[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 23246]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              TRAFFICKING

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, the President this week made a courageous 
move at the U.N. He called on the world to act against trafficking. The 
U.N. should follow the President's lead and take action.
  Human trafficking is one of the worst forms of human violations in 
the world today. Each year, over 800,000 men, women, and children are 
trafficked into prostitution or forced labor. It is modern-day slavery. 
It is absolutely vital that we act to remove these people from slavery 
and assist in their recovery, but it is also important that police and 
security forces around the world root out the people who profit off of 
this special evil.
  Many of these people are involved in organized crime. There are even 
reports that suggest profits from trafficking in persons are used to 
support terrorist activities.
  Make no mistake about it, any government that tolerates trafficking, 
tolerates a form of slavery.

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