[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 149 (Thursday, September 14, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5771-S5772]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 204, S. 1536.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1536) to designate a human trafficking 
     prevention coordinator and to expand the scope of activities 
     authorized under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
     Administration's outreach and education program to include 
     human trafficking prevention activities, and for other 
     purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting 
clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Human Trafficking 
     in Commercial Vehicles Act''.

     SEC. 2. HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION COORDINATOR.

       The Secretary of Transportation shall designate an official 
     within the Department of Transportation who shall--
       (1) coordinate human trafficking prevention efforts across 
     modal administrations in the Department of Transportation and 
     with other departments and agencies of the Federal 
     Government; and
       (2) in coordinating such efforts, take into account the 
     unique challenges of combating human trafficking within 
     different transportation modes.

     SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM.

       Section 31110(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended by adding at the end the following: ``The program 
     authorized under this subsection may support, in addition to 
     funds otherwise available for such purposes, the recognition, 
     prevention, and reporting of human trafficking, while 
     deferring to existing resources, as practicable.''.

     SEC. 4. EXPANSION OF COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE FINANCIAL 
                   ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

       Section 31313(a)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (2) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (F); 
     and
       (3) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:
       ``(E) support, in addition to funds otherwise available for 
     such purposes, the recognition, prevention, and reporting of 
     human trafficking; or''.

[[Page S5772]]

  


     SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 
                   ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

       (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish an 
     advisory committee on human trafficking.
       (b) Membership.--
       (1) Composition.--The Committee shall be composed of not 
     more than 15 external stakeholder members whose diverse 
     experience and background enable them to provide balanced 
     points of view with regard to carrying out the duties of the 
     Committee.
       (2) Selection.--The Secretary shall appoint the external 
     stakeholder members to the Committee, including 
     representatives from--
       (A) trafficking advocacy organizations;
       (B) law enforcement; and
       (C) trucking, bus, rail, aviation, maritime, and port 
     sectors, including industry and labor.
       (3) Periods of appointment.--Members shall be appointed for 
     the life of the Committee.
       (4) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Committee shall be filled 
     in the manner in which the original appointment was made and 
     shall not affect the powers or duties of the Committee.
       (5) Compensation.--Committee members shall serve without 
     compensation.
       (c) Authority.--Not later than 9 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and 
     appoint all members of the Committee.
       (d) Duties.--
       (1) Recommendations for the department of transportation.--
     Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Committee shall make recommendations to the 
     Secretary on actions the Department can take to help combat 
     human trafficking, including the development and 
     implementation of--
       (A) successful strategies for identifying and reporting 
     instances of human trafficking; and
       (B) recommendations for administrative or legislative 
     changes necessary to use programs, properties, or other 
     resources owned, operated, or funded by the Department to 
     combat human trafficking.
       (2) Best practices and recommendations.--
       (A) In general.--The Committee shall develop recommended 
     best practices for States and State and local transportation 
     stakeholders to follow in combating human trafficking.
       (B) Development.--The best practices shall be based on 
     multidisciplinary research and promising, evidence-based 
     models and programs.
       (C) Content.--The best practices shall be user-friendly, 
     incorporate the most up-to-date technology, and include the 
     following:
       (i) Sample training materials.
       (ii) Strategies to identify victims.
       (iii) Sample protocols and recommendations, including--

       (I) strategies to collect, document, and share data across 
     systems and agencies;
       (II) strategies to help agencies better understand the 
     types of trafficking involved, the scope of the problem, and 
     the degree of victim interaction with multiple systems; and
       (III) strategies to identify effective pathways for State 
     agencies to utilize their position in educating critical 
     stakeholder groups and assisting victims.

       (D) Informing states of best practices.--The Secretary 
     shall ensure that State Governors and State departments of 
     transportation are notified of the best practices and 
     recommendations.
       (e) Reports.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall--
       (1) submit a report on the actions of the Committee 
     described in subsection (d) to--
       (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
     of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
     the House of Representatives; and
       (2) make the report under paragraph (1) publicly available 
     both physically and online.
       (f) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Committee.--The term ``Committee'' means the Department 
     of Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking 
     established under subsection (a).
       (2) Human trafficking.--The term ``human trafficking'' 
     means an act or practice described in paragraph (9) or 
     paragraph (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 Transportation.

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
committee-reported substitute amendment be considered and agreed to, 
the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed, and 
the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was 
agreed to.
  The bill (S. 1536), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.

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