[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 13, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H565-H572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FREDERICK DOUGLASS TRAFFICKING VICTIMS PREVENTION AND PROTECTION
REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2023
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 5856) to reauthorize the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5856
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 ``Frederick Douglass
Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization
Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
TITLE I--COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS IN THE UNITED STATES
Subtitle A--Programs To Support Victims and Persons Vulnerable to Human
Trafficking
Sec. 101. Modifications to grants to assist in the recognition of
trafficking.
Sec. 102. Human Trafficking Survivors Employment and Education Program.
TITLE II--FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING ABROAD
Sec. 201. Modifications to program to end modern slavery grants.
Sec. 202. Amendments to tier standards.
Sec. 203. Expanding prevention efforts at the United States Agency for
International Development.
Sec. 204. Counter-trafficking in persons efforts in development
cooperation and assistance policy.
Sec. 205. Clarification of nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related foreign
assistance.
Sec. 206. Trafficking for the purposes of organ harvesting.
Sec. 207. Elimination of duplicative reporting.
TITLE III--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
Sec. 301. Extension of authorizations under the Victims of Trafficking
and Violence Protection Act of 2000.
Sec. 302. Extension of authorizations under the International Megan's
Law.
TITLE I--COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS IN THE UNITED STATES
Subtitle A--Programs To Support Victims and Persons Vulnerable to Human
Trafficking
SEC. 101. MODIFICATIONS TO GRANTS TO ASSIST IN THE
RECOGNITION OF TRAFFICKING.
(a) Amendments to Authorities to Prevent Trafficking.--
Section 106(b)(2) of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7104(b)) is amended--
(1) in the heading, by striking ``Grants to assist in the
recognition of trafficking'' and inserting ``Frederick
douglass human trafficking prevention education grants'';
(2) in subparagraph (B)--
(A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting
``under a program named `Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking
Prevention Education Grants' '' after ``may award grants'';
and
(B) in clause (ii), by inserting ``, linguistically
accessible, and culturally responsive'' after ``age-
appropriate'';
(3) in the heading of subparagraph (C), by inserting ``for
frederick douglass human trafficking prevention education
grants'' after ``program requirements'';
(4) by amending subparagraph (D) to read as follows:
``(D) Priority.--In awarding Frederick Douglass Human
Trafficking Prevention Education Grants under this paragraph,
the Secretary shall--
``(i) give priority to local educational agencies serving a
high-intensity child sex trafficking area or an area with
significant child labor trafficking;
``(ii) give additional priority to local educational
agencies that partner with non-profit organizations
specializing in human trafficking prevention education, which
partner with law enforcement and technology or social media
companies, to assist in training efforts to protect children
from labor trafficking and sexual exploitation and abuse
including grooming, materials depicting the sexual abuse of
children, and human trafficking transmitted through
technology; and
``(iii) consult, as appropriate, with the Secretary of
Education, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development,
the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Labor, and
the Attorney General, to identify the geographic areas in the
United States with the highest prevalence of at-risk
populations for child trafficking, including children who are
members of a racial or ethnic minority, homeless youth,
foster youth, youth involved in the child welfare system, and
children and youth who run away from home or an out-of-home
placement.''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) Criteria for selection.--Grantees should be selected
based on their demonstrated ability to--
``(i) engage stakeholders, including survivors of human
trafficking, and Federal, State, local, or Tribal partners,
to develop the programs;
``(ii) train the trainers, guardians, K-12 students,
teachers, and other school personnel in a linguistically
accessible, culturally responsive, age-appropriate, and
trauma-informed fashion; and
``(iii) create a scalable, repeatable program to prevent
child labor trafficking and sexual exploitation and abuse
including grooming, child sexual abuse materials, and
trafficking transmitted through technology that--
``(I) uses evidence-based (as such term is defined in
section 8101(21)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(21)(A))) best practices; and
``(II) employs appropriate technological tools and
methodologies, including linguistically accessible,
culturally responsive, age-appropriate, and trauma-informed
approaches for trainers, guardians, educators, and K-12
students.
``(F) Train the trainers.--For purposes of subparagraph
(E), the term `train the trainers' means having experienced
or master trainers coach new trainers who are less
experienced with a particular topic or skill, or with
training overall, who can then teach the material to others,
creating a broader reach, sustainability, and making efforts
cost- and time-efficient (commonly referred to as `training
of trainers').
``(G) Data collection.--The Secretary shall consult with
the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development, and the Secretary of the Interior to
determine the appropriate demographics of the recipients or
of students at risk of being trafficked or exploited, to be
collected and reported with respect to grants under this
paragraph, which shall include data collection of, at a
minimum, students who are economically disadvantaged, members
of a racial or ethnic minority, homeless youth, foster youth,
youth involved in the child welfare system, and children and
youth who run away from home or an out-of-home placement.
``(H) Report.--Not later than 540 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the
Committees on Education and Labor, Energy and Commerce, and
the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the
Committees on the Judiciary and Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate and make available to the public a
report, including data on the following:
``(i) The total number of entities that received a
Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking Prevention Education
Grant over the past year.
``(ii) The total number of partnerships or consultants that
included survivors, non-profit organizations specialized in
human trafficking prevention education, law enforcement, and
technology or social media companies.
``(iii) The total number of elementary and secondary
schools that established and implemented evidence-based (as
such term is defined in section 8101(21)(A) of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(21)(A)))
best practices through programs developed using such grants.
``(iv) The total number and geographic distribution of
trainers, guardians, students, teachers, and other school
personnel trained using such grants pursuant to this
paragraph.
``(v) The results of pre-training and post-training surveys
to gauge trainees' increased understanding of the scope and
signs of child trafficking and child sexual exploitation and
abuse; how to interact with potential victims and survivors
of child trafficking and child sexual exploitation and abuse
using age-appropriate and trauma-informed approach; and the
manner in which to respond to potential child trafficking and
child sexual exploitation and abuse.
``(vi) The number of potential victims and survivors of
child trafficking and child sexual exploitation and abuse
identified and served by grantees, excluding any individually
identifiable information about such children and acting in
full compliance with all applicable privacy laws and
regulations.
``(vii) The number of students in elementary or secondary
school identified by grantees as being at risk of being
trafficked or sexually exploited and abused, excluding any
individually identifiable information about such children.
``(viii) The demographic characteristics of child
trafficking survivors and victims, sexually exploited and
abused children, and students at risk of being trafficked or
sexually exploited and abused described in clauses (vi) and
(vii), excluding any individually identifiable information
about such children.
``(ix) Any service gaps and best practices identified by
grantees.''.
[[Page H566]]
SEC. 102. HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS EMPLOYMENT AND
EDUCATION PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
may carry out a Human Trafficking Survivors Employment and
Education Program to prevent the re-exploitation of eligible
individuals who have been victims of trafficking, by
assisting such individuals to integrate or reintegrate into
society through social services support for the attainment of
life-skills, employment, and education necessary to achieve
self-sufficiency.
(b) Services Provided.--Services offered, provided, and
funded by the Program shall include (as relevant to the
victim of trafficking)--
(1) enrollment and participation in--
(A) basic education, including literacy education and
English as a second language education;
(B) job-related skills training;
(C) vocational and certificate programs; and
(D) programs for attaining a regular high school diploma or
its recognized equivalent;
(2) life-skill training programs, including management of
personal finances, self-care, and parenting classes;
(3) resume creation and review;
(4) interview coaching and counseling;
(5) assistance with expungement of criminal records when
such records are for nonviolent crimes that were committed as
a consequence of the eligible individual's victimization,
including assistance with credit repair;
(6) assistance with enrollment in college or technical
school;
(7) scholarship assistance for attending college or
technical school;
(8) professional coaching or professional development
classes;
(9) case management to develop an individualized plan with
each victim of trafficking, based on each person's needs and
goals; and
(10) assistance with obtaining victim compensation, direct
victim assistance, or other funds for mental health care.
(c) Service Period.--Eligible individuals may receive
services through the Program for a cumulative period of 5
years.
(d) Cooperative Agreements.--Subject to the availability of
appropriations, the Secretary shall enter into cooperative
agreements with one or more eligible organizations to carry
out this section.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible individual.--The term ``eligible individual''
means a domestic or foreign victim of trafficking who--
(A) has attained the age of 18 years; and
(B) is eligible to receive services under section 107(b) of
the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C.
7105(b)).
(2) Eligible organization.--The ``eligible organization''
may include a nongovernmental organization and means a
service provider that meets the following criteria:
(A) Experience in using national or local anti-trafficking
networks to serve victims of trafficking.
(B) Experience qualifying, providing, and coordinating
services for victims of trafficking, as described in
subsection (b), that is linguistically accessible, culturally
responsive, age-appropriate, and trauma-informed.
(C) With respect to a service provider for victims of
trafficking served by the Program who are not United States
citizens, a provider that has experience in identifying and
assisting foreign-born victims of trafficking, including
helping them qualify for Continued Presence, T-Visas, and
other Federal, State, and local services and funding.
(D) With respect to a service provider for victims of
trafficking served by the Program who are United States
citizens and legal permanent residents, a provider that has
experience identifying and assisting victims of trafficking,
as such term is defined in section 103 of the Trafficking
Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102), especially
youth and underserved populations.
(3) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the Human
Trafficking Survivors Employment and Education Program
established under this section.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
TITLE II--FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING ABROAD
SEC. 201. MODIFICATIONS TO PROGRAM TO END MODERN SLAVERY
GRANTS.
(a) In General.--Section 1298 of the National Defense
Authorization Act of 2017 (22 U.S.C. 7114) is amended as
follows:
(1) In subsection (g)(2), by striking ``2020'' and
inserting ``2028''.
(2) In subsection (h)(1), by striking ``Not later than
September 30, 2018, and September 30, 2020'' and inserting
``Not later than September 30, 2024, and September 30,
2028''.
(b) Award of Funds.--All grants awarded under the authority
provided by section 1298 of the National Defense
Authorization Act of 2017, as amended by subsection (a),
shall be awarded on a competitive basis.
SEC. 202. AMENDMENTS TO TIER STANDARDS.
(a) Modifications to Tier 2 Watch List.--Subsection (b)(2)
of section 110 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of
2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107) is amended--
(1) in the heading, by striking ``special'' and inserting
``tier 2''; and
(2) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:
``(A) Submission of list.--Not later than the date on which
the determinations described in subsections (c) and (d) are
submitted to the appropriate congressional committees in
accordance with such subsections, the Secretary of State
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
list of countries that the Secretary determines require
special scrutiny during the following year. The list shall be
composed of countries that have been listed pursuant to
paragraph (1)(B) pursuant to the current annual report
because--
``(i) the estimated number of victims of severe forms of
trafficking is very significant or is significantly
increasing and the country is not taking proportional
concrete actions; or
``(ii) there is a failure to provide evidence of increasing
efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons from
the previous year, including increased investigations,
prosecutions and convictions of trafficking crimes, increased
assistance to victims, and decreasing evidence of complicity
in severe forms of trafficking by government officials.''.
(b) Modification to Special Rule for Downgraded and
Reinstated Countries.--Subsection (b)(2)(F) of such section
110 (22 U.S.C. 7107) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking ``the
special watch list'' and all that follows through ``the
country--'' and inserting ``the Tier 2 watch list described
in subparagraph (A) for more than 2 years immediately after
the country consecutively--'';
(2) in clause (i), in the matter preceding subclause (I),
by striking ``the special watch list described in
subparagraph (A)(iii)'' and inserting ``the Tier 2 watch list
described in subparagraph (A)''; and
(3) in clause (ii), by inserting ``in the year following
such waiver under subparagraph (D)(ii)'' before the period at
the end.
(c) Conforming Amendments.--Subsection (b) of such section
110 (22 U.S.C. 7107) is amended as follows:
(1) In paragraph (2), as amended by subsection (a)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``special watch list''
and inserting ``Tier 2 watch list'';
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``special watch list''
and inserting ``Tier 2 watch list''; and
(C) in subparagraph (D)--
(i) in the heading, by striking ``special watch list'' and
inserting ``tier 2 watch list''; and
(ii) in clause (i), by striking ``special watch list'' and
inserting ``Tier 2 watch list''.
(2) In paragraph (3)(B), in the matter preceding clause
(i), by striking ``clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of''.
(3) In paragraph (4)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), in the matter preceding clause
(i), by striking ``each country described in paragraph
(2)(A)(ii)'' and inserting ``each country described in
paragraph (2)(A)''; and
(B) in subparagraph (D)(ii), by striking ``the Special
Watch List under paragraph (2)'' and inserting ``the Tier 2
watch list under paragraph (2)''.
SEC. 203. EXPANDING PREVENTION EFFORTS AT THE UNITED STATES
AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
In order to increase the prevention efforts by the United
States abroad, the Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development (USAID) shall encourage
incorporation of activities to counter trafficking in persons
(C-TIP) into broader assistance programming. The
Administrator shall--
(1) determine a reasonable definition for the term ``C-TIP
Incorporated Development Programs'', which shall at a minimum
include any programming to address economic development,
education, democracy and governance, food security, and
humanitarian assistance that the Administrator determines
includes a sufficient counter-trafficking in persons element
incorporated in the program design or delivery;
(2) encourage that any program design or delivery that may
directly serve victims of trafficking in persons is age-
appropriate, linguistically accessible, culturally
responsive, and survivor- and trauma-informed, and provides
opportunities for anonymous and voluntary feedback from the
beneficiaries receiving such services;
(3) encourage that each USAID mission incorporates a
counter-trafficking in persons perspective and specific
approaches into development programs, project design, and
methods for program monitoring and evaluation, when
addressing a range of development issues, including--
(A) economic development;
(B) education;
(C) democracy and governance;
(D) food security; and
(E) humanitarian assistance;
(4) implement robust training and disseminate tools around
the incorporation of a counter-trafficking perspective and
awareness in the day-to-day work of development
professionals; and
(5) encourage subsequent Country Development Cooperation
Strategies include a counter-trafficking in persons analytic
component to guide future project design and promote the
inclusion of counter-trafficking elements in project design,
implementation, monitoring, and evaluation required for Tier
2 Watch List and Tier 3 countries (as such terms are defined
for purposes of section 110 of the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107), as amended).
[[Page H567]]
SEC. 204. COUNTER-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS EFFORTS IN
DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AND ASSISTANCE POLICY.
The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.)
is amended--
(1) in section 102(b)(4) (22 U.S.C. 2151-1(b)(4))--
(A) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(H) effective counter-trafficking in persons policies and
programs.''; and
(2) in section 492(d)(1) (22 U.S.C. 2292a(d)(1))--
(A) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``;
and'';
(B) by striking ``that the funds'' and inserting the
following:-- ``that
``(A) the funds''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) in carrying out the provisions of this chapter, the
President shall, to the greatest extent possible--
``(i) ensure that assistance made available under this
section does not create or contribute to conditions that can
be reasonably expected to result in an increase in
trafficking in persons who are in conditions of heightened
vulnerability as a result of natural and manmade disasters;
and
``(ii) integrate appropriate protections into the planning
and execution of activities authorized under this chapter.''.
SEC. 205. CLARIFICATION OF NONHUMANITARIAN, NONTRADE-RELATED
FOREIGN ASSISTANCE.
(a) Clarification of Scope of Withheld Assistance.--Section
110(d)(1)(A) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of
2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107(d)(1)(A)) is amended to read as follows:
``(A) the United States will not provide nonhumanitarian,
nontrade-related foreign assistance to the central government
of the country, or any funding to facilitate the
participation by officials or employees of such central
government in educational and cultural exchange programs,
before the end of the first fiscal year beginning after such
government complies with the minimum standards or makes
significant efforts to bring itself into compliance; and''.
(b) Definition of Nonhumanitarian, Nontrade-related
Assistance.--Section 103(10) of the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102(10)) is amended to
read as follows:
``(10) Nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related foreign
assistance.--
``(A) In general.--The term `nonhumanitarian, nontrade-
related foreign assistance' means United States foreign
assistance, other than--
``(i) with respect to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961--
``(I) assistance for international narcotics and law
enforcement under chapter 8 of part I of such Act (22 U.S.C.
2291 et seq.);
``(II) assistance for International Disaster Assistance
under subsections (b) and (c) of section 491 of such Act (22
U.S.C. 2292);
``(III) antiterrorism assistance under chapter 8 of part II
of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2349aa et seq.); and
``(IV) health programs under chapters 1 and 10 of part I
and chapter 4 of part II of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2151 et
seq.);
``(ii) assistance under the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C.
1691 et seq.);
``(iii) assistance under sections 2(a) through (c) of the
Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 (22 U.S.C.
2601(a)-(c)) to meet refugee and migration needs;
``(iv) any form of United States foreign assistance
provided through nongovernmental organizations, international
organizations, or private sector partners--
``(I) to combat human and wildlife trafficking;
``(II) to promote food security;
``(III) to respond to emergencies;
``(IV) to provide humanitarian assistance;
``(V) to address basic human needs, including for
education;
``(VI) to advance global health security; or
``(VII) to promote trade;
``(v) any other form of United States foreign assistance
that the President determines, by not later than October 1 of
each fiscal year, is necessary to advance the security,
economic, humanitarian, or global health interests of the
United States without compromising the country's steadfast
commitment to combating human trafficking globally; or
``(vi) sales, or financing on any terms, under the Arms
Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.), other than sales
or financing provided for narcotics-related purposes
following notification in accordance with the prior
notification procedures applicable to reprogramming pursuant
to section 634A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2394-1).
``(B) Exclusions.--The term `nonhumanitarian, nontrade-
related foreign assistance' also excludes payments to, or the
participation of, government entities necessary or incidental
to the implementation of a program that is otherwise
consistent with section 110 of this Act.''.
SEC. 206. TRAFFICKING FOR THE PURPOSES OF ORGAN HARVESTING.
Section 110(b)(1) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act
of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107(b)(1)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (G), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (H), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (H) the following:
``(I) information about the trafficking in persons for the
purpose of organ removal, including cases and steps
governments are undertaking to prevent, identify, and
eliminate such trafficking.''.
SEC. 207. ELIMINATION OF DUPLICATIVE REPORTING.
Sec. 106(b)(6)(C) of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade
Priorities and Accountability Act, P.L. 114-26, as added by
Sec. 914(e)(1) of the Trade Facilitation and Trade
Enforcement Act, P.L. 114-125 (19 U.S.C. 4205(b)(6)(C)), is
hereby repealed.
TITLE III--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
SEC. 301. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATIONS UNDER THE VICTIMS OF
TRAFFICKING AND VIOLENCE PROTECTION ACT OF
2000.
Section 113 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of
2000 (22 U.S.C. 7110) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``for each of the fiscal
years 2018 through 2021, $13,822,000'' and inserting ``for
each of the fiscal years 2024 through 2028, $17,000,000'';
(2) in subsection (b)(1)--
(A) by striking ``To carry out the purposes of sections
106(b) and 107(b),'' and inserting ``To carry out the
purposes of sections 106(b) and 107(b) of this Act and
sections 101 and 102 of the Frederick Douglass Trafficking
Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of
2023,''; and
(B) by striking ``$19,500,000'' and all that follows, and
inserting ``$25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2024
through 2028, of which $5,000,000 is authorized to be
appropriated in each fiscal year for the National Human
Trafficking Hotline and for cybersecurity and public
education campaigns, in consultation with the Secretary of
Homeland Security, for identifying and responding as needed
to cases of human trafficking.'';
(3) in subsection (c)(1)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
``2018 through 2021, $65,000,000'' and inserting ``2024
through 2028, $116,400,000'';
(4) in subsection (c) by adding at the end the following
new paragraphs:
``(3) Programs to end modern slavery.--Of the amounts
authorized by paragraph (1) to be appropriated for a fiscal
year, not more than $37,500,000 may be made available to fund
programs to end modern slavery.
``(4) Programs at the usaid.--Of the amount authorized to
be appropriated by paragraph (1), $22,000,000 is authorized
to be made available each fiscal year to the United States
Agency for International Development, of which $2,000,000 is
authorized to be allocated for countering trafficking in
persons from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.'';
and
(5) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ``2018 through 2021''
and inserting ``2024 through 2028, of which $35,000,000 is
authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year for the
Office of Victims of Crime Housing Assistance Grants for
Victims of Human Trafficking''.
SEC. 302. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATIONS UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL
MEGAN'S LAW.
Section 11 of the International Megan's Law to Prevent
Child Exploitation and Other Sexual Crimes Through Advanced
Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders (34 U.S.C. 21509) is
amended by striking ``2018 through 2021'' and inserting
``2024 through 2028''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms.
Manning) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. 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
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, more than 20 years ago, the U.S. Congress approved and
the President signed historic legislation that I authored known as the
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, a comprehensive, whole-of-
government initiative to combat sex and labor trafficking in the United
States and around the world.
The TVPA created a bold, new domestic and international antihuman
trafficking strategy and established numerous new programs to protect
victims, prosecute traffickers, and to the extent possible, prevent
human trafficking in the first place--what we call the three Ps.
Though it is hard to believe now, the TVPA was met with a wall of
skepticism and opposition--dismissed by
[[Page H568]]
many as a solution in search of a problem. For most people at that
time, including some lawmakers, the term ``trafficking'' applied almost
exclusively to drugs and weapons, not to human beings.
Reports of vulnerable persons, especially women and children, being
reduced to commodities for sale were often met with surprise,
incredulity, or indifference.
The bill was finally signed into law on October 28, 2000, and within
a year after enactment, no one was arguing anymore that the Trafficking
Victims Protection Act's integrated 3Ps strategy--prevention,
protection for victims, and prosecution of the traffickers--was flawed,
unworkable, unnecessary, or counterproductive.
The TVPA included several sea change criminal code reforms, including
treating as a victim--and not a perpetrator of a crime--anyone
exploited by a commercial sex act who had not attained the age of 18
and anyone older where there was an element of force, fraud, or
coercion.
The TVPA radically reformed the U.S. criminal code to authorize asset
confiscation, as well as jail sentences of up to life imprisonment.
Thousands of human traffickers have been prosecuted and jailed
pursuant to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, including--although
he never came to trial--all charges brought against Jeffrey Epstein.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the number of persons
prosecuted for human trafficking more than doubled from 2011 to 2021--
from 729 persons to 1,672 persons, respectively.
Among its many provisions, the Act also created the President's
Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons,
the U.S. State Department's Trafficking in Persons Office, and the
annual TIP Report. I encourage my colleagues to look at it and read it,
at least when they are traveling, especially, or meeting with
delegations from other countries. Read the TIP Report and find out
where that country that you are going to visit or whose lawmakers or
diplomats you are going to meet, where they stand in terms of what they
are doing with regards to trafficking.
It also calls for serious and sustained efforts to eliminate human
trafficking. If they don't, and if they have a really horrific record,
they get put on Tier 3 for egregious violators, and they are subject to
sanctions.
{time} 1815
Over the years, I have authored four additional laws, including in
2003, 2005, 2016--that was the International Megan's Law--and in 2019,
Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Act.
We are reauthorizing that and the underlying TVPA today.
Today, the House considers a 5-year reauthorization named after and
in honor of the great abolitionist and civil rights leader, Frederick
Douglass.
Special thanks are in order to our original cosponsors, including
Chairman McCaul; subcommittee Ranking Member Susan Wild; as well as
Kathy Manning, who is managing over on the Democratic side tonight; Ann
Wagner; Henry Cuellar; Joe Wilson; Amata Radewagen; and Michael
Burgess, all original cosponsors of the bill.
A special thank you to the extraordinarily talented staffers,
including Mary Vigil, to my left, who did an amazing job on this;
Janice Kaguyutan; Mary Noonan; Doug Anderson; and survivors Bella
Hanoukey and Robert Lung, who also provided tremendous insight.
A heartfelt thanks to the over 20 organizations that have provided
insight, recommendations, and have endorsed this legislation.
Terry FitzPatrick, for example, the director of the Alliance to End
Slavery and Trafficking, a consortium of various groups, has said on
behalf of them: The U.S. has the world's most comprehensive
governmental effort to fight human trafficking, and this law is the
reason why. It is the blueprint for comprehensive action at home and
abroad. Updating and reauthorizing the act is essential to maintaining
America's leadership.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops strongly endorsed
the legislation and asked Congress to approve the measure ``without
further delay.'' Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso stated: We must unite to
identify and address conditions that lead to human trafficking and
promote efforts to prevent it.
A great big thank you to Kenneth Morris. This man is the great-great-
great-grandson of Frederick Douglass and the great-great grandson of
Booker T. Washington. He runs a group called Family Initiatives, and he
has been such a great source and inspiration for this legislation.
He has said that this legislation, named after his ancestor,
emphasizes education and resilience as an effective means to prevent
human trafficking among children, prevent retrafficking of survivors,
and provide support and hope to survivors in their journeys toward
self-empowerment.
Mr. Morris goes on to say: In the words of my great-great-great
grandfather and the great American abolitionist Fred Douglass:
Enslavement is a scourge on humanity. To expose it is to kill it.
Slavery is one of those monsters of darkness to whom the light of truth
is death. Expose slavery, he goes on to say, and it dies.
He goes on to say: This wisdom is in the form of human trafficking,
which is modern-day slavery. Since 2008, he points out that they have
helped and trained 60,000 adults and 500,000 children in the skills of
keeping themselves safe from harm.
This legislation has provisions in it to make our young people
situationally aware, from elementary and secondary school, so that
everyone knows what the traffickers do, how horrible their schemes are,
their nefarious organizations, what they do with drugs, and other ways
of enticing young people. The next thing you know, they are trafficked
and are in modern-day slavery.
Let me also point out that the bill seeks to promote, as I said,
situational awareness. It also authorizes survivors' employment,
housing, and education programs. It authorizes a program for housing.
One of the things we find is that when a woman or a man--most are
women--are liberated, where do they go? They need help. We do have
programs in existence. This will redirect some of those funds to help
them get a house, a home, so that they are less likely and less
vulnerable to being retrafficked.
It makes scalable programs through training of the trainers, in
collaboration with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It
encourages the usage of prevention efforts to include accessible, age-
appropriate, and trauma-informed approaches for USAID beneficiaries and
further incorporates counter-trafficking efforts across our development
portfolio.
We know for a fact that it is a problem in developing countries,
where sometimes even the peacekeepers engage. I had hearings and worked
on it. There was another one the other day that John James chaired
about peacekeepers, the fact that sometimes they become the ones who
engage in trafficking and abuse young people.
It streamlines statutory language for the Tier 2 Watch List and
reauthorizes the Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat
Trafficking in Persons.
There is also language in it about organ harvesting. Last March, we
passed legislation to really combat this horrible organ harvesting
debacle where, especially in China, they are killing 28-year-olds, the
average age, whether it be Falun Gong or Uyghurs, to steal their
hearts, lungs, and livers, especially livers. Unfortunately, it is a
big business for the Chinese Communist Party, so we put language in
this that will be part of the TIP report.
It also reauthorizes the International Megan's Law. What is that?
Back in 1994, a little girl who used to be in my district, Hamilton
Township, New Jersey, was killed by a convicted pedophile who was out
of prison and lived across the street, who buried her after horribly
abusing her.
Every one of our States has a Megan's law, and they work really well.
We found that many of the convicted pedophiles get a passport and
travel in child sex tourism.
I wrote a law that took 8 years to get passed. Three times it passed
in the House. The Senate did not want to hear about it, but it finally
got passed. That said a number of things, including before they travel,
these individuals have
[[Page H569]]
to register with the U.S. Government, and we inform the country of
destination that they soon will be coming. If they want to say no, you
can't come in, that is exactly what happens; they don't get to go to
that country.
It is run by the Angel Watch Center. They do a magnificent job and I
thank them. The law is working. According to Homeland Security
Investigations, HSI, the U.S. Government has notified foreign
governments of the planned travel of 27,679 covered sex offenders, and
it has not been in effect that long. As of late January, 9,489
individuals convicted of sex crimes against children were denied entry
into those nations.
We have taken the secrecy out of traveling, to some extent, and these
countries are empowered to say: Look who is coming. You are not getting
in to abuse our children.
We also put language in it that allows for stamping the passport to
make sure that if they do lie and they get in, it is on the passport
that they are a covered sex offender.
Mr. Speaker, I have much more to say, but I reserve the balance of my
time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC, November 29, 2023.
Hon. Michael McCaul,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman McCaul: I write regarding H.R. 5856, the
Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and
Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023. Provisions of this
bill fall within the Judiciary Committee's Rule X
jurisdiction, and I appreciate that you consulted with us on
those provisions. The Judiciary Committee agrees that it
shall be discharged from further consideration of the bill so
that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor.
The Committee takes this action with the understanding that
forgoing further consideration of this measure does not in
any way alter the Committee's jurisdiction or waive any
future jurisdictional claim over these provisions or their
subject matter. We also reserve the right to seek appointment
of an appropriate number of conferees in the event of a
conference with the Senate involving this measure or similar
legislation.
I ask that you please include this letter in your
committee's report to accompany this legislation or insert
this letter in the Congressional Record during consideration
of H.R. 5856 on the House floor. I appreciate the cooperative
manner in which our committees have worked on this matter,
and I look forward to working collaboratively in the future
on matters of shared jurisdiction. Thank you for your
attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Jim Jordan,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC, February 8, 2024.
Hon. Jim Jordan,
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Jordan: Thank you for consulting with the
Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from
further consideration of H.R. 5856. the Frederick Douglass
Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization
Act of 2023, so that the measure may proceed expeditiously to
the House floor.
I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure
does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of
your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives
on this measure or similar legislation in the future. I would
support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate
number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate
conference on this legislation.
I will seek to place our letters on this bill into the
Congressional Record during floor consideration. I appreciate
your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward
to continuing to work together as this measure moves through
the legislative process.
Sincerely,
Michael T. McCaul,
Chairman.
____
Committee on Education and the Workforce, U.S. House of
Representatives,
Washington, DC, December 5, 2023.
Hon. Michael McCaul,
Chairman, Foreign Affairs,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC
Dear Chairman McCaul: This letter is in regard to the
jurisdictional interest of the Committee on Education and the
Workforce in matters being considered in H.R. 5856, the
Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and
Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023.
In recognition of the desire to expedite consideration of
H.R. 5856, the Committee on Education and the Workforce
agrees to waive formal consideration of the bill as to
provisions, sections 101 and 102, which fall within the rule
X jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and the
Workforce. The Committee takes this action with the mutual
understanding that we do not waive any jurisdiction over the
subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and
that the Committee will be appropriately consulted and
involved as this bill or similar legislation moves forward so
that we may address any remaining issues within our
jurisdiction.
Our Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment
of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate
conference involving this or similar legislation, and
requests your support for any such request.
Finally, I respectfully request a response to this letter
confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 5856, as
amended, and ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on
this matter be included in your committee's report to
accompany the legislation and/or in the Congressional Record
during floor consideration thereof.
Sincerely,
Virginia Foxx,
Chairwoman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC, February 8, 2024.
Hon. Virginia Foxx,
Chairwoman, Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairwoman Foxx: Thank you for consulting with the
Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from
further consideration of H.R. 5856, the Frederick Douglass
Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization
Act of 2023, so that the measure may proceed expeditiously to
the House floor.
I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure
does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of
your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives
on this measure or similar legislation in the future. I would
support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate
number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate
conference on this legislation.
I will seek to place our letters on this bill into the
Congressional Record during floor consideration. I appreciate
your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward
to continuing to work together as this measure moves through
the legislative process.
Sincerely,
Michael T. McCaul,
Chairman.
Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5856. I was proud to
help introduce this bipartisan bill alongside my good friend and one of
the colleagues with whom I have worked closest with in Congress,
Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey, as well as my dear friend
Representative Susan Wild, to reauthorize the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000.
Congress has reauthorized this important bill several times, in 2003,
2006, 2008, 2013, and most recently in 2019. This legislation serves as
a reminder that Congress has long played and will continue to play a
critical role in advancing U.S. interests and global efforts to combat
and eliminate human trafficking.
I thank Representative Smith for having authored the first modern
U.S. anti-trafficking bill and its subsequent reauthorizations and for
his tireless work fighting to do the right thing to protect those who
have been dehumanized by forced labor and sexual exploitation. We are
deeply grateful for his leadership and are also proud to partner with
him not only in elevating this issue but also in saving lives and
protecting vulnerable people around the world, which is what this
legislation has done.
Today, we build on the successes and the lessons learned over the
last decades. This bill is a 5-year reauthorization of important
counter-trafficking programs, and it also modernizes vital prevention,
protection, and prosecution tools to eradicate this billion-dollar
criminal enterprise and save countless lives from this egregious
violation of human rights.
This bill saves lives, and it is a bipartisan cause. It is not about
politics. This is about doing the right thing. It is about our common
humanity. It is about protecting those who have been subjected to
unspeakable crimes.
The Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection
Reauthorization Act builds on the decades of efforts to combat human
trafficking, modernizing prevention, protection, and prosecution tools.
This 5-year reauthorization of counter-trafficking programs will be
critical for U.S. efforts around the globe to eliminate the human
trafficking industry.
I, again, thank my good friend, Representative Chris Smith, for his
lifetime of work on this issue. It has made a real difference. This
reauthorization will continue to make a difference for years to come by
building on the lessons learned since he introduced the
[[Page H570]]
first modern anti-trafficking bill in 2000.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5856,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of
my time.
I thank my good friend and colleague for her efforts. We have worked
together on so many human rights issues, including combating anti-
Semitism and other important human rights issues and trafficking. She
was a star when we had our hearings on this. I thank her for her
eloquent defense of the victims, as well as trying to stop the
perpetrators of these horrible crimes.
At a congressional hearing--one of the ones I was talking about just
now with my good friend and colleague--that I chaired last May, a woman
by the name of Gina Cavallo, an amazing, courageous woman from my home
State of New Jersey, told us how she suffered unspeakable violence,
including rape, beatings, coercive drug abuse, and other torture as her
traffickers sold her like a commodity from one buyer to another.
This is only a part of her testimony, but it goes right to the heart
of what we are talking about. She testified: ``It is so critical that
survivors are heard.'' She said that the Frederick Douglass Act is a
result of listening. We listened to her and other human trafficking
victims, and much of what we have here tonight has been informed by
their insights.
Gina Cavallo told us that she is a survivor of domestic violence and
childhood abuse.
That experience as a child led me to a place where I felt
ashamed, unloved, and rejected. It also led me to being
trafficked.
Force, fraud, and coercion were all used by someone who
pretended to be my friend but ultimately abducted me into
being trafficked. For nearly 2 years from the age of 18, I
was prostituted and sold to the highest bidder and raped over
and over again.
My identity was taken, as I was given a new name. Sleep
deprivation, threats of violence, pornography, drugs, and
food were all used as punishment and reward, leading to my
traffickers taking psychological control over me.
Does this sound like anything that a young person dreams of for their
future? Being stripped and robbed of your mind and body, your humanity,
your dignity, and respect?
{time} 1830
She goes on to say:
I became a commodity to be used for others' gain. But I
often blamed myself for my situation because I believed it
was my fault.
Mr. Speaker, I have heard this. I know my good friend, Karen, has
heard this, as well as other Members in this Chamber. So often the
trafficking victims say: Oh, it is my fault.
It is not. They have been coerced, deceived, and drugged often into
this terrible, terrible trafficking situation.
She goes on to say:
As a victim, I was taught to distrust family and friends,
and, especially, law enforcement. The more they isolated me,
the more fear I felt and the more control they gained, which
is very intentional.
It took decades for me to identify that I was a victim. I
learned through counseling and by my continuous healing
journey that what happened to me wasn't my fault.
As a victim, I was left with a lifetime sentence: ruined
relationships, addiction, hospital visits, suicide attempts,
lack of jobs and education--and also left with shame and
fear.
In her testimony, Gina said:
But what you especially can do as lawmakers is to ensure
that in every aspect of your work to end trafficking that you
put forward measures mandating widespread survivor-informed
and trauma-informed training.
She goes on:
We need to create a safer country where people can come
forward without stigma to reveal their experiences. No one
should feel the double victimization of being trafficked, as
well as feeling that they stay silent because of shame, fear,
and not feeling safe.
Today, Gina is a brave survivor with an indomitable spirit. She works
in coalitions, including the New Jersey Coalition Against Human
Trafficking and others, and she speaks to many school assemblies.
Mr. Speaker, believe me, when she speaks, those students listen.
In writing the Frederick Douglass Act, we listened to her and others,
and we were moved. Of course, it helped us get it right. Again, that
situational training is at the core of this particular bill to educate
our young people.
I say to all my colleagues that there are curricula out there, and
the Frederick Douglass Foundation has curricula. Go to your schools and
go to your police departments and say: Please, will you take a look at
this and have a day or two or more of training so that the young people
of elementary and secondary age, and it also applies to college and
higher education, that they know how to defend themselves, and if they
see a friend at risk to intervene quickly before the traffickers get
them on drugs and hurt them and hurt them severely.
Mr. Speaker, I see we are pretty much out of time, so I urge a
``yes'' vote on this legislation.
``One of the most important things I tell fellow survivors
is, `You are not alone,' '' said Judge Robert Lung, former
Chair of the US Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. ``The
TVPRA is your opportunity to tell survivors, `You are not
alone, you matter and Congress cares.' Those may be the most
life changing and important words spoken in this legislative
session. May God continue to bless Congress.''
``I am proud of Congressman Smith and his staff for
drafting H.R. 5856, the Frederick Douglass Trafficking
Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of
2023,'' said Bella Hounakey, survivor leader, expert and
member of US Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. ``I feel
very empowered and I am convinced that while I can't make a
difference alone, I'm renewed and rejoice that there are
organizations and politicians like Mr. Smith who are running
towards survivors, instead of away from them. H.R. 5856 would
continue to give voice and space for ethical storytelling to
ensure that the public is well informed and prepared to act,
and that survivors deserve our undivided attention and
support. H.R. 5856 would allow survivors to develop their--
our narrative, one that is tailored to the unique needs and
sensitivities of our community while continuing to fight
trafficking in all its forms.''
``The Frederick Douglass TVPRA of 2023 is essential for
maintaining and improving the US response to the heinous
crime of human trafficking. As a country we mustn't slow down
the critical work we're doing to punish criminals and ensure
that those victimized are given access to support and
justice.''--Gina Cavallo, Survivor Consultant for New Jersey
Coalition Against Human Trafficking
``Human trafficking is a heinous crime that robs
individuals of their dignity, freedom, and basic human
rights,'' said Ashlie Bryant, CEO, 3Strands Global
Foundation. ``The Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims
Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023 is a
critical step in our ongoing efforts to combat modern
slavery. By reauthorizing and strengthening the Trafficking
Victims Protection Act of 2000, we reaffirm our commitment to
preventing trafficking, protecting survivors, and prosecuting
perpetrators. This legislation underscores the importance of
comprehensive, coordinated efforts to address trafficking
both domestically and internationally, reflecting our
collective responsibility to uphold human dignity and ensure
justice for all.''
``In 2000, Congress passed the groundbreaking Trafficking
Victims Protection Act (TVPA)--the first comprehensive
federal law to address human trafficking,'' said Sharon Payt,
Vice President of US Corporate and Government Partnerships,
International Justice Mission. ``In the over two decades
since, the anti-trafficking movement has expanded and
strengthened with continued, bipartisan leadership from
Congress and the US government, including formation of the
State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking
in Persons. Reauthorizing the TVPA is an important signal to
our global neighbors that the US government remains committed
to ending human trafficking. IJM is grateful to Congressman
Chris Smith for his persistent dedication to this crucial
issue.''
``The US has the world's most comprehensive governmental
effort to fight human trafficking, and this law is the reason
why,'' said Terry FitzPatrick, Director, Alliance to End
Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST). ``It's the blueprint for
comprehensive action at home and abroad. Updating and
reauthorizing the act is essential to maintaining America's
leadership.''
``Hope for Justice supports the TVPA because of the robust
opportunities it provides trafficking survivors to reenter
society in a meaningful and deserved way. As a global
organization, we are particularly thrilled with the section
that addresses fighting human trafficking abroad that would
allow for increased opportunity for grant funding, and
expansion of prevention efforts internationally. We have seen
immense results from our programs globally, and this bill
will help organizations like ours continue to impact
survivors worldwide. This horrific criminal enterprise has
left so many survivors in its wake, and it's time we give
them the support they deserve to flourish as they heal.''--
Sarah Butler, U.S. Program Director, Hope for Justice
``The Frederick Douglass TVPA's Employment and Education
Program stands as a
[[Page H571]]
proven testament to the transformative impact of second
chances for trafficking survivors. With provisions for job
training, education, expungement assistance, scholarships,
and case management, this initiative stands to positively
shape the lives, families, and communities of survivors by
offering hope and opportunity after the trauma of human
trafficking.''--Tasha Kennard, CEO, Thistle Farms
``Empowering our educators and equipping our youth with the
tools to recognize and prevent human trafficking,
exploitation, and abuse is not just a moral imperative; it's
a strategic necessity. The Frederick Douglass TVPA bill
provides vital resources through grants for prevention
education, enabling the frontlines of our education system to
get ahead of trafficking before it ensnares another innocent
life. This is why The Foundation United is dedicated to this
effort and why we vehemently support this bill. Prevention is
the only way to get upstream and eradicate this grave human
rights violation.''--Elizabeth Fisher Good, CEO, The
Foundation United
``The Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection
Reauthorization Act is a flagship piece of human rights
legislation, and one that is critical to combat the scourge
and horror of human trafficking. Every man, woman, and child
is made in the image of God, and every effort to compel or
coerce someone into labor or commercial sex is an
abomination. The dark underbelly of this global illness must
be brought into the light and exposed, so that justice can be
applied. It is imperative that the United States be a part of
the solution in this area, not the problem.''--Travis Weber,
Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs, Family
Research Council
``Congressman Smith's TVPA has shaped the domestic and
international anti-trafficking landscape since 2000 creating
empowering programs for survivors and strengthening efforts
to prosecute traffickers. Since 2018 his law has been named
after my ancestor, Frederick Douglass, thereby emphasizing
education and resilience as effective means to prevent human
trafficking among children, prevent re-trafficking of
survivors, and provide support and hope to survivors in their
journeys toward self-empowerment.
In the words of my great-great-great grandfather and the
great American abolitionist Frederick Douglass--enslavement
is a scourge on humanity that ``to expose it is to kill it.
Slavery is one of those monsters of darkness to whom the
light of truth is death. Expose slavery, and it dies.''
This wisdom holds to today in the form of human
trafficking, the modern-day slavery. Since 2008 we have
provided anti-trafficking education programming and trained
more than 60,000 adults and over 500,000 children teaching
them to be aware of human trafficking and learn the skills to
keep themselves safe from harm.
It is after all ``easier to build strong children than to
repair broken men.'' Passage of the Smith/Wild bill will
allow us and many other organizations to continue the
necessary work of combatting human trafficking and honoring
the lives of so many effected by it in the U.S. and abroad.''
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ellzey). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5856, as amended.
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. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, this 15-
minute vote on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 5856, as
amended, will be followed by 5-minute votes on:
Motion to reconsider H. Res. 863; and
Adoption of H. Res. 863, if ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 414,
nays 11, not voting 6, as follows:
[Roll No. 41]
YEAS--414
Adams
Aderholt
Aguilar
Alford
Allen
Allred
Amo
Amodei
Armstrong
Arrington
Auchincloss
Babin
Bacon
Baird
Balderson
Balint
Banks
Barr
Barragan
Bean (FL)
Beatty
Bentz
Bera
Bergman
Beyer
Bice
Biggs
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NC)
Blumenauer
Blunt Rochester
Boebert
Bonamici
Bost
Bowman
Boyle (PA)
Brown
Brownley
Buchanan
Bucshon
Budzinski
Burchett
Burgess
Burlison
Bush
Calvert
Cammack
Caraveo
Carbajal
Cardenas
Carey
Carl
Carson
Carter (GA)
Carter (LA)
Carter (TX)
Cartwright
Casar
Case
Casten
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chavez-DeRemer
Cherfilus-McCormick
Ciscomani
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Cleaver
Cline
Cloud
Clyburn
Cohen
Cole
Collins
Comer
Connolly
Correa
Costa
Courtney
Craig
Crane
Crawford
Crenshaw
Crockett
Crow
Cuellar
Curtis
D'Esposito
Davids (KS)
Davidson
Davis (IL)
Davis (NC)
De La Cruz
Dean (PA)
DeGette
DeLauro
DelBene
Deluzio
DeSaulnier
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Dingell
Doggett
Donalds
Duarte
Duncan
Dunn (FL)
Edwards
Ellzey
Emmer
Escobar
Eshoo
Espaillat
Estes
Evans
Ezell
Fallon
Feenstra
Ferguson
Finstad
Fischbach
Fitzgerald
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Fletcher
Flood
Foster
Foushee
Foxx
Franklin, Scott
Frost
Fry
Fulcher
Gaetz
Gallagher
Gallego
Garbarino
Garcia (IL)
Garcia (TX)
Garcia, Mike
Garcia, Robert
Gimenez
Golden (ME)
Goldman (NY)
Gomez
Gonzales, Tony
Gonzalez, Vicente
Good (VA)
Gooden (TX)
Gosar
Gottheimer
Granger
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Green (TN)
Green, Al (TX)
Griffith
Grijalva
Grothman
Guest
Guthrie
Harder (CA)
Harris
Harshbarger
Hayes
Hern
Higgins (LA)
Hill
Himes
Hinson
Horsford
Houchin
Houlahan
Hoyer
Hoyle (OR)
Hudson
Huffman
Huizenga
Hunt
Issa
Ivey
Jackson (IL)
Jackson (NC)
Jackson (TX)
Jackson Lee
Jacobs
James
Jayapal
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (LA)
Johnson (SD)
Jordan
Joyce (OH)
Joyce (PA)
Kamlager-Dove
Kaptur
Kean (NJ)
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kelly (MS)
Kelly (PA)
Khanna
Kiggans (VA)
Kildee
Kiley
Kilmer
Kim (CA)
Kim (NJ)
Krishnamoorthi
Kuster
Kustoff
LaHood
LaLota
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Landsman
Langworthy
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latta
LaTurner
Lawler
Lee (CA)
Lee (FL)
Lee (NV)
Lee (PA)
Leger Fernandez
Lesko
Letlow
Levin
Lieu
Lofgren
Loudermilk
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Luna
Luttrell
Lynch
Mace
Magaziner
Malliotakis
Maloy
Mann
Manning
Matsui
McBath
McCaul
McClain
McClellan
McCollum
McCormick
McGarvey
McGovern
McHenry
Meeks
Menendez
Meng
Meuser
Mfume
Miller (IL)
Miller (OH)
Miller (WV)
Miller-Meeks
Mills
Molinaro
Moolenaar
Mooney
Moore (AL)
Moore (UT)
Moore (WI)
Moran
Morelle
Moskowitz
Moulton
Mrvan
Mullin
Murphy
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Neguse
Nehls
Newhouse
Nickel
Norcross
Nunn (IA)
Obernolte
Ocasio-Cortez
Ogles
Omar
Owens
Pallone
Palmer
Panetta
Pappas
Pascrell
Payne
Pelosi
Peltola
Pence
Perez
Peters
Pettersen
Pfluger
Phillips
Pingree
Pocan
Porter
Posey
Pressley
Quigley
Ramirez
Raskin
Reschenthaler
Rodgers (WA)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rose
Ross
Rouzer
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Rutherford
Ryan
Salinas
Sanchez
Sarbanes
Scalise
Scanlon
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schneider
Scholten
Schrier
Schweikert
Scott (VA)
Scott, Austin
Scott, David
Sessions
Sewell
Sherman
Sherrill
Simpson
Slotkin
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (WA)
Smucker
Sorensen
Soto
Spanberger
Spartz
Stansbury
Stanton
Stauber
Steel
Stefanik
Steil
Steube
Stevens
Strickland
Strong
Swalwell
Sykes
Takano
Tenney
Thanedar
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thompson (PA)
Tiffany
Timmons
Titus
Tlaib
Tokuda
Tonko
Torres (CA)
Torres (NY)
Trahan
Trone
Turner
Underwood
Valadao
Van Drew
Van Duyne
Van Orden
Vargas
Vasquez
Veasey
Velazquez
Wagner
Walberg
Waltz
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson Coleman
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Wexton
Wild
Williams (GA)
Williams (NY)
Williams (TX)
Wilson (FL)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Yakym
Zinke
NAYS--11
Brecheen
Buck
Clyde
Greene (GA)
Hageman
Massie
McClintock
Norman
Rosendale
Roy
Self
NOT VOTING--6
Chu
Frankel, Lois
Garamendi
Mast
Perry
Salazar
{time} 1902
Mr. ROSENDALE, Ms. HAGEMAN, and Mr. SELF changed their vote from
``yea'' to ``nay.''
Mr. BEYER changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and
the bill, as amended, was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
[[Page H572]]
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