[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 44 (Monday, March 16, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1550-S1551]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 314. Mr. BOOZMAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 178, to provide justice for the victims of
trafficking; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of title II, add the following:
Subtitle D--Prioritization Within the Department of State
SEC. 231. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking of the
Department of State will be more effective in carrying out
duties mandated by Congress in the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 if the Office status is changed to
that of a Bureau within the Department hierarchy;
(2) the change in status from Office to Monitor and Combat
Trafficking to a Bureau can be accomplished without
increasing the number of personnel or the budget of the
current Office;
(3) a Bureau to Monitor and Combat Trafficking would be
more effective in carrying out duties mandated by Congress in
the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 if the Bureau
were headed by an Assistant Secretary with direct access to
the Secretary of State, rather than an Ambassador-at-Large;
and
(4) the Secretary of State should review the current use of
the 24 Assistant Secretary positions authorized by section
1(c)(1) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956
(22 U.S.C. 2651a(c)(1)) and make appropriate revisions,
consolidations, and eliminations, to ensure that those
positions reflect the highest Departmental needs and foreign
policy priorities of the United States, including efforts to
combat trafficking in persons.
[[Page S1551]]
SEC. 232. BUREAU TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS.
(a) In General.--Section 105(e) of the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7103(e)) is amended--
(1) in the heading, by striking ``Office to Monitor and
Combat Trafficking'' and inserting ``Bureau To Combat
Trafficking in Persons'';
(2) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in the first sentence, by striking ``Office to Monitor
and Combat Trafficking'' and inserting ``Bureau to Combat
Trafficking in Persons'';
(B) in the second sentence, by striking ``Office'' and
inserting ``Bureau''; and
(C) in the sixth sentence, by striking ``Office'' and
inserting ``Bureau''; and
(3) in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2), by striking
``Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking'' and inserting
``Bureau to Combat Trafficking in Persons''.
(b) Reference.--Any reference in the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 or in any other Act to the Office to
Monitor and Combat Trafficking shall be deemed to be a
reference to the Bureau to Combat Trafficking in Persons.
SEC. 233. REPORT REGARDING DESIGNATION OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY
OF STATE TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit, to the
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives,
a report detailing--
(1) for each current Assistant Secretary of State
position--
(A) the title of that Assistant Secretary of State;
(B) how long that particular Assistant Secretary
designation has been in existence; and
(C) whether that particular Assistant Secretary designation
was legislatively mandated or authorized and, if so, the
relevant statutory citation for such mandate or
authorization; and
(2) whether the Secretary intends to designate 1 of the
Assistant Secretary of State positions authorized under
section 1(c)(1) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act
of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a(c)(1)) as the Assistant Secretary of
State to Combat Trafficking in Persons, and the reasons for
that decision.
SEC. 234. COST LIMITATION.
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated for
``Diplomatic and Consular Programs'' to carry out the
provisions of this subtitle.
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