[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 146 (Monday, September 11, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5162-S5163]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 936. Mr. McCONNELL (for Mr. Cornyn) proposed an amendment to the 
bill S. 1311, to provide assistance in abolishing human trafficking in 
the United States; as follows:

       On page 41, in the matter preceding line 1, strike the 
     items relating to sections 22 through 26 and insert the 
     following:

Sec. 22. Understanding the effects of severe forms of trafficking in 
              persons.
Sec. 23. Combating trafficking in persons.
Sec. 24. Grant accountability.
Sec. 25. HERO Act improvements.

       On page 41, between lines 15 and 16, insert the following:
       (2) in subsection (e)(1), in the matter preceding 
     subparagraph (A), by striking ``2019'' and inserting 
     ``2023'';
       On page 41, line 16, strike ``(2)'' and insert ``(3)''.
       On page 41, line 20, strike ``(3) in'' and insert ``(4) 
     in''.
       On page 63, strike lines 1 through 16 and insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 22. UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTS OF SEVERE FORMS OF 
                   TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS.

       On page 65, strike line 1 and insert the following:

     SEC. 23. COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS.

       On page 66, strike line 13 and insert the following:

     SEC. 24. GRANT ACCOUNTABILITY.

       On page 72, strike lines 21 through 24 and insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 25. HERO ACT IMPROVEMENTS.

       (a) In General.--Section 890A of the Homeland Security Act 
     of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 473) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``Homeland Security 
     Investigations,'' after ``Customs Enforcement,''; and
       (B) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
       ``(2) Purpose.--The Center shall provide investigative 
     assistance, training, and equipment to support domestic and 
     international investigations of cyber-related crimes by the 
     Department.'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       On page 73, strike lines 7 through 10 and insert the 
     following:
       (i) in subparagraph (B)--
       On page 73, line 17, strike ``(iii)'' and insert ``(ii)''.
       On page 73, line 19, strike ``(iv)'' and insert ``(iii)''.
       On page 73, line 21, strike ``(2) in'' and insert ``(3) 
     in''.
       On page 74, line 1, strike ``(DF/DOMEX)''.
       On page 74, line 13, strike ``and''.

[[Page S5163]]

       On page 74, strike line 16 and all that follows through 
     page 79, line 15, and insert the following:
       ``(e) HERO Child-Rescue Corps.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--
       ``(A) In general.--There is established within the Center a 
     Human Exploitation Rescue Operation Child-Rescue Corps 
     Program (referred to in this section as the `HERO Child-
     Rescue Corps Program'), which shall be a Department-wide 
     program, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and 
     the National Association to Protect Children.
       ``(B) Private sector collaboration.--As part of the HERO 
     Child-Rescue Corps Program, the National Association to 
     Protect Children shall provide logistical support for program 
     participants.
       ``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the HERO Child-Rescue Corps 
     Program shall be to recruit, train, equip, and employ members 
     of the Armed Forces on active duty and wounded, ill, and 
     injured veterans to combat and prevent child exploitation, 
     including in investigative, intelligence, analyst, 
     inspection, and forensic positions or any other positions 
     determined appropriate by the employing agency.
       ``(3) Functions.--The HERO Child-Rescue Program shall--
       ``(A) provide, recruit, train, and equip participants of 
     the Program in the areas of digital forensics, investigation, 
     analysis, intelligence, and victim identification, as 
     determined by the Center and the needs of the Department; and
       ``(B) ensure that during the internship period, 
     participants of the Program are assigned to investigate and 
     analyze--
       ``(i) child exploitation;
       ``(ii) child pornography;
       ``(iii) unidentified child victims;
       ``(iv) human trafficking;
       ``(v) traveling child sex offenders; and
       ``(vi) forced child labor, including the sexual 
     exploitation of minors.
       ``(f) Paid Internship and Hiring Program.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a paid 
     internship and hiring program for the purpose of placing 
     participants of the HERO Child-Rescue Corps Program (in this 
     subsection referred to as `participants') into paid 
     internship positions, for the subsequent appointment of the 
     participants to permanent positions, as described in the 
     guidelines promulgated under paragraph (3).
       ``(2) Internship positions.--Under the paid internship and 
     hiring program required to be established under paragraph 
     (1), the Secretary shall assign or detail participants to 
     positions within United States Immigration and Customs 
     Enforcement or any other Federal agency in accordance with 
     the guidelines promulgated under paragraph (3).
       ``(3) Placement.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall promulgate 
     guidelines for assigning or detailing participants to 
     positions within United States Immigration and Customs 
     Enforcement and other Federal agencies, which shall include 
     requirements for internship duties and agreements regarding 
     the subsequent appointment of the participants to permanent 
     positions.
       ``(B) Preference.--The Secretary shall give a preference to 
     Homeland Security Investigations in assignments or details 
     under the guidelines promulgated under subparagraph (A).
       ``(4) Term of internship.--An appointment to an internship 
     position under this subsection shall be for a term not to 
     exceed 12 months.
       ``(5) Rate and term of pay.--After completion of initial 
     group training and upon beginning work at an assigned office, 
     a participant appointed to an internship position under this 
     subsection who is not receiving monthly basic pay as a member 
     of the Armed Forces on active duty shall receive compensation 
     at a rate that is--
       ``(A) not less than the minimum rate of basic pay payable 
     for a position at level GS-5 of the General Schedule; and
       ``(B) not more than the maximum rate of basic pay payable 
     for a position at level GS-7 of the General Schedule.
       ``(6) Eligibility.--In establishing the paid internship and 
     hiring program required under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
     shall ensure that the eligibility requirements for 
     participation in the internship program are the same as the 
     eligibility requirements for participation in the HERO Child-
     Rescue Corps Program.
       ``(7) Hero corps hiring.--The Secretary shall establish 
     within Homeland Security Investigations positions, which 
     shall be in addition to any positions in existence on the 
     date of enactment of this subsection, for the hiring and 
     permanent employment of graduates of the paid internship 
     program required to be established under paragraph (1).''; 
     and
       (3) in subsection (g), as so redesignated--
       (A) by striking ``There are authorized'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(1) In general.--There are authorized''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) Allocation.--Of the amount made available pursuant to 
     paragraph (1) in each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022, not 
     more than $10,000,000 shall be used to carry out subsection 
     (e) and not less than $2,000,000 shall be used to carry out 
     subsection (f).''.
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