[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 185 (Wednesday, November 8, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5431-S5432]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1363. Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for Mr. Peters) proposed an amendment to the 
bill S. 670, to improve services for trafficking victims by 
establishing, in Homeland Security Investigations, the Investigators 
Maintain Purposeful Awareness to Combat Trafficking Trauma Program and 
the Victim Assistance Program; as follows:

        Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``IMPACTT Human Trafficking 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. INVESTIGATORS MAINTAIN PURPOSEFUL AWARENESS TO COMBAT 
                   TRAFFICKING TRAUMA PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established, in Homeland 
     Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs 
     Enforcement, the Investigators Maintain Purposeful Awareness 
     to Combat Trafficking Trauma Program (referred to in this Act 
     as the ``IMPACTT Program'').
       (b) Functions.--The IMPACTT Program shall--
       (1) provide outreach and training to Homeland Security 
     Investigations employees who have been exposed to various 
     forms of trauma in working with victims of human trafficking, 
     including--
       (A) self-awareness training for the relevant employees on 
     recognizing the signs of burnout, compassion fatigue, 
     critical incident stress, traumatic stress, posttraumatic 
     stress, secondary traumatic stress, and vicarious trauma;
       (B) training material that--
       (i) provides mechanisms for self-care and resilience and 
     notification of resources that are available through U.S. 
     Immigration and Customs Enforcement, such as the Employee 
     Assistance Program, the Peer Support Program, the Chaplain 
     Program, and other relevant accredited programs that are 
     available; and
       (ii) provides examples of potential resources that are 
     available outside of U.S. Immigration and Customs 
     Enforcement, which may include, faith-based and community-
     based resources; and
       (C) provide additional training to first line supervisors 
     of relevant employees on recognizing the signs referred to in 
     subparagraph (A) and the appropriate responses to employees 
     exhibiting such signs;
       (2) include training modules that are carried out by--
       (A) licensed and accredited clinicians who--
       (i) have been trained on the exposure of various forms of 
     trauma and other stressors experienced in working with 
     victims; and
       (ii) may have experience working with faith-based 
     organizations, community-based organizations, counseling 
     programs, or other social service programs; and
       (B) additional subject matter experts who are available; 
     and
       (3) be overseen and coordinated by the Department of 
     Homeland Security Center for Countering Human Trafficking to 
     ensure that--
       (A) appropriate program materials are distributed;
       (B) training is offered to all relevant employees; and
       (C) any needed travel and equipment is provided.

     SEC. 3. HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS VICTIM ASSISTANCE 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Subtitle D of title IV of the Homeland 
     Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 251 et seq.) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 447. HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS VICTIM 
                   ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Forensic interview specialist.--The term `forensic 
     interview specialist' is an interview professional who has 
     specialized experience and training in conducting trauma-
     informed forensic interviews with victims of crime.
       ``(2) Victim.--The term `victim' has the meaning given such 
     term in section 503(e)(2) of the Victims' Rights and 
     Restitution Act of 1990 (34 U.S.C. 20141(e)(2)).
       ``(3) Victim assistance specialist.--The term `victim 
     assistance specialist' is a victim assistance professional 
     who--
       ``(A) has experience working with victims of crime in a 
     service capacity;
       ``(B) has been trained on the exposure of various forms of 
     trauma and other stressors experienced in working with 
     victims; and
       ``(C) may have experience working with local government and 
     community-based organizations, including victim advocacy 
     centers, child advocacy centers, child welfare agencies, 
     faith-based organizations, and other social service programs.
       ``(b) In General.--There is established, in Homeland 
     Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs 
     Enforcement, the Victim Assistance Program.
       ``(c) Functions.--The Victim Assistance Program shall--
       ``(1) provide oversight, guidance, training, travel, 
     equipment, and coordination to Homeland Security 
     Investigations victim assistance personnel throughout the 
     United States;
       ``(2) recruit not fewer than--
       ``(A) 1 forensic interview specialist and 1 victim 
     assistance specialist for each Homeland Security 
     Investigations Special Agent in Charge office;
       ``(B) 1 victim assistance specialist for--
       ``(i) every Homeland Security Investigations office 
     participating in a human trafficking task force; and
       ``(ii) every Homeland Security Investigations office 
     participating in a child sexual exploitation task force;
       ``(3) support Homeland Security Investigations regional 
     attache offices, to the extent necessary;

[[Page S5432]]

       ``(4) provide training regarding victims' rights, victim-
     related policies, roles of forensic interviewers and victim 
     assistance specialists, and an approach that is--
       ``(A) victim-centered;
       ``(B) trauma-informed; and
       ``(C) linguistically appropriate, to the extent feasible; 
     and
       ``(5) purchase emergency items that are needed to assist 
     identified victims in Homeland Security Investigations 
     criminal investigations, including food, clothing, hygiene 
     products, transportation, and temporary shelter that is not 
     otherwise provided by a nongovernmental organization.''.
       (b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--The Homeland 
     Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-296) is amended--
       (1) in section 1(b) (6 U.S.C. 101 note)--
       (A) by striking the item relating to section 442 and 
     inserting the following:

``Sec. 442. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.'';
     and
       (B) by inserting after the item relating to section 446 the 
     following:

``Sec. 447. Homeland Security Investigations Victim Assistance 
              Program.'';
       (2) in section 442--
       (A) by amending the section heading to read as follows: 
     ``u.s. immigration and customs enforcement'';
       (B) by striking ``bureau'' each place such term appears 
     (except in subsection (a)(1)) and inserting ``agency'';
       (C) by striking ``the Bureau of Border Security'' each 
     place such term appears and inserting ``U.S. Immigration and 
     Customs Enforcement'';
       (D) in subsection (a)--
       (i) in the subsection heading, by striking ``of Bureau'';
       (ii) in paragraph (3)(C), by striking ``affecting the 
     Bureau of'' and inserting ``affecting U.S.''; and
       (iii) in paragraph (4), by striking ``the Bureau.'' and 
     inserting ``the agency.''; and
       (E) in subsection (b)(2)--
       (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
     ``Bureau of Border Security'' and inserting ``U.S. 
     Immigration and Customs Enforcement''; and
       (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``the Bureau of'' 
     before ``Citizenship and Immigration Services'' and inserting 
     ``U.S.''; and
       (3) in section 443(2), by striking ``such bureau'' and 
     inserting ``such agency''.

     SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORT.

       Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security shall submit a report to Congress that identifies, 
     with respect to the reporting period--
       (1) the number of trainings that were provided through the 
     IMPACTT Program and the number of personnel who received such 
     training; and
       (2) the number of human trafficking victims who were 
     assisted by the Homeland Security Investigations Victim 
     Assistance Program.

     SEC. 5. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS.

       No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated for 
     the purpose of carrying out this Act.

     SEC. 6. SUNSET.

       This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall cease to 
     have force or effect beginning on October 1, 2030.

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