signed into law.
  The bill that I have sponsored here today is going to make sure that 
when we spend Federal resources that they are spent in a manner that is 
going to actually help kids and help people get out of this industry. 
It is going to make sure that we are cooperating with nonprofits and 
with other organizations that have been involved in the industry before 
and that were being effective while we put those efforts forward. Then 
it is going to make sure that we have the dollars available to have 
shelters for those victims who are trying to come out of this 
situation. We have fewer than 200 beds available for victims in this 
country who want to recover, who want to heal, and who want to get on 
with their lives in pursuing the American Dream, like so many other 
people in this country have. That is why this bill is important. That 
is why all of these bills are important. It is why we need to pass 
them.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, as I have no further requests for 
time, I will just close by saying our children need our response. They 
are suffering. It is important that we work together to minimally 
provide them with the shelter that they need and with the resources 
that they need to eliminate the scourge of human trafficking and sex 
trafficking. With that, I ask for the support of the underlying 
legislation, H.R. 350.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I think this is an example that 
this House can do important things on a bipartisan basis. I commend the 
gentlewoman from South Dakota for introducing the legislation, and I 
commend the gentlewoman from Texas for supporting the legislation, and 
I urge an ``aye'' vote.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 350.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________