[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.
____________________