[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 200 (Monday, December 1, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H4919-H4923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS RELIEF ACT
Mr. FRY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 4323) to provide for the vacating of certain convictions and
expungement of certain arrests of victims of human trafficking, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4323
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 ``Trafficking Survivors Relief
Act''.
SEC. 2. FEDERAL EXPUNGEMENT FOR VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING.
(a) In General.--Chapter 237 of title 18, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 3771A. Motion to vacate; expungement; mitigating
factors
``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
``(1) the term `child' means an individual who has not
attained 18 years of age;
``(2) the term `covered prisoner' means an individual who--
``(A) was convicted of a level A offense or level B
offense;
``(B) was sentenced to a term of imprisonment for the
offense described in subparagraph (A); and
``(C) is, or was previously, imprisoned or incarcerated
under such sentence for a term of imprisonment;
``(3) the terms `employee' and `officer' have the meanings
given the terms in section 2105 of title 5;
``(4) the term `Federal offense' means an offense that is
punishable under Federal law;
``(5) the term `level A offense' means a Federal offense
that is not a violent crime;
``(6) the term `level B offense'--
``(A) means a Federal offense that is a violent crime; and
``(B) does not include a Federal offense that is a violent
crime of which a child was a victim;
``(7) the term `victim of trafficking' has the meaning
given that term in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102); and
``(8) the term `violent crime' has the meaning given the
term `crime of violence' in section 16(a) of this title.
``(b) Motions To Vacate Convictions or Expunge Arrests.--
``(1) In general.--
``(A) Convictions of level a offenses.--A person convicted
of any level A offense (or an attorney representing such a
person) may move the court that imposed the sentence for the
level A offense to vacate the judgment of conviction if the
level A offense was committed as a direct result of the
person having been a victim of trafficking.
``(B) Arrests for level a offenses.--A person arrested for
any level A offense (or an attorney representing such a
person) may move the district court of the United States for
the district and division embracing the place where the
person was arrested to expunge all records of the arrest if
the conduct or alleged conduct of the person that resulted in
the arrest was directly related to the person having been a
victim of trafficking.
``(C) Arrests for level b offenses.--A person arrested for
any level B offense (or an attorney representing such a
person) may move the district court of the United States for
the district and division embracing the place where the
person was arrested to expunge all records of the arrest if--
``(i) the conduct or alleged conduct of the movant that
resulted in the arrest was directly related to the movant
having been a victim of trafficking; and
``(ii)(I) the movant was acquitted of the level B offense;
``(II) the Government did not pursue, or the Government
moved to dismiss, criminal charges against the movant for the
level B offense; or
``(III)(aa) the charges against the movant for the level B
offense were reduced to an offense that is a level A offense;
and
``(bb) the movant was acquitted of the level A offense, the
Government did not pursue, or the Government moved to
dismiss, criminal charges against the movant for the level A
offense, or any subsequent conviction of the level A offense
was vacated.
``(2) Contents of motion.--A motion described in paragraph
(1) shall--
``(A) be in writing;
``(B) describe any supporting evidence;
``(C) state the offense; and
``(D) include copies of any documents showing that the
movant is entitled to relief under this section.
``(3) Hearing.--
``(A) Mandatory hearing.--
``(i) Motion in opposition.--Not later than 30 days after
the date on which a motion is filed under paragraph (1), the
Government may file a motion in opposition of the motion
filed under paragraph (1).
``(ii) Mandatory hearing.--If the Government files a motion
described in clause (i), not later than 15 days after the
date on which the motion is filed, the court shall hold a
hearing on the motion.
``(B) Discretionary hearing.--If the Government does not
file a motion described in subparagraph (A)(i), the court may
hold a hearing on the motion not later than 45 days after the
date on which a motion is filed under paragraph (1).
``(4) Factors.--
``(A) Vacating convictions of level a offenses.--The court
may grant a motion under paragraph (1)(A) if, after notice to
the Government and an opportunity to be heard, the court
finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that--
``(i) the movant was convicted of a level A offense; and
``(ii) the participation in the level A offense by the
movant was a direct result of the movant having been a victim
of trafficking.
``(B) Expunging arrests for level a offenses.--The court
may grant a motion under paragraph (1)(B) if, after notice to
the Government and an opportunity to be heard, the court
[[Page H4920]]
finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that--
``(i) the movant was arrested for a level A offense; and
``(ii) the conduct or alleged conduct that resulted in the
arrest was directly related to the movant having been a
victim of trafficking.
``(C) Expunging arrests for level b offenses.--The court
may grant a motion under paragraph (1)(C) if, after notice to
the Government and an opportunity to be heard, the court
finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that--
``(i) the movant was arrested for a level B offense and the
conduct or alleged conduct that resulted in the arrest was
directly related to the movant having been a victim of
trafficking; and
``(ii)(I) the movant was acquitted of the level B offense;
``(II) the Government did not pursue, or the Government
moved to dismiss, criminal charges against the movant for the
level B offense; or
``(III)(aa) the charges against the movant for the level B
offense were reduced to a level A offense; and
``(bb) the movant was acquitted of the level A offense, the
Government did not pursue, or the Government moved to
dismiss, criminal charges against the movant for the level A
offense, or any subsequent conviction of that level A offense
was vacated.
``(5) Supporting evidence.--
``(A) In general.--For purposes of this section, in
determining whether the movant is a victim of trafficking,
the court--
``(i) shall consider an affidavit or sworn testimony of an
anti-human trafficking service provider or clinician; and
``(ii) may consider any supporting evidence the court
determines is of sufficient credibility and probative value,
including sworn testimony from a law enforcement officer
detailing the role of the movant in coercing other victims of
trafficking into committing criminal offenses.
``(B) Affidavit or sworn testimony sufficient evidence.--
The affidavit or sworn testimony described in subparagraph
(A)(i) shall be sufficient evidence to vacate a conviction or
expunge an arrest under this section if the court determines
that--
``(i) the affidavit or sworn testimony is credible; and
``(ii) no other evidence is readily available.
``(6) Conviction or arrest of other persons not required.--
It shall not be necessary that any person other than the
movant be convicted of or arrested for an offense before the
movant may file a motion under paragraph (1).
``(7) Denial of motion.--
``(A) Finality.--If the court denies a motion filed under
paragraph (1), the denial shall be final, except as provided
under subparagraph (C) of this paragraph and subject to the
discovery of any new and compelling evidence or information.
``(B) Reasons for denial.--If the court denies a motion
filed under paragraph (1), the court shall state the reasons
for the denial in writing.
``(C) Reasonable time to cure deficiencies in motion.--If
the court denies a motion filed under paragraph (1) due to a
curable deficiency in the motion, the court shall allow the
movant sufficient time to cure the deficiency.
``(8) Appeal.--An order granting or denying a motion under
this section may be appealed in accordance with section 1291
of title 28.
``(c) Vacatur of Convictions.--
``(1) In general.--If the court grants a motion to vacate a
conviction of a level A offense under subsection (b), the
court shall immediately--
``(A) vacate the conviction for cause;
``(B) set aside the verdict and enter a judgment of
acquittal; and
``(C) enter an expungement order that directs that there be
expunged from all official records all references to--
``(i) the arrest of the movant for the level A offense;
``(ii) the institution of criminal proceedings against the
movant relating to the level A offense; and
``(iii) the results of the proceedings.
``(2) Limitation.--Nothing in this subsection requires a
court to amend or remove any fine or restitution order in a
criminal or civil proceeding.
``(3) Effect.--If a conviction is vacated under an order
entered under paragraph (1), the conviction shall not be
regarded as a conviction under Federal law and the movant for
whom the conviction was vacated shall be considered to have
the status occupied by the movant before the arrest or the
institution of the criminal proceedings related to such
conviction.
``(d) Expungement of Arrests.--
``(1) In general.--If the court grants a motion to expunge
all records of an arrest for an offense under subsection (b),
the court shall immediately enter an expungement order that
directs that there be expunged from all official records all
references to--
``(A) the arrest of the movant for the offense;
``(B) the institution of any criminal proceedings against
the movant relating to the offense; and
``(C) the results of the proceedings, if any.
``(2) Effect.--If an arrest is expunged under an order
entered under paragraph (1) the arrest shall not be regarded
as an arrest under Federal law and the movant for whom the
arrest is expunged shall be considered to have the status
occupied by the movant before the arrest or the institution
of the criminal proceedings related to such arrest, if any.
``(e) Mitigating Factors.--
``(1) In general.--The court that imposed sentence for a
level A offense or level B offense upon a covered prisoner
may reduce the term of imprisonment for the offense--
``(A) upon--
``(i) motion by the covered prisoner; or
``(ii) the court's own motion;
``(B) after notice to the Government;
``(C) after considering--
``(i) the factors set forth in section 3553(a);
``(ii) the nature and seriousness of the danger to any
person, if applicable; and
``(iii) the community, or any crime victims; and
``(D) if the court finds, by a preponderance of the
evidence, that the covered prisoner committed the offense as
a direct result of the covered prisoner having been a victim
of trafficking.
``(2) Requirement.--Any proceeding under this subsection
shall be subject to section 3771.
``(3) Particularized inquiry.--For any motion under
paragraph (1), the Government shall conduct a particularized
inquiry of the facts and circumstances of the original
sentencing of the covered prisoner in order to assess whether
a reduction in sentence would be consistent with this
section.
``(f) Additional Actions by Court.--The court shall, upon
granting a motion under this section, take any additional
action necessary to grant the movant full relief.
``(g) No Fees.--A person may not be required to pay a
filing fee, service charge, copay fee, processing fee, or any
other charge for filing a motion under this section.
``(h) Confidentiality of Movant.--
``(1) In general.--A motion under this section and any
documents, pleadings, or orders relating to the motion shall
be filed under seal.
``(2) Information not available for public inspection.--An
officer or employee may not make available for public
inspection any report, paper, picture, photograph, court
file, or other document, in the custody or possession of the
officer or employee, that identifies the movant.
``(i) Applicability.--This section shall apply to any
conviction or arrest occurring before, on, or after the date
of enactment of this section.''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of
sections of chapter 237 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``3771A. Motion to vacate; expungement; mitigating factors.''.
SEC. 3. REPORTS.
(a) United States Attorney Motions for Vacatur or
Expungement.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, each United States attorney shall
submit to the Attorney General a report that details--
(1) the number of motions for vacatur or expungement filed
under section 3771A of title 18, United States Code, as added
by section 2, in the district of the United States attorney;
and
(2) for each motion described in paragraph (1)--
(A) the underlying offense;
(B) the response of the United States attorney to the
motion; and
(C) the final determination of the court with respect to
the motion.
(b) United States Attorney Training on Human Trafficking
Indicators.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall submit to
Congress a report that details all professional training
received by United States attorneys on indicators of human
trafficking during the preceding 12-month period.
(c) Government Accountability Office.--Not later than 3
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to
Congress a report that--
(1) assesses the impact of the enactment of section 3771A
of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2; and
(2) includes--
(A) the number of human trafficking survivors who have
filed motions for vacatur or expungement under such section
3771A;
(B) the final determination of each court that adjudicated
a motion described in subparagraph (A);
(C) recommendations to increase access to post-conviction
relief for human trafficking survivors with Federal criminal
records; and
(D) recommendations for improving the implementation and
tracking of professional training of United States attorneys
on indicators of human trafficking.
SEC. 4. USE OF GRANTS FOR POST-CONVICTION RELIEF
REPRESENTATION.
The Office of Justice Programs or the Office on Violence
Against Women, in awarding a grant that may be used for legal
representation, may not prohibit a recipient from using the
grant for legal representation for post-conviction relief.
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) this Act is a first step to address the changing
tactics of human traffickers, who are using forced
criminality as a form of force, fraud, and coercion in their
human trafficking enterprises; and
(2) Congress is committed to continuing to find solutions
as needed to thwart human traffickers and protect survivors
of human trafficking.
SEC. 6. HUMAN TRAFFICKING DEFENSE.
(a) In General.--Chapter 1 of title 18, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 28. Human trafficking defense
``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
``(1) the term `covered Federal offense' means a level A
offense or level B offense, as those terms are defined in
section 3771A; and
``(2) the term `victim of trafficking' has the meaning
given the term in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102).
``(b) Duress.--In a prosecution for a covered Federal
offense, a defendant may establish duress by demonstrating
that the defendant was a victim of trafficking at the time at
which the defendant committed the offense.
[[Page H4921]]
``(c) Record or Proceeding Under Seal.--In any proceeding
in which a defense under subsection (b) is raised, any record
or part of the proceeding related to the defense shall, on
motion, be placed under seal until such time as a conviction
is entered for the offense.
``(d) Post-Conviction Relief.--A failure to assert, or
failed assertion of, a defense under subsection (b) by an
individual who is convicted of a covered Federal offense may
not preclude the individual from asserting as a mitigating
factor, at sentencing or in a proceeding for any post-
conviction relief, that at the time of the commission of the
offense, the defendant was a victim of trafficking and
committed the offense under duress.
``(e) Federal Aid.--A failure to assert, or failed
assertion of, a defense under subsection (b) by an individual
who is convicted of a covered Federal offense may not be used
for the purpose of disqualifying the individual from
participating in any federally funded program that aids
victims of trafficking.''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of
sections for chapter 1 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``28. Human trafficking defense.''.
SEC. 7. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
Section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of
2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (16), by striking ``(9)'' and inserting
``(11)''; and
(2) in paragraph (17), by striking ``(9) or (10)'' and
inserting ``(11) or (12)''.
SEC. 8. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act,
may be construed to conflict with any of the crime victims'
rights described in section 3771 of title 18, United States
Code.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
South Carolina (Mr. Fry) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina.
General Leave
Mr. FRY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
to include extraneous material on H.R. 4323.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from South Carolina?
There was no objection.
Mr. FRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4323, the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act, is a
strong, bipartisan piece of legislation--and bicameral, actually--that
will help one of our most vulnerable populations.
This legislation passed the House Judiciary Committee by a voice vote
earlier this year, and I am looking forward to seeing it pass the full
House.
Human trafficking is a heinous crime that we are all too familiar
with. Human trafficking is not just a distant problem. It is a crisis
that touches every corner of our Nation, rural communities and urban
centers. It can occur anywhere, in any community, and it does not
discriminate. Traffickers exploit the vulnerable wherever they may find
them.
We see it happen to a vast number of women and children who are
exploited after crossing our southern border. We see it happen to
people from both low-income and high-income backgrounds. We see it
happen to ordinary Americans, people who never imagined that they would
become victims themselves.
Efforts by Federal, State, and local law enforcement and advocates to
eliminate trafficking and to support victims have increased awareness,
reporting, and prosecution of sex traffickers across the country.
However, victims of these crimes are sometimes prosecuted for their
actions taken while under the control of their traffickers. This can
lead to the arrest, conviction, and incarceration of actual trafficking
victims themselves without proper consideration of their criminal
culpability.
We know that criminal convictions, and even nonviolent ones, can hold
someone back from applying for a job or getting housing. These victims
deserve to be able to heal and move on with their lives.
Thankfully, we have made significant progress to help survivors.
Today, the vast majority of States--in fact, 46 or 47--have some sort
of relief to victims for nonviolent offenses committed while under the
control of their traffickers. These laws allow individuals to reenter
their communities and move on with their lives.
My home State of South Carolina continues to lead on this forward-
looking, victim-centered approach. The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act
follows the States' clear lead and provides Federal relief to survivors
of human trafficking who committed a nonviolent offense as a direct
result of being a victim of human trafficking.
For a court to grant this relief, a defendant must show that the
offense was committed as a direct result of being a victim of human
trafficking.
To ensure that these opportunities are only available to true victims
of trafficking and not criminals, we have worked hand in hand with law
enforcement to include appropriate safeguards in the bill. The
legislation allows for additional evidence to be considered, including
the sworn testimony of a law enforcement officer as to whether a victim
had any role in coercing other victims into criminal offenses.
This legislation is endorsed by multiple advocacy organizations,
faith-based organizations, and law enforcement officials. This is a
bipartisan, bicameral piece of legislation that unites both law
enforcement and victim organizations. It is a good piece of
legislation.
There are countless individuals and organizations that have worked
tirelessly to get this bill to where it is today, including CPAC
Foundation's Center for Combating Human Trafficking, NCOSE,
Rights4Girls, Street Grace, survivor leader Hollie Nadel, and so many
more.
Last Congress, a bipartisan group of attorneys general wrote a letter
in strong support of the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act. This
carefully crafted legislation strikes the right balance in protecting
victims' rights and public safety.
Let's work together to fight back against this evil, to help victims
and survivors begin a new chapter, and to allow them to take on every
opportunity that life hands them without any constraint of their past.
I encourage all of my colleagues to support the Trafficking Survivors
Relief Act, and I encourage swift passage in the Senate.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I thank the distinguished gentleman from South Carolina for his
leadership on this issue.
I am pleased that we are considering the bipartisan Trafficking
Survivors Relief Act, which will provide relief to victims and
survivors of human trafficking who have been unjustly criminalized as a
result of their trafficking.
{time} 1500
Victims and survivors of human trafficking have been waiting nearly a
decade for us to make this relief available to them at the Federal
level. The heroic survivors of the global Epstein trafficking
conspiracy have raised the conscience of our Nation about the
nightmarish consequences of human trafficking for the victims of it,
and they strongly support this legislation, which is part of the long,
overdue reckoning that America must have with all of the double
standards and coverups that have affected women and girls who have been
entered into the trafficking criminal underworld.
While we have found far too less opportunities to work together in
this broken session of Congress, I am glad that the majority has
finally chosen to bring this much-needed consensus reform forward to
the floor to protect trafficking victims and survivors, and I look
forward to its swift passage.
Mr. Speaker, human trafficking is a multibillion-dollar criminal
industry that overtakes the will and the freedom of nearly 25 million
people around the world every year. Traffickers exploit their victims
by forcing them to provide labor, services, and commercial sex through
violence, fear, coercion, and manipulation. While awful, their
exploitation doesn't stop there. Traffickers often force their victims
to commit other crimes, including prostitution, money laundering,
fraud, drug trafficking, robbery, and theft.
This leads trafficking victims to be arrested and prosecuted without
consideration of their status as victims themselves. They are often
then made to serve prison sentences and left with criminal records that
can stop them from finding employment, suitable housing, or qualifying
to receive the treatment that they need to recover from trauma and
rebuild their lives.
[[Page H4922]]
When they are unable to start fresh or move on because of the
obstacles that they face as a consequence of the crimes that they were
forced to commit, victims and survivors often return to their
traffickers or fall victim to new predators. We cannot allow this cycle
of trauma, criminal exploitation, and victimization to continue in the
lives of so many untold victims.
While all but three States now allow trafficking survivors some form
of criminal record relief, there is still no Federal pathway to clear
criminal convictions or records in this situation. H.R. 4323 would
correct this inequity by allowing human trafficking victims to petition
to have their convictions vacated for certain offenses and to expunge
their arrest records for other offenses if the offenses were committed
only as a consequence of their trafficking.
This bill would also provide an avenue of relief for victims and
survivors facing prosecution for certain Federal offenses relating to
their victimization by establishing a human trafficking defense. The
defense will also be available as a post-conviction remedy. To ensure
that survivors have access to all of the remedies provided, this bill
makes clear that a grantee may use grant funds from the Office of
Justice Programs and Office on Violence Against Women for legal
representation for post-conviction relief.
For far too long, we have closed our eyes to the true horrors of
human trafficking and allowed victimization to fester simply by
allowing survivors of human trafficking to be classified and treated as
criminals. I am pleased to support this essential and thoughtful
bipartisan bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FRY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers on the bill and am
prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Georgia (Mrs. McBath), the distinguished ranking member of the Crime
and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee.
Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act is very critical, bipartisan
legislation that would provide long-overdue relief to victims and
survivors of human trafficking to help them overcome the lasting
effects of being trafficked and allow them a chance to heal.
It recognizes their unique traumas, the immense challenges that they
face after escaping their exploitation, and their right to rebuild
their lives with some dignity and some respect.
Victims of trafficking are demeaned. They are dehumanized and coerced
by their traffickers, who do not see them as people but see them as
objects only to be bought, sold, and abused; but we see them, and we
must give them the help that they need and they deserve.
Too often, they emerge with criminal records directly tied to their
exploitation. These records follow them along their path long after
they are free, preventing them from finding a job, securing safe
housing, pursuing education, or even getting treatment for the trauma
that they have escaped.
The barriers they face as a result of their records often serve as
painful reminders of the abuse that they endured and can make survivors
vulnerable to even further exploitation.
Many States, including my State of Georgia, have already passed laws
like the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act. It is past time that we take
similar steps to do this on the Federal level. By allowing survivors to
expunge arrests or vacate nonviolent convictions connected to their
trafficking, we give them a chance to reclaim their futures and move
forward without the weight of their past being used against them.
Just as we must allow them the ability to shed the lasting remnants
of their victimization, we must also provide them with resources and
services that they desperately need. Survivors need strong and
consistent Federal support to stay safe and move forward.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from Georgia.
Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, we must ensure our government continues to
invest in prevention services and enforcement that keeps survivors
protected. Any cuts or weakened efforts will risk putting them back in
harm's way or back in the streets, and we cannot allow that to happen.
This bill is about justice, healing, and true restoration. It affirms
that survivors are more than the crimes that they are forced to commit.
They are human beings deserving of opportunity, safety, and hope.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support putting survivors first
and support this bipartisan legislation. I thank Representatives Fry
and Johnson for championing this effort. I look forward to working
together to ensure that survivors are seen, supported, and given every
chance that they can to thrive.
Mr. FRY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for
the purpose of closing.
Mr. Speaker, I pick up on the words of the distinguished gentlewoman
from Georgia, who is the ranking member of the Crime and Federal
Government Surveillance Subcommittee on Committee on the Judiciary. To
be forced into a human-trafficking network, like the Epstein network,
is to suffer a double trauma. There is the original trauma of the
exploitation and the abuse, and then there is the added trauma of being
stigmatized yourself as being a criminal: a prostitute and someone
forced to engage in other criminal activity by the trafficking network.
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted that, on a bipartisan basis today, we are
able to move forward to address this problem and to give some relief to
the victims and the survivors of a human-trafficking network.
Again, I recognize the survivors from the Epstein global
international child sex-trafficking conspiracy who have raised the
conscience of the country and changed America's mind about the
fundamental importance of our addressing this.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for working with us on bringing
this legislation forward, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. FRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I find myself in this moment on H.R. 4323, the
Trafficking Survivors Relief Act, in somewhat of a deja vu. I did this
legislation at the State level, and I talked to victims of human
trafficking and those who have used this legal mechanism as a sense of
relief to expunge their crimes, to get their prior convictions vacated,
to apply for housing, and to go on with their lives in a very
meaningful way.
What they would share with me and what I will share with you today is
that this absolutely matters to them. Being able to turn the page on
their past is not easy. It is not easy for a victim of human
trafficking to come forward. There is shame sometimes in doing so.
There is extreme guilt. When they get that chance to do that, this is
an incredibly important step.
{time} 1510
Here is the caveat that I think is often overlooked. Law enforcement
loves this bill, too. Why is that? Because during a prosecution of a
criminal defendant who is a trafficking victim, or within a conviction
of a human-trafficking victim, victims are allowed to tell their story.
One, it is very therapeutic and helpful to the victims themselves, but
for the law enforcement folks, they can go after the real bad actors.
I think that is the key crux of this bill, and I think that is what
unites Republicans and Democrats, House and Senate Members, and the law
enforcement community and victim organizations. It is a great piece of
public policy that has worked so well in 46, 47, 48 States at this
point, and there is no reason why the Federal Government should lag
behind the States anymore in crafting a very good, commonsense piece of
legislation.
This bill is victim-centered. It is law enforcement-focused, as well.
It checks all the boxes of good public policy.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Fry) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4323, as amended.
[[Page H4923]]
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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