[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H771]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





        ADDRESSING SERIOUSNESS OF SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Bacon) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BACON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address a serious issue 
that affects millions of people around the world, to include many 
Americans: slavery and human trafficking. Despite major progress, many 
countries still struggle to define and understand human traffic 
operations and how to combat it.
  Most of us assume that human trafficking transports people only 
internationally. In reality, the 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report 
showed that a majority of human trafficking survivors were identified 
in their countries of citizenship. While women and children may account 
for the majority of people trafficked, adolescent boys and men also 
have been victims of this modern-day slavery.
  Everyone is vulnerable to human trafficking, women, children, foster 
youth, Native Americans, immigrant children, those with disabilities, 
and the LGBTQ community. That is why the public must be educated on 
human trafficking and reject the misconception that it can't or won't 
happen to them or someone they know.
  While there is not an exact statistic on how many people are 
trafficked in the United States, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo 
assessed as many as 24.9 million people--adults and children--are 
trapped in this human form of modern slavery around the world, 
including our own country.
  We may also assume trafficking occurs only in major cities like New 
York or Las Vegas, but it also happens in suburbs, rural areas, and on 
Tribal or farmland. In Nebraska, 900 individuals are being sold online 
for sex each month, and 75 percent of them are from just Omaha.
  I am grateful for the steps Nebraska has taken to combat trafficking 
and protect survivors, but legislation can do only so much. 
Organizations such as the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland 
Security, and the Department of State have worked hard to fight this 
global issue and have been trained to locate and deter human 
trafficking.
  I thank the Nebraska State Patrol, the sheriff departments, and local 
law enforcement for their diligent work in capturing traffickers and 
rescuing survivors. I thank the many nonprofit volunteer organizations 
that are dedicated to making a difference in combating this crime.
  In honor of the National Slavery and Human Trafficking Month this 
past January, we must commit to work together to address this heinous 
crime and ensure that all are safe from exploitation.


             Bringing Awareness to Importance of Mentoring

  Mr. BACON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Mentoring 
Month from this past January. As a member of the Youth Mentoring 
Caucus, I rise to bring awareness to the importance of supporting 
strategies and policies that enhance mentoring programs and increase 
the procurement of quality volunteer mentors.
  Research has shown that mentoring relationships have positive effects 
on people's lives in so many ways. Mentoring reassures our youth that 
they are not alone in dealing with everyday challenges; creates 
opportunity for personal growth and development; and provides youth, 
especially those in foster care, with vital relationships, networks, 
and counseling services needed to navigate life and successfully 
transition into adulthood.
  I know the power of mentorship firsthand. I joined the Air Force in 
1985 after a faith-based mentor saw where my talents leaned, and I 
would never have been a five-time commander nor a general officer 
without thoughtful mentors.
  In my district, MENTOR Nebraska has partnered with 26 Omaha public 
schools to implement a mentoring program called Success Mentors, which 
serves over 600 youth. Within the last 2 years, the percentage of 
mentored youth in North Omaha increased by 150 percent. In the last 5 
years, the percentage of mentored juvenile justice youth increased by 
250 percent. In addition to a number of positive benefits associated 
with increased mentorship, this program has shown an improvement in 
school attendance--by over 50 percent in one school alone.
  Congress must partner and support State and local governments and 
nonprofits so they can continue to prioritize new ways and approaches 
for serving at-risk or disadvantaged youth and connect them with caring 
adults who will help them navigate life and be their support system.
  That is why I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 3061, the Foster Youth 
Mentoring Act of 2019, which addresses the need for greater support of 
mentoring programs that serve youth in foster care by developing best 
practices and quality mentoring standards when searching for and hiring 
mentors.
  I thank our Nation's mentors, who are actively strengthening our 
communities and making a difference in the educational, personal, and 
professional lives of today's youth. Additionally, I urge my colleagues 
from both sides of the aisle to commit to improving our youth's 
outcomes and futures by supporting legislation like H.R. 3061.

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