[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 27, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H607-H611]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HUMAN TRAFFICKING DETECTION ACT OF 2015
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 460) to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to train
Department of Homeland Security personnel how to effectively deter,
detect, disrupt, and prevent human trafficking during the course of
their primary roles and responsibilities, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 460
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 Detection
Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Homeland Security.
(2) Human trafficking.--The term ``human trafficking''
means an act or practice described in paragraph (9) or (10)
of section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of
2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Homeland Security.
SEC. 3. TRAINING FOR DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL TO IDENTIFY HUMAN
TRAFFICKING.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall implement a
program to--
(1) train and periodically retrain relevant Transportation
Security Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection,
and other Department personnel that the Secretary considers
appropriate, how to effectively deter, detect, and disrupt
human trafficking, and, where appropriate, interdict a
suspected perpetrator of human trafficking, during the course
of their primary roles and responsibilities; and
(2) ensure that the personnel referred to in paragraph (1)
regularly receive current information on matters related to
the detection of human trafficking, including information
that becomes available outside of the Department's initial or
periodic retraining schedule, to the extent relevant to their
official duties and consistent with applicable information
and privacy laws.
(b) Training Described.--The training referred to in
subsection (a) may be conducted through in-class or virtual
learning capabilities, and shall include--
(1) methods for identifying suspected victims of human
trafficking and, where appropriate, perpetrators of human
trafficking;
(2) for appropriate personnel, methods to approach a
suspected victim of human trafficking, where appropriate, in
a manner that is sensitive to the suspected victim and is not
likely to alert a suspected perpetrator of human trafficking;
(3) training that is most appropriate for a particular
location or environment in which the personnel receiving such
training perform their official duties;
(4) other topics determined by the Secretary to be
appropriate; and
(5) a post-training evaluation for personnel receiving the
training.
(c) Training Curriculum Review.--The Secretary shall
annually reassess the training program established under
subsection (a) to ensure it is consistent with current
techniques, patterns, and trends associated with human
trafficking.
SEC. 4. CERTIFICATION AND REPORT TO CONGRESS.
(a) Certification.--Not later than one year after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall certify to
the appropriate congressional committees that all personnel
referred to in section 3(a) have successfully completed the
training required under that section.
(b) Report to Congress.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter,
the Secretary shall report to the appropriate congressional
committees the overall effectiveness of the program required
by this Act, the number of cases reported by Department
personnel in which human trafficking was suspected and, of
those cases, the number of cases that were confirmed cases of
such trafficking.
SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE TO NON-FEDERAL ENTITIES.
The Secretary may provide training curricula to any State,
local, or tribal government or private organization to assist
such entity in establishing its program of training to
identify human trafficking, upon request from such entity.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Walker) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson
Lee) each will control 20 minutes.
The Speaker recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina.
General Leave
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include extraneous material on H.R. 460, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from North Carolina?
There was no objection.
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 460, the Human
Trafficking Detection Act of 2015, the first bill I have introduced as
a Member of Congress.
A few weeks ago, we took an oath promising to protect the people of
this great country. I am convinced that part of this high calling is
protecting those who are victims of human trafficking.
North Carolina is often ranked as a top State for labor and sex
trafficking. This insidious industry is in our own backyard and,
unfortunately, it is growing. Just last week, in my own district, local
officials announced the formation of the Alamance County Anti-Human
Trafficking Advocacy Council to respond to the growing human
trafficking problem throughout Alamance County. However, they cannot do
it alone, and we must come together to stop this unconscionable
industry.
As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I feel
strongly that the men and the women of the Department of Homeland
Security have a crucial role in preventing human trafficking. Up to an
estimated 17,500 people are trafficked each year into the United
States, and many of these victims will pass by either Border Patrol or
TSA. We must make certain that these agents are properly trained in the
current trends and practices to end human trafficking.
This bipartisan legislation requires the Department of Homeland
Security to train Transportation Security Administration, Customs and
Border Protection, and other relevant DHS personnel to counter human
trafficking in a manner specific to their professional roles and
responsibilities.
The bill also ensures that such training will be assessed by the
Secretary of Homeland Security on an annual basis so that it is based
on the most current human trafficking trends and intelligence and
directs the Secretary to report to Congress on the number of suspected
cases reported by the DHS officials.
Lastly, this legislation recognizes the critical role that State and
local authorities play in preventing human trafficking by authorizing
the Department of Homeland Security to make training curricula
available to State, local, tribal, and private sector partners.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, human trafficking
is one of the most profitable forms of transnational crime in the
world, second only to drug trafficking. It is incumbent upon Congress
to take action
[[Page H608]]
and ensure that DHS personnel are better equipped to prevent this
serious threat and this modern-day form of slavery.
The Human Trafficking Detection Act of 2015 builds on the good work
already under way at DHS by mandating position-specific, relevant
training to enable effective trafficking countermeasures at points of
entry, transit hubs, and other high-risk locations across the country.
I would like to thank Congressman Meadows for developing and
championing this legislation in the 113th Congress and for working with
me to reintroduce the measure in this Congress.
Additionally, I would like to thank the chairman of the Committee on
Homeland Security, Mr. McCaul, for his work on this important issue and
for his support of this bill, as well as the chairman of the
Subcommittee on Transportation Security, Mr. Katko, for cosponsoring
this legislation.
Finally, I would like to thank each of the bill's cosponsors,
including North Carolina's own Alma Adams, Robert Pittenger, Richard
Hudson, Patrick McHenry, and the aforementioned Mark Meadows for their
great support of this important legislation.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance
of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I indicated this afternoon was an important afternoon. I
thank the gentleman for his legislation and his leadership, and I add
my appreciation of the ranking member of the Homeland Security
Committee, Mr. Thompson, and, as well, the ranking member of the
Judiciary Committee, who previously did four bills, Mr. Conyers. It
seems that we are having bipartisan support on a very important crisis
in our Nation and around the world.
In 2014, President Obama said:
At home, we are leading by example. My administration is
cracking down on traffickers, charging a record number of
perpetrators. We are deploying new technology in the fight
against human trafficking, developing the Federal
Government's first-ever strategic action plan to strengthen
victim services and strengthening protections against human
trafficking in Federal contracts. During the past year, the
White House has hosted events on combating human trafficking,
bringing together leaders from every sector of society.
Together, we came up with new ideas to fight trafficking at
the national and grassroots levels.
The present legislation before us, as I rise to strongly support it,
H.R. 460, is the Human Trafficking Detection Act of 2015. This is a
great partnership between Homeland Security, the committee which I am a
senior member on, and Judiciary to fight against human trafficking. In
particular, this bill has a very important purpose because our Homeland
Security personnel are in our airports and ports, they are along our
borders, they are the eyes and ears, they are the first responders. It
is crucial that this bill is effectively working with personnel to
train, to deter, detect, disrupt, and prevent human trafficking during
the course of their primary roles and responsibilities and for other
work.
This is a very good idea. Human trafficking is not only a crime but
also a horrible violation of human rights. Human trafficking is often a
hidden crime. Victims of human trafficking may be afraid to come
forward and get help because they may be forced or coerced. They may
fear retribution or they might not have control over their documents.
According to the most recent estimate from the Department of State,
approximately 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across global
borders each year.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Houston, Texas, is one
of the Nation's largest hubs in human trafficking. There are over 200
active brothels in Houston and more strip clubs and illicit spas than
Las Vegas. These businesses serve as fronts for sex trafficking.
Let me be very clear. This is not a condemnation of my city. This is
a recognition that every single elected person; local, county, and
State government; and our law enforcement are working every day and we
are being successful, in essence, in shutting down strip clubs, illicit
spas, and others.
The main factors that contribute to high levels of trafficking
throughout the Nation and in Texas are proximity, demographics, and a
large migrant labor population. Houston's proximity to the Mexican
border, I-10, a highway running cross-country through Houston, and the
port make it a popular point. But that is not solely the site of human
trafficking. As my colleague has mentioned, it is everywhere. It is a
national problem. Therefore, our Homeland Security personnel, thank
goodness, will now have the opportunity to have special training so
that in the capacity of their work, their eyes and ears will be extra
trained to detect those trying to move past the law.
Houston's huge geographic size and large ethnic and culturally
diverse population is seen in and around the Nation, which creates
optimal conditions. It is not the only city with that.
To combat human trafficking, the Department of Homeland Security,
recognizing there needs to be a national campaign, launched the Blue
Campaign in 2010. Through the Blue Campaign, DHS works in collaboration
with law enforcement, government, nongovernment, and private
organizations to protect the basic right of freedom and to bring those
who exploit human lives to justice.
This legislation will begin to institutionalize the training. Last
year, this training--the Blue training--was credited when two men were
arrested at Miami International Airport. TSA personnel who had received
training to detect trafficking observed the interaction between the
young men and young woman and noticed the signs.
What we want to do today, again, is to institutionalize and codify
this effort so that no human trafficker, no child being held by an
adult but being trafficked can escape the eye of our trained Homeland
Security personnel, and they can break that hand away from that adult
that is trying to do that child harm because they will know that is not
the friendly parent or wonderful grandparent or best aunt or uncle.
They will know it is a dastardly act.
I support the underlying bill, ask my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Speaker, Human trafficking is not only a crime, but also a
horrible violation of human rights.
Human trafficking is often a hidden crime.
Victims of human trafficking may be afraid to come forward and get
help because they may be forced or coerced, they may fear retribution,
or they might not have control over their documents.
According to the most recent estimate from the Department of State,
approximately 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across global
borders each year.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Houston, Texas is one of
the nation's largest hubs for human trafficking.
There are over 200 active brothels in Houston and more strip clubs
and illicit spas than Las Vegas; these businesses serve as fronts for
sex trafficking.
The main factors that contribute to high levels of trafficking
through Houston and the rest of Texas are proximity, demographics, and
a large migrant labor force.
Houston's proximity to the Mexican border, I-10, a highway running
across country through Houston, and the port of Houston make it a
popular point of entry for international trafficking.
Additionally, the presence of two large airports provides ways in and
out of the city.
Houston's huge geographic size and large ethnic and culturally
diverse population create optimal conditions for trafficking because of
the ability to blend in with the community.
To combat human trafficking, the Department of Homeland Security
launched the ``Blue Campaign'' in 2010.
Through the ``Blue Campaign,'' DHS works in collaboration with law
enforcement, government, non-government and private organizations to
protect the basic right of freedom and to bring those who exploit human
lives to justice.
In part, DHS does so by increasing awareness and training for its
front line employees such as Transportation Security Officers, Customs
and Border Protection Officers, and others.
Last year, this training was credited when two men were arrested at
Miami International Airport.
TSA personnel, who received training to detect trafficking, observed
the interaction between the men and a young woman and noticed the
signs.
The bill before us today seeks to codify in law the training of DHS
personnel on how to
[[Page H609]]
deter, detect, and disrupt human trafficking and, where appropriate,
interdict a suspected trafficker during the course of their primary
roles and responsibilities.
For CBP, this means Officers at our ports of entry will be trained on
how to identify potential victims of trafficking.
For TSA, it means that screening personnel, who screen approximately
1.8 million passengers a day, will be knowledgeable about signs of
trafficking.
Importantly, the bill requires that the training received be
appropriate for a particular location or environment in which the
personnel receiving the training perform their official duties.
This will help tailor the training received so that it is relevant to
the specific personnel receiving the training.
Mr. Speaker, with this bill, we have the opportunity to call
attention to the human rights crisis that is human trafficking.
January is ``National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention
Month.''
To ensure that continued attention be paid to this often hidden
crime, I urge passage of H.R. 460.
Though the bill before us today will not eliminate human trafficking,
it may help prevent it by ensuring that DHS' frontline workforce is
properly trained to fight it.
President's Interagency Task Force
Progress in Combating Trafficking in Persons: The U.S. Government
Response to Modern Slavery
Trafficking in persons, or human trafficking, is the act of
recruiting, enticing, harboring, transporting, providing,
obtaining, or maintaining a person for compelled labor or
commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud, or
coercion. Sex trafficking of a minor under the age of 18 does
not require the use of force, threats of force, fraud, or
coercion. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of
2000 (Pub. L. 106-386), as amended, describes this compelled
service using a number of different terms, including
involuntary servitude, slavery, debt bondage, and forced
labor.
Human trafficking can include, but does not require,
movement. Under the TVPA, people may be considered
trafficking victims regardless of whether they were
transported to the exploitative situation, previously
consented to work for a trafficker, or participated in a
crime as a direct result of being trafficked. At the heart of
this phenomenon are the traffickers' aim to exploit and
enslave their victims and the myriad of coercive and
deceptive practices they use.
Human trafficking is an opportunistic crime. Traffickers
target all types of people: adults and children, women, men,
and transgender individuals, citizens and noncitizens alike.
No socioeconomic group is immune; new immigrants, Native
Americans, runaways, the homeless, and lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender youth are particularly vulnerable.
One of the most common assumptions about ``average''
trafficking victims is that they are vulnerable simply
because they come from the poorest, most isolated
communities, whether overseas or in the United States.
Indeed, many do. Yet some victims, from a variety of
backgrounds, have reported that their suffering began with
their aspirations for a better life and a lack of options to
fulfill them.
That's where the traffickers come in. Exploiting these
realities, traffickers appear to offer a solution--a good
job, a brighter future, a safe home, or a sense of belonging,
even love. They prey on their victims' hope and exploit their
trust and confidence, coercing them into using themselves as
collateral for that chance.
In the United States, the President's Interagency Task
Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF) and
its operational arm, the Senior Policy Operating Group
(SPOG), bring together federal departments and agencies to
ensure a whole-of-government approach that addresses all
aspects of human trafficking--enforcement of criminal and
labor law, development of victim identification and
protection measures, support for innovations in data
gathering and research, education and public awareness,
enhanced partnerships and research opportunities, and
strategically linked foreign assistance and diplomatic
engagement. The agencies of the PITF are the Departments of
State (DOS), Defense (DOD), Justice (DOJ), the Interior
(DOI), Agriculture (USDA), Labor (DOL), Health and Human
Services (HHS), Transportation (DOT), Education (ED), and
Homeland Security (DHS), as well as the Domestic Policy
Council (DPC), the National Security Council (NSC), the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Office of the
Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau
of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID), and the U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC). As part of the PITF, these
agencies convene routinely to coordinate both federal
policies to combat trafficking in persons and implementation
of the TVPA.
Agencies of the PITF have brought together leaders from
government, the private sector, advocates and survivors,
faith leaders, law enforcement and academia, and have made
significant progress following President Obama's March 2012
call to strengthen federal efforts to combat human
trafficking, his September 2012 speech announcing a number of
new and strengthened initiatives, and the first-ever White
House Forum to Combat Human Trafficking in April 2013, where
the first recipients of the Presidential Award for
Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons--
survivor advocate Florrie Burke and hospitality and travel
company Carlson--were honored.
The pages that follow reflect the work these agencies have
accomplished over the past year, as well as their commitment
to continue their efforts in the year to come. From
strengthening the SPOG and its four Committees to
implementing the nation's first-ever Services for Trafficking
Victims in the United States, to implementing an Executive
Order that strengthens protections against human trafficking
in government contracting, PITF agencies are enabling law
enforcement and service providers to deploy resources more
effectively and raising public awareness both at home and
abroad.
Federal agencies also worked to expand partnerships with
civil society and the private sector in order to bring more
resources to bear in fighting this horrific injustice.
Although the primary responsibility, for fighting this crime
and protecting its survivors lies with governments,
governments alone cannot solve this problem. Everyone has a
role--from local law enforcement and first responders to the
heads of major corporations and everyday citizens. Effective
anti-trafficking strategies require partnerships that
integrate the experiences and guidance of survivors and reach
industries, local communities, schools, religious
congregations, and multilateral partners. The U.S.
government, for example, funds the National Human Trafficking
Resource Center (NHTRC), a national hotline (1-888-373-7888)
operated by a nongovernmental organization that provides
emergency assistance every day of the year, as well as anti-
trafficking task forces in which law enforcement and victim
service providers combine efforts to respond to this crime in
their communities. Significant partnerships and support for
non-governmental efforts have also taken root, including the
Partnership for Freedom, where Humanity United and DOJ, HHS,
and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
launched the first of three challenge award contests,
Reimagine: Opportunity, to develop innovative solutions to
address human trafficking; twelve finalists will compete to
expand access to housing, social services, and economic
empowerment for trafficking victims. In addition, DOS has
teamed up with Veritee, an NGO leader in supply chain
management, to implement a project in consultation with
federal agencies and other stakeholders to help gather data
on the risks of trafficking in the production of goods and
provision of services. Working with partners the Aspen
Institute and Made in a Free World, Veritee will also convene
stakeholders and develop a tool for federal contractors and
businesses to analyze supply chain risks and adopt ethical
sourcing guidelines and compliance plans that align with
Executive Order 13627. Finally, partnering with survivors of
human trafficking, federal anti-trafficking experts from DOJ,
with partners from DHS, DOS, HHS, and the White House, hosted
a day-long Survivor Forum and Listening Session to gain
insight from a diverse group of survivors in developing more
effective programs and strategies.
The Task Force has drawn strength and direction from these
partnerships, which have brought procurement officers and
CEOs, professors and human resources professional together
with law enforcement and victim advocates in the service of
freedom. Such effective collaboration has led to concrete
results in the United States' efforts to advance government
priorities and combat modern slavery both domestically and
globally. This compilation of the Obama Administration's
accomplishments represents merely a snapshot, as of February
2014, of the work made possible by the multifaceted approach
the United States has adopted to combat trafficking in
persons. Each day, the Obama Administration strives to
improve its strategy and to enhance its partnerships in order
to fulfill not only the mandates of the TVPA, but also the
promise of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Indiana (Mrs. Brooks).
Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support
of the Human Trafficking Detection Act of 2015, and I commend my
colleague from North Carolina and the gentlewoman from Texas for their
advocacy on this really important issue.
Many of my colleagues that I have heard speak today said they learned
about this when they came to Congress. I learned about this devastating
modern-day slavery when I was a United States attorney in the Southern
District of Indiana between 2001 and 2007. We started one of the first
task forces in the country, and there are task forces across the
country that have been focused on human trafficking now for quite some
time, but we must do more because even now an estimated 17,500 people
are trafficked throughout the U.S. each year. Sadly, this problem
disproportionately affects
[[Page H610]]
young girls between the ages of 12 and 14 who are lured by these crime
networks.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today because I learned during that time with
that task force and with my time in the U.S. Attorney's Office these
are very difficult crimes to prosecute. The reason they are so
difficult to prosecute is because they are difficult to detect, it is
difficult to lure victims out of these crime networks, and so we have
to do more. We have to educate our law enforcement, we have to educate
those who are standing at our ports of entry, those who are standing at
our airports and our mass transit areas, and teach them about the
warning signs, what they need to be looking for, so we can stop
trafficking at the source, prosecute those who are responsible, and
save the victims.
That is why I support this bill, which requires the Department of
Homeland Security to implement comprehensive training programs on
deterring, detecting, and disrupting this human trafficking. Our law
enforcement personnel are standing on the front lines. They have to be
equipped with the best-practice methods for identifying the victims and
the perpetrators so they can bring these perpetrators to justice.
Criminals change their methods all the time, and I am pleased that
this bill also requires an annual reassessment of training programs.
They have to continue to train. It is time for Congress to act
decisively to eradicate human trafficking. We need to do more.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
In closing, let me emphasize what I just said earlier. Two people
were caught at Miami International Airport. They were caught by
officers of TSA who had received training to detect trafficking and
observed the interaction between the two men and a young woman. It was
the exact description that I gave--holding a little girl's hand,
holding a teenager's hand, looking innocent--but our DHS personnel
could be the savers of the day.
{time} 1445
Just a few years ago, in our own airport, a number of Chinese
nationals--young women--were brought in, ultimately, to be held against
their will. It was astute personnel who knew that even though girls
traveled together that something was wrong.
That is why this legislation is so important. The bill before us
today seeks to codify in law the training of DHS personnel on how to
deter, detect, and disrupt human trafficking and, where appropriate, to
interdict a suspected trafficker during the course of their primary
roles and responsibilities. Our front liners from the Department of
Homeland Security are everywhere. There is not a place you can travel
when entering this country--through our airports or through our ports--
that our agents in some capacity, in some roles, are not there.
For the CBP, this means officers at our ports of entry will be
trained on how to identify potential victims of trafficking--smuggling,
human slavery. For the TSA, it means that screening personnel, who
screen approximately 1.8 million passengers a day, will be
knowledgeable about signs of trafficking. Importantly, the bill
requires that the training received be appropriate for a particular
location or environment in which the personnel receiving the training
perform their official duties, streamlining it to make it work. This
will help tailor the training received so that it is relevant to the
specific personnel receiving the training.
Mr. Speaker, with this bill, we have the opportunity to call
attention to the human rights crisis that is human trafficking. I am
glad that this bill has been generated out of the Homeland Security
Committee, which emphasizes the security of this Nation but, as well,
the important act of making sure America stands against human
trafficking. January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking
Prevention Month. To ensure that continued attention be paid to this
often hidden crime, I urge the passage of H.R. 460. The bill before us
today will not eliminate human trafficking, but it may help prevent it
by ensuring that DHS' frontline workforce is properly trained to fight
it.
In conclusion, let me say that we are all committed. Again, I refer
to all of us. To report suspected human trafficking, dial 1-866-347-
2423. If you are a victim, to get help, call the National Human
Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.
I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for his leadership, and I
thank our committee chairman and ranking member for their leadership.
I ask for support of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Thank you, Congresswoman Jackson Lee, for your eloquence on such an
important issue.
Mr. Speaker, there are millions of victims who are trapped in the
United States and around the world who are suffering in silence. In
many cases, the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security,
who are on the front lines of the fight, are trying to end this heinous
crime and help these victims.
This legislation codifies some of the good work already being done to
train DHS personnel to detect and prevent human trafficking while also
ensuring that such training is specific to the professional roles of
the personnel who will utilize it. Moreover, this bill will enable the
DHS to equip its non-Federal partners to better counter the devastating
effects of human trafficking. In closing, I urge my colleagues to
support this critically important, bipartisan bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 460, The Human
Trafficking Detection Act of 2015.
I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this important, bipartisan
legislation, which will ensure that DHS personnel continue to receive
the training they need to detect and disrupt human trafficking.
As Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, I convened a field
hearing in Houston during the last Congress to examine the issue of
human trafficking. At the hearing, the Committee heard compelling and
disturbing testimony on how human trafficking is destroying the lives
of vulnerable populations across the globe, including here in the
United States.
Simply put, human trafficking is a despicable crime, and it must be
stopped. I believe this bill is an excellent step towards that goal.
The Human Trafficking Detection Act of 2015 would ensure that U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, Transportation Security Administration,
and other Department of Homeland Security personnel are trained to
effectively detect, and to the extent appropriate, intercept and
disrupt trafficking in persons, during the course of their normal roles
and responsibilities. Not only would this legislation require effective
training, it would also ensure that these employees are regularly
provided with the most current trends and information on human
trafficking and are adequately equipped to counter this growing
problem.
While the men and women at DHS carry out their everyday work, many of
them are well-positioned to spot traffickers who may try to exploit our
nation's transportation systems to move their victims, both from
overseas and within our borders.
H.R. 460 also ensures that Congress has insight into the level of
success of the training being provided, and that the Department's State
and local partners have full access to training curricula to establish
their own trafficking awareness programs.
I applaud Mr. Walker for introducing this legislation, and I urge all
of my colleagues to vote yes on this common-sense measure.
Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, just last summer, Delta launched The Blue
Lightning Initiative with the help of the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security.
The Blue Lighting Initiative is a computer based training program
that provides airlines with the added tools to help ID and report
suspected instances of human trafficking.
According to Delta, it is among some of the first airlines to adopt
this expansive type of human trafficking detection training.
Delta and others taking on similar initiatives should be applauded
for taking the initiative to end Human Trafficking, one of the greatest
challenges we face.
As horrific as Human Trafficking is, it is even more troubling that
the United States Government is not taking the steps necessary to
properly train DHS employees, such as TSA officers, who have the
potential to identify cases of trafficking and help save lives.
This type of training is what Rep. Mark Walker's bill H.R. 460, the
Human Trafficking Detection Act, aims to achieve. Awareness is
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key and it is essential to ending the human trafficking epidemic that
is stealing the freedom of nearly 27 million people worldwide.
Requires DHS to establish a human trafficking training program to be
given in classroom or virtually, and to ensure DHS personnel receive
this training within 180 days.
This training must include:
Methods to effectively deter, detect, and disrupt human trafficking,
and be relevant for each federal employee's particular location or
professional environment.
This will help to ensure that DHS doesn't simply establish a generic,
one-size-fits-all approach for all employees, and is able to provide
thorough training specific to each employee's particular job setting.
Other topics determined to be appropriate by the Secretary.
A post-training evaluation for personnel receiving such training.
H.R. 460 also allows DHS to provide the human trafficking training
curricula to State, local or tribal government, or private organization
at the entity's request. This will help these government and private
entities establish their own training programs.
CBO: Does not expect H.R. 460 to increase federal spending.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Walker) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 460.
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.
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