[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 157 (Wednesday, September 28, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8143-H8144]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       END HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS ACT OF 2022

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend 
the rules and pass the bill (S. 3470) to provide for the implementation 
of certain trafficking in contracting provisions, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 3470

       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 ``End Human Trafficking in 
     Government Contracts Act of 2022''.

     SEC. 2. IMPLEMENTATION OF TRAFFICKING IN CONTRACTING 
                   PROVISIONS.

       (a) Requirement To Refer Violations to Agency Suspension 
     and Debarment Official.--Section 1704(c)(1) of the National 
     Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 
     112-239; 22 U.S.C. 7104b(c)(1)) is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``refer the matter to the agency 
     suspension and debarment official and'' before ``consider 
     taking one of the following actions''; and
       (2) by striking subparagraph (G).
       (b) Report on Implementation of Trafficking in Contracting 
     Provisions.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of 
     Management and Budget shall submit to Congress a report on 
     implementation of title XVII of the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 112-239; 
     126 Stat. 2092).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. 
Comer) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and 
extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on S. 3470.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3470, the End Human Trafficking 
in Government Contracts Act.
  S. 3470 was introduced by Senator Lankford from Oklahoma and has 
passed the Senate by unanimous consent. The bill would require the head 
of an agency to make a referral for debarment of a Federal contractor 
in response to Inspector General verification that the company has 
engaged in any form of human trafficking, including labor and sex 
trafficking.
  Under current law, the referral is merely an action that the agency 
head may consider. Putting stronger penalties on contractors creates 
stronger incentives for them to be vigilant about eliminating human 
trafficking from their business. This bill helps to ensure that we use 
the U.S. Government's enormous purchasing power to combat human 
trafficking.
  Under this bill, the Office of Management and Budget would also 
submit a report to Congress on Federal Government actions to end 
trafficking in Federal contracts. Human trafficking is nothing short of 
modern-day slavery. It is estimated that human trafficking is a $150 
billion global industry. It must be a priority to ensure that the U.S. 
is not contributing one dollar to perpetuate human trafficking through 
Federal contracts.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this 
straightforward legislation to further enforce zero tolerance for human 
trafficking in Federal contracts.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the End Human Trafficking in Government Contracts Act 
ensures that Federal agencies are not paying for or participating in 
human trafficking or human sex trafficking through grants or contracts. 
This is a particular concern for overseas contracts in which some 
unscrupulous companies may take advantage of vulnerable third-country 
workers.
  Congress has acted before to address this problem. Unfortunately, 
both the Government Accountability Office and the Department of Defense 
Inspector General have found that trafficking by contractors and 
grantees continues. This bill moves to send a clear message: 
Trafficking will not be tolerated.
  Under current law, agencies are already required to refer allegations 
of human or sex trafficking to the Inspector General for investigation. 
If found to be true, that agency has a number of options to deal with 
the situation, but this bill requires all substantiated cases be 
reported to the agency's suspension and debarment official.
  In the contracting world, this is serious business. After due 
process, a contractor could be prohibited from receiving future 
government contracts or other government benefits. This bill ensures 
all current or would-be grantees or contractors take all measures 
necessary to stop human or sex trafficking.
  Finally, the bill directs the Office of Management and Budget to 
report on enforcement of the laws so we in Congress could conduct the 
necessary oversight.
  I thank Senators James Lankford and Joni Ernst for sending this 
important bill to the House for final passage in Congress today.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill and for the 
President to sign S. 3470 into law.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have no further 
speakers on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Not a single dime of 
taxpayer money should ever flow to anyone engaged in human or sex 
trafficking activities. This bill is an important step toward ensuring 
responsible stewardship of taxpayer money.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.

[[Page H8144]]

  

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, combating sex 
trafficking by any means, in this case with using the power of our 
contracting system, is truly a bipartisan effort in this committee.
  Mr. Speaker, I support and urge passage of this bill, S. 3470.
  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 New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 3470.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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