[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 81 (Monday, May 23, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3039-S3040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




LEGISLATION COMBATING SEXUAL ASSAULT AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND HELPING 
                              ITS VICTIMS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, on an important issue the Senate will 
address today, the Republican-led Senate believes in the importance of 
combating sexual assault and providing key protections for the victims 
of these heinous crimes. In less than 18 months, we have already passed 
many different measures to help victims and to help stop these crimes. 
We passed the Amy and Vicky act, which will help the victims of child 
pornography to get restitution from those who profit from their pain. 
And because we know the pain doesn't end when these images are 
produced, it can help victims find the closure they need and deserve 
too.
  We passed an important measure championed by Senator Toomey, who 
worked with Senator Alexander to include in the K-12 education reform 
bill a requirement that States put laws and policies in place to help 
ensure schools are no longer able to ship child predators to other 
school districts.
  We passed a measure from Senator Portman, who worked with Senator 
McCaskill to hold an infamous child sex-trafficking company in contempt 
and force it to turn over critical information--information that is 
needed for their bipartisan human trafficking investigation to 
continue.
  And, of course, we passed the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. 
The victims of modern slavery deserve justice, and they deserve a 
voice, which is why--after years of previous inaction--the new 
Republican-led Senate made it a priority to pass this important anti-
slavery bill. Of course, it is now law.

[[Page S3040]]

  This week we have two more opportunities to protect victims. The 
first, contained in a provision within the National Defense 
Authorization Act, is the End Modern Slavery Initiative Act. This 
effort would address human trafficking beyond our borders with tools to 
help end the scourge of modern slavery worldwide. I thank Senator 
Corker for his work on this measure.
  The second, the Adam Walsh Reauthorization Act, will bolster efforts 
to prevent future sexual assault crimes and help victims receive 
justice. We will pass that one today.
  One group dedicated to combating trafficking noted its strong support 
for this ``vital'' legislation, which it calls ``essential to the fight 
against child sex trafficking.'' The Adam Walsh Reauthorization Act has 
also received the support of the Nation's largest anti-sexual violence 
organization, RAINN, along with organizations such as the National 
Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
  I have been involved with the National Center for Missing and 
Exploited Children since its inception and have had the privilege of 
working closely with the organization over the years. Protecting 
children and bringing justice to victims have been top priorities of 
mine for many years. I have long worked with John Walsh, Adam's father, 
to advance efforts to do so. I supported the original Adam Walsh Child 
Protection and Safety Act in 2006 in order to enhance law enforcement's 
ability to track sexual offenders and improve its information-sharing 
capabilities and to support resources to aid in the apprehension of 
fugitives who commit these offenses. It is an important law, but the 
authorization for it expired in 2011.
  It was disheartening to watch reauthorization legislation languish in 
the Senate and in the Judiciary Committee for years, but then Chairman 
Grassley came along. Not only did he work to reauthorize the bill, he 
worked to make it stronger, with additional rights and protections for 
victims of sexual assault and human trafficking crimes.
  As he has done with other priorities, Chairman Grassley realized the 
urgency of moving this reauthorization forward and then worked 
diligently to advance it. It is just another example of his efforts to 
put the Judiciary Committee to work for the American people.
  Under a new chairman, the Judiciary Committee has reported out some 
30 bills and has seen more than a dozen signed into law. Time and 
again, the committee has taken on important issues and worked toward 
real solutions for our country. We saw a great example of that recently 
with Chairman Grassley's efforts to help combat the heroin and 
prescription opioid epidemic that is hurting so many communities across 
our country. States like mine have been especially impacted by this 
drug crisis. I appreciated the steadfast commitment of colleagues like 
Chairman Grassley, along with key Senators like Portman and Ayotte, to 
address the issue and ensure Senate passage of the Comprehensive 
Addiction and Recovery Act.
  Chairman Grassley has worked hard to pass other pieces of legislation 
as well, such as a law to protect American innovation in the 21st 
century, for instance, and the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act 
that I mentioned earlier. Without Chairman Grassley's commitment in 
committee and Senator Cornyn's relentless efforts on the floor, that 
important trafficking bill would not have become law. So it is clear 
that Senator Grassley has led the Judiciary Committee with a renewed 
focus on providing hope and providing a voice to those in need. We have 
just the latest examples of his commitment in the bill before us today.
  I commend Chairman Grassley for his strong leadership, and I urge my 
colleagues to join me today in supporting this important legislation.

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