[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19218]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE MOTOR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION OF CONNECTICUT FOR THEIR 
                  EFFORTS TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 16, 2013

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to 
extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to the Motor Transport 
Association of Connecticut for their many efforts to combat human 
trafficking, including their most recent action in honoring Kendis 
Paris and ``Truckers Against Trafficking'' with their highest honor, 
the ``Good Buddy Award.''
  As you know, each year hundreds of thousands of women and children 
are abducted and forced into prostitution and enslaved under some of 
the most abusive of circumstances. The Federal Bureau of Investigation 
has identified truck stops and rest areas as places where these 
abductions can occur. The Motor Transportation Association of 
Connecticut (MTAC), an organization dedicated to promoting the 
interests of Connecticut's trucking industry, has taken a leadership 
role in the national effort to combat this terrible epidemic. Truckers 
are the eyes and ears of our nation's highways--indeed just this past 
July, in one weekend, with the help of truckers and others, more than 
100 teenagers were rescued. The leadership and members of MTAC have 
taken a special interest in this cause, making it a top priority.
  At their most recent annual meeting, MTAC demonstrated their 
commitment to this effort by recognizing ``Truckers Against 
Trafficking,'' a national non-profit organization that exists to 
educate, equip, empower and mobilize members of the trucking and travel 
plaza industry to combat domestic sex trafficking, and its co-founder, 
Kendis Paris, with their 2013 Good Buddy Award--a demonstration of the 
high level of esteem that MTAC holds for both the program and Kendis. I 
am proud to say that, in addition to these actions, MTAC has been 
working with me to develop a legislative agenda focused on combatting 
human trafficking.
  Human trafficking is a rampant issue that is impacting the lives of 
millions across the world, hundreds of thousands in our nation alone. I 
applaud the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut, Truckers 
Against Trafficking, and Kendis Paris for their remarkable work in 
combating this appalling practice. I look forward to continuing to work 
with them and to someday realize the goal we all share--to ensure that 
every woman and child is protected from such a dreadful fate.

                          ____________________