[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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