[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 139 (Monday, September 9, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5091-H5093]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GLOBAL ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING ENHANCEMENT ACT
Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 7089) to authorize the Diplomatic Security Services of the
Department of State to investigate allegations of violations of conduct
constituting offenses under chapter 77 of title 18, United States Code,
and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 7089
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 ``Global Anti-Human
Trafficking Enhancement Act''.
SEC. 2. EXPANDING PROTECTION AND PROSECUTION EFFORTS AT THE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
(a) Investigation Authority.--The Secretary of State is
authorized to investigate transnational violations of chapter
77 of title 18, United States Code, in which part of the
offense conduct occurred outside the United States or
involved 1 or more foreign nationals.
(b) Authorities.--Section 37(a)(1) of the State Department
Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2709(a)(1)) is
amended--
(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``; or'' and inserting
a semicolon;
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D);
and
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new
subparagraph:
``(C) transnational violations of chapter 77 of title 18,
United States Code, in which any part of the offense conduct
occurred outside the United States or involved one or more
foreign nationals; or''.
SEC. 3. REPORT.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of
this Act, and annually thereafter for six years, the
Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate a report that includes each
of the following:
(1) The number of relevant cases opened and investigated by
the Diplomatic Security Service as a result of the additional
authorities granted by the amendments made by this Act.
(2) The percentage of the cases opened and investigated by
the Diplomatic Security
[[Page H5092]]
Service as a result of the additional authorities granted by
the amendments made by this Act that were referred for
further action, including prosecution.
(3) An assessment of the efficacy of the authorities
granted by the amendments made by this Act and whether such
authorities are sufficient to meaningfully contribute to
Department of State and broader United States Government
efforts to prosecute and prevent, where applicable, human
trafficking and transnational violations of chapter 77 of
title 18, United States Code.
(4) An assessment of whether the resources of the
Diplomatic Security Service are sufficient to effectively
carry out the objectives of this Act.
SEC. 4. SUNSET.
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall
terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and the provisions of law amended by
such amendments shall be restored as if such amendments had
not been enacted.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
American Samoa (Mrs. Radewagen) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina
(Ms. Manning) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from American Samoa.
General Leave
Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from American Samoa?
There was no objection.
Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support for H.R. 7089, the Global Anti-
Human Trafficking Enhancement Act, introduced by the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. James).
We all believe that people have inherent dignity and possess equal
human rights. Unfortunately, not everyone in the world respects that
dignity and those rights.
Each year, millions of individuals are exploited through human
trafficking. They are forced to work in dangerous, brutal jobs for
little or no pay. They are forced to engage in commercial sex. They are
forced to marry people they don't know or to join the Armed Forces
before the age of consent.
All of us here believe that human traffickers must be caught,
prosecuted, and punished to the full extent of the law. That is why the
Global Anti-Human Trafficking Enhancement Act is so necessary.
This bill authorizes the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic
Security to investigate criminal violations of U.S. Federal
antitrafficking statutes that occur overseas or involve foreign
persons.
Most people are not aware that Diplomatic Security is the most widely
represented U.S. law enforcement agency overseas, with agents operating
in over 270 foreign posts.
This new authority will serve as a force multiplier for the FBI and
foreign country law enforcement, who are on the front lines of pursuing
traffickers and protecting victims.
With this authority, Diplomatic Security agents would be able to
investigate the dozens of Federal antitrafficking cases every year that
currently are not pursued because of time and resource constraints at
FBI and other Federal law enforcement agencies that do not have people
in the far corners of the world.
This proposal has been lauded by the Department of Justice, advocacy
groups, and others. It responds to the National Action Plan's mandate
to increase trafficking prosecutions and fight modern slavery.
{time} 2015
It was adopted in the Foreign Affairs Committee by a unanimous
bipartisan vote of 46-0.
Let's empower our diplomatic security agents to assist in the mission
of investigating violations of U.S. anti-trafficking laws that have
overseas elements by passing H.R. 7089, the Global Anti-Human
Trafficking Enhancement Act.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7089, as
amended, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this important legislation authorizes the Diplomatic
Security Service of the Department of State to investigate allegations
of human trafficking crimes.
I thank Chairman McCaul and Representative James for their leadership
and for working with us on this legislation. I also thank the Bureau of
Diplomatic Security for engaging with the committee in a constructive
manner.
Human trafficking is a scourge on humanity. It is a grave violation
of human dignity and freedom, exploiting the most vulnerable among us,
including women and children.
The scale of this crime is staggering, with millions of people around
the world trapped in conditions of forced labor, sexual exploitation,
and unimaginable suffering.
These are not just statistics. They are real people with dreams,
families, and aspirations, all cruelly taken away by traffickers.
This bill is not just about expanding authority. It is about ensuring
that we have the capacity to act decisively and effectively. By
enhancing our ability to investigate these crimes, we can bring more
traffickers to justice and, more importantly, rescue and rehabilitate
more victims.
Mr. Speaker, the passage of H.R. 7089 is a moral imperative. It is
about standing up for the voiceless and ensuring that justice prevails.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this critical bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. James), chairman of the Foreign
Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and the author of this bill.
Mr. JAMES. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friends, Mrs. Radewagen and Ms.
Manning, for their support of this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of my bill, H.R. 7089, the
Global Anti-Human Trafficking Enhancement Act.
God's children are not for sale. Mr. Speaker, I am sure we can all
agree that human trafficking must be eradicated everywhere.
The effort behind this legislation is about confronting modern-day
slavery, a major stain, the worst stain, on humanity and decency.
My bill allows the State Department, specifically the Diplomatic
Security Service, to investigate instances of transnational human
trafficking. To clarify, a human trafficking violation is transnational
when part of the offense occurs outside of the United States or
involves one or more foreign nationals.
Currently, Diplomatic Security must account for document fraud to
allow them to start investigating these instances--minutiae,
bureaucracy, red tape. We are going to cut that red tape with this
bill.
My bill further complements current Federal law enforcement efforts
to prosecute these instances, given Diplomatic Security's global reach.
Differences in language and culture are commonly the greatest
barriers to successfully prosecuting these transnational trafficking
purveyors. Diplomatic Security is by far the most widely
internationally represented U.S. law enforcement agency, with agents
operating in over 270 posts all over the world.
I often hear: Why is America involved in different parts of this
world? Well, when it comes to the safety of our children, young adults,
the elderly, the most vulnerable around the world, American leadership
can do more to help bring justice to these victims.
According to the State Department: ``There are about 27.6 million
victims worldwide of human trafficking at any given time.'' Those are
just the ones we know about.
This evil and depraved industry preys on people of all ages,
backgrounds, and nationalities for their own profit--again,
particularly women, children, and people coming from impoverished
backgrounds.
God's will is clear. Luke 4:18-19 reads: The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recover sight to the
blind and set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the
year of the Lord's favor.
Mr. Speaker, my bill empowers our law enforcement to liberate the
oppressed and the captive, and I ask my colleagues to please support
H.R. 7089.
[[Page H5093]]
Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume
for the purpose of closing.
Human trafficking causes unimaginable suffering, and this bill
empowers the Diplomatic Security Service to extend its essential work
in investigating and combating these crimes, ensuring we can respond
quickly and effectively.
Our Diplomatic Security officers, with their unique global reach and
expertise, play a vital role in dismantling trafficking networks that
operate across borders.
H.R. 7089 is not just about expanding authority. It is about
delivering justice and hope to victims while holding traffickers
accountable.
Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this
important bill. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time,
and I again thank Mr. James and his bipartisan cosponsors for the bill
before us today.
We need to unlock the investigative potential at the U.S. State
Department. We need to give our Diplomatic Security agents the
authority to assist in the mission of catching criminals who violate
our anti-trafficking statutes.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support H.R. 7089, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from American Samoa (Mrs. Radewagen) that the House suspend
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 7089, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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