[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 30, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5086-H5088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   DHS BLUE CAMPAIGN ENHANCEMENT ACT

  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5804) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance 
the Blue Campaign of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5804

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``DHS Blue Campaign 
     Enhancement Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BLUE CAMPAIGN 
                   ENHANCEMENT.

       Section 434 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
     242) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (e)(6), by striking ``utilizing 
     resources,'' and inserting ``developing and utilizing, in 
     consultation with the Advisory Board established pursuant to 
     subsection (g), resources''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new subsections:
       ``(f) Web-Based Training Programs.--To enhance training 
     opportunities, the Director of the Blue Campaign shall 
     develop web-based interactive training videos that utilize a 
     learning management system to provide online training 
     opportunities that shall be made available to the following 
     individuals:
       ``(1) Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial law 
     enforcement officers.
       ``(2) Non-Federal correction system personnel.
       ``(3) Such other individuals as the Director determines 
     appropriate.
       ``(g) Blue Campaign Advisory Board.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish within the 
     Department a Blue Campaign Advisory Board and shall assign to 
     such Board a representative from each of the following 
     components:
       ``(A) The Transportation Security Administration.
       ``(B) U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
       ``(C) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
       ``(D) The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
       ``(E) The United States Secret Service.
       ``(F) Any other components or offices the Secretary 
     determines appropriate.
       ``(2) Consultation.--The Director shall consult the Board 
     established pursuant to paragraph (1) regarding the 
     following:
       ``(A) Recruitment tactics used by human traffickers to 
     inform the development of training and materials by the Blue 
     Campaign.
       ``(B) The development of effective awareness tools for 
     distribution to Federal and non-Federal officials to identify 
     and prevent instances of human trafficking.
       ``(C) Identification of additional persons or entities that 
     may be uniquely positioned to recognize signs of human 
     trafficking and the development of materials for such 
     persons.

[[Page H5087]]

       ``(3) Applicability.--The Federal Advisor Committee Act (5 
     U.S.C. App.) does not apply to--
       ``(A) the Board; or
       ``(B) consultations under paragraph (2).
       ``(h) Consultation.--With regard to the development of 
     programs under the Blue Campaign and the implementation of 
     such programs, the Director is authorized to consult with 
     State, local, Tribal, and territorial agencies, non-
     governmental organizations, private sector organizations, and 
     experts. Such consultation shall be exempt from the Federal 
     Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Underwood) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Joyce) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Department of Homeland Security's Blue Campaign is 
dedicated to raising awareness about how to identify and prevent human 
trafficking.
  Last year, over 4,000 self-reported victims and survivors from all 
over the country contacted the U.S. national hotline for help with a 
human trafficking situation, an increase of almost 20 percent over the 
previous year.
  Traffickers subject their victims to forced labor, debt bondage, or 
sexual exploitation using violence, manipulation, and false promises.
  This DHS campaign works to combat trafficking by educating law 
enforcement and the public on how to recognize the signs of human 
trafficking. To effectively identify trafficking victims and keep their 
community safe, local and State law enforcement need to have timely 
information about the tactics and techniques these criminals use.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5804, the Blue Campaign Enhancement Act, seeks to 
do just that by, among other things, expanding human trafficking 
prevention training opportunities. Importantly, it would also create 
new, web-based training programs for State and local partners to ensure 
these education tools can reach the widest possible audience. H.R. 5804 
has bipartisan support and was reported out of committee by unanimous 
consent.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                                Washington, DC, September 4, 2020.
     Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,
     Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Thompson: This is to advise you that the 
     Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to 
     review the provisions in H.R. 5804, the ``DHS Blue Campaign 
     Enhancement Act,'' that fall within our Rule X jurisdiction. 
     I appreciate your consulting with us on those provisions. The 
     Judiciary Committee has no objection to your including them 
     in the bill for consideration on the House floor, and to 
     expedite that consideration is willing to forgo action on 
     H.R. 5804, with the understanding that we do not thereby 
     waive any future jurisdictional claim over those provisions 
     or their subject matters.
       In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar 
     legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the 
     right to request an appropriate number of conferees to 
     address any concerns with these or similar provisions that 
     may arise in conference.
       Please place this letter into the Congressional Record 
     during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank 
     you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked 
     regarding this matter and others between our committees.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Jerrold Nadler,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Homeland Security,

                               Washington, DC, September 16, 2020.
     Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
     Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Nadler: Thank you for your letter regarding 
     H.R. 5804, the ``DHS Blue Campaign Act.'' The Committee on 
     Homeland Security recognizes that the Committee on the 
     Judiciary has a jurisdictional interest in H.R. 5804, and I 
     appreciate your effort to allow this bill to be considered on 
     the House floor.
       I concur with you that forgoing action on the bill does not 
     in any way prejudice the Committee on the Judiciary with 
     respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill or 
     similar legislation in the future, and I would support your 
     effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of 
     conferees to any House--Senate conference involving this 
     legislation.
       I will include our letters on H.R. 5804 in the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of this bill. 
     I look forward to working with you on this legislation and 
     other matters of great importance to this nation.
           Sincerely,
                                               Bennie G. Thompson,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5804.
  According to DHS, there are millions of victims of trafficking 
worldwide each year. Men, women, and children are trafficked throughout 
the world--many of the victims right here in the United States.
  The Blue Campaign is a national campaign designed to promote 
awareness of trafficking and help identify the signs of trafficking. 
The Blue Campaign conducts outreach to law enforcement, the public, and 
certain industry professionals. The ability to recognize the signs of 
trafficking can lead to rescuing individuals from trafficking and 
bringing the criminals who seek to exploit them to justice.
  This bill would build on the excellent work of the DHS Blue Campaign 
and expand its awareness to include even more individuals that are 
likely to encounter victims of human trafficking.
  I applaud the efforts of my colleague from Texas (Mr. Crenshaw) and 
urge other Members to support the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Crenshaw).
  Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 
5804.
  Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. It is one of the most 
heinous crimes imaginable. It deprives its victims of their inalienable 
rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
  While DHS and the Department of Justice are the lead Federal agencies 
in the fight against trafficking, State and local law enforcement 
frequently encounter victims and their traffickers. Individuals and 
employees of certain industries, such as medical professionals, 
educators, and airline employees, among others, are also more likely to 
encounter victims and need to know how to identify and respond to them. 
This is where the Blue Campaign has come in to fill an important gap.
  ``Blue Campaign is a national public awareness campaign, designed to 
educate the public, law enforcement, and other industry partners to 
recognize the indicators of human trafficking, and how to appropriately 
respond to possible cases.''
  In the 10 years since it began, the Blue Campaign has helped raise 
awareness of trafficking. Materials developed by the Blue Campaign have 
helped individuals outside law enforcement recognize the signs of 
trafficking and helped those at risk of being trafficked. It has 
fostered communication and partnerships between industry, law 
enforcement, and nongovernmental organizations.
  My bill, H.R. 5804, the DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act, amends the 
Homeland Security Act to expand the reach of the Blue Campaign through 
the use of online educational videos and the creation of a Blue 
Campaign Advisory Committee within DHS to provide support and guidance 
for future development, training, and outreach.
  It expands on the great work of the Blue Campaign and the fight 
against human trafficking. It is another step toward ending the cruel 
and inhumane exploitation by traffickers and rescuing those caught in 
its grasp.
  I appreciate my colleagues' support of this bill.

                              {time}  1400

  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I have no speakers, I am prepared to

[[Page H5088]]

close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 
5804, which seeks to build upon the success of the DHS Blue Campaign's 
human trafficking awareness campaign to make it more accessible and 
effective.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5804, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________