[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 1180-1185]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 6, 2015, the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. WAGNER. 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 materials on the subject of my Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of packages of 
human trafficking legislation to be considered by the House of 
Representatives this week, 12 different pieces of legislation. I also 
rise today in support of all the good work done by my colleagues here 
in Congress on the issue of human trafficking.
  Mr. Speaker, as a former United States Ambassador, I was exposed 
firsthand to the horrors of human trafficking on an international 
level. I witnessed and reported on devastating consequences of human 
trafficking, where innocent women and children were dragged into the 
dark abyss of sex slavery. But never in my wildest dreams did I ever 
think human trafficking was so rampant right here in the United States 
of America. Americans are being forced into sexual slavery by ruthless 
human traffickers.
  Mr. Speaker, right now there are young women being forced into 
prostitution in virtually every district across this Nation. It is 
hiding in plain sight. In fact, I was shocked to learn that my own 
hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, has been identified as one of the top 
20 areas for sex trafficking in the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, this problem is before our eyes. It is in our 
communities, it is in our neighborhoods, and it is in our cul-de-sacs. 
It is right here before us. Every year, thousands of young Americans' 
lives are impacted by this despicable crime. However, there is hope.
  I take hope from the work done by the law enforcement professionals 
who are on the front lines every day protecting our Nation's children 
from those who would seek to exploit them. I take hope from those who 
work in victims services and their tireless efforts to help survivors 
recover, heal, and forge new lives out of the horrors of sexual 
enslavement. Most importantly, Mr. Speaker, I take hope from all the 
survivors, the survivors of this hideous crime. Their strength gives us 
strength, their resolve gives us inspiration, and their steadfast 
commitment to ending sex trafficking gives us all the courage to fight.

                              {time}  1730

  Mr. Speaker, because of the efforts of many individuals and groups, I 
am happy to report that Congress has taken notice of this serious 
problem. Years of work by Representatives Noem, Poe, Paulsen, Hultgren, 
Reichert, Smith, among many others, have raised awareness of this issue 
and have laid the foundation for the long overdue action Congress is 
presently taking. I am grateful that many of my colleagues have held 
events in their home districts to raise awareness and education of this 
crime.
  Last year in St. Louis, I participated, along with Judge Poe, in a 
conference at which the private and public sectors came together to 
share best practices about combating human trafficking. Representatives 
Davis, Hudson, Walberg, Roskam, Coffman, Huizenga, and Heck, among so 
many other Members of my colleagues, have all held human trafficking 
events in their districts to raise awareness and offer solutions to end 
sexual assault and human trafficking. I applaud these efforts, and I 
look forward to continuing this work for years to come.
  However, Mr. Speaker, there is much, much work to be done. As 
legislators, we have an obligation to come together and do something 
because we can, because we should, and because we must.
  The legislation that we are voting on this week in the House of 
Representatives will provide prosecutors with the tools they need to 
prosecute traffickers and will provide social service providers with 
the resources they need to assist victims in healing. These bills will 
mandate much-needed awareness and training, and will provide government 
agencies with the accurate, dependable statistics they need to combat 
this terrible crime.
  I am so proud of the action this body has taken to recognize and 
address this problem, which has so long festered in the shadows.
  I am equally proud of all my colleagues today who have come to the 
floor to speak up for the victims of human trafficking, to show them 
they are not alone, that we are with them, and that we will no longer 
be silent in the face of such depravity.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to one of my colleagues, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hultgren). He is reintroducing his bill, 
the Sex Trafficking Demand Reduction Act. The bill urges nations to 
recognize the link between the purchase of commercial sex and the 
prevalence of human trafficking in society, and to confront the former 
in order to effectively combat the latter. The bill targets demand.
  He has hosted anti-trafficking forums for Members of Congress at 
which the anti-trafficking documentary ``Nefarious'' was shown. The 
producers of the film from Exodus Cry attended.
  He is a member of the House leadership Human Trafficking Task Force 
and the Human Trafficking Caucus, and he has worked with the Tom Lantos 
Human Rights Commission on efforts to help human trafficking victims 
both in the U.S. and abroad.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois, Randy Hultgren.
  Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in 
recognition of Human Trafficking Awareness Month and Human Trafficking 
Awareness Week here in the House of Representatives.
  I especially want to thank my good friend and colleague from 
Missouri, Ann Wagner, for hosting tonight's Special Order.
  Today, human trafficking represents a modern form of slavery. It is a 
crisis that victimizes 21 million people worldwide. In my home State of 
Illinois, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center estimates that 
25,000 women and girls are exploited each year by sex traffickers. 
Because of its strategic location as a major transportation and

[[Page 1181]]

commercial center, Chicago has become a major national hub for human 
trafficking.
  As a member of the Congressional Human Trafficking Task Force, we are 
working to coordinate the efforts of the congressional leadership and 
international anti-trafficking groups to punish perpetrators, rescue 
and bring hope to victims, and assist nations in their fight against 
the global epidemic of trafficking in human beings.
  Through legislation like that which the House will bring to the floor 
this week, I am pleased to see this body take critical steps to target 
the perpetrators of human trafficking and enhance efforts toward 
eradicating it.
  Later this week, I will be reintroducing my own bill, the Sex 
Trafficking Demand Reduction Act. Evidence suggests a clear link 
between the purchase of commercial sex and the prevalence of sex 
trafficking in a society. Where there is a robust demand for commercial 
sex, human trafficking as an industry and practice thrives as well. The 
Sex Trafficking Demand Reduction Act highlights this link and requires 
national governments to factor in their efforts to combat demand as 
part of their overall fight against human trafficking.
  Human trafficking is the most insidious of criminal enterprises. It 
targets the youngest and most vulnerable in society, stealing their 
innocence and depriving them of any hope of escaping a downward spiral 
of depravity and despair. Thankfully, we are all becoming increasingly 
aware of the extent of human trafficking and the magnitude of the 
effects on its victims. Through the persistent efforts of international 
anti-human trafficking groups, national, State, and local governments, 
the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, and dedicated individuals 
concerned about the communities in which they live, we have made 
sustained inroads towards eradicating the scourge of human trafficking. 
We can envision the day when human trafficking will no longer represent 
a blight on humanity, a day when victims will experience complete 
restoration.
  Again, I want to thank my colleague from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner) for 
this opportunity to speak.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw attention to this 
bracelet that I have on that many of my colleagues are going to be 
wearing over the next 2 days as we pass 12 pieces of human trafficking 
legislation. This tab bracelet was handmade by dedicated volunteers to 
raise funds for Crisis Aid International safe homes in my own hometown 
of St. Louis, Missouri. The safe homes provide comfort and support for 
young women rescued from the horrors of sex trafficking.
  The bracelet project, which was inspired by an 11-year-old victim 
wanting to make a difference, has become the symbol of hope for these 
precious young people.
  Join me. I ask all my colleagues to join me in wearing this bracelet 
to spread awareness about the scourge of sex slavery.
  Next, it is my pleasure to yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio, 
Representative Joyce Beatty.
  Last year, Congresswoman Beatty partnered with Senator Portman from 
Ohio to introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation, the Bringing 
Missing Children Home Act, to improve law enforcement reporting and 
response procedures in cases of missing children, the most vulnerable 
victims of child trafficking and sexual exploitation.
  This Congress, she introduces H.R. 246, which would improve and 
update the Missing Children's Assistance Act in order to reflect the 
current state of Federal law and reinforce that children who are sex-
trafficked or sexually exploited are victims and not criminals.
  I am a proud cosponsor of the gentlewoman's legislation, and it is my 
pleasure to yield to the gentlelady from Ohio, Representative Joyce 
Beatty.
  Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, first let me just say thank you to my 
colleague from Missouri, Congresswoman Ann Wagner, for organizing 
tonight's Special Order hour but, probably more importantly, a 
bipartisan Special Order hour. And let me say, I proudly wear this 
bracelet in honor of all of those survivors.
  I also want to note that her work as a former United States 
Ambassador exposed her firsthand to the horrors of human trafficking on 
an international level. Her work has raised awareness of this problem 
and has laid the foundation for congressional action.
  Despite international efforts to eradicate human trafficking, it 
still exists and affects communities in every country, including the 
United States. This transnational crime exploits the weakest and often 
subjects victims to mental and physical abuse.
  Human trafficking is an estimated multibillion-dollar-a-year 
international enterprise that forces the weakest among us into the 
horrors of modern day slavery.
  It is also one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world. In fact, 
according to the United States State Department, human trafficking is 
the world's second-largest criminal enterprise, Mr. Speaker, after 
illegal drug trade. It is forced prostitution, domestic slavery, and 
forced labor.
  It is also oftentimes underground and masked so well that it is 
difficult to recognize. These victims are our housekeepers, our 
farmworkers brought into the United States by labor brokers who 
promised a job but enslaved these victims instead. Sex traffickers 
target the weakest members of our society by using violence or threats 
or other coercive means to keep victims enslaved.
  Human trafficking deprives individuals of their most basic and 
unalienable rights--life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That 
is why we must continue to work to end human trafficking and support 
the victims by providing resources and assistance during their time of 
need.
  My home State of Ohio is the fifth-leading State for human 
trafficking. In Ohio, an estimated 1,100 Ohio children become victims, 
with some 3,000 more at risk. In fact, a preliminary report on the 
scope of the problem in Ohio cited that 13 years of age is the most 
common age for youth to become victims of child sex trafficking.
  During my time in public service, as a public servant both in the 
Ohio Legislature and here, I have heard story after story of 
heartbreaking personal human trafficking experiences from Ohio. Just 2 
weeks ago, my hometown paper, The Columbus Dispatch, reported that a 
massage spa in central Ohio was serving as a front for organized 
prostitution, where 18 women who spoke little or no English were forced 
to work there, eat there, and sleep there. Authorities believe that 
these women were likely trafficked into the United States to work in a 
sex trade.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to have a copy of this article placed into 
the Record.

              [From the Columbus Dispatch, Jan. 15, 2015]

                          (By Theodore Decker)

       Behind the Powell storefront--between a dentist's office 
     and a dessert shop--the women slept each night on massage 
     tables.
       Rarely, investigators say, did they appear to leave the 
     Amsun Massage Spa, a business that caught the attention of 
     Powell police not long after it opened last fall in a strip 
     mall at 128 E. Olentangy St.
       The women worked there. They ate there. They slept there. 
     They might not have had a choice, authorities said.
       Local, state and federal investigators announced yesterday 
     that the massage parlor was a front for organized 
     prostitution and was one of four addresses raided in Delaware 
     and Franklin counties as part of Powell's investigation. A 
     parallel federal investigation resulted in searches of other 
     addresses, although details of those raids were under court-
     ordered seal yesterday.
       The combined searches turned up 18 women who speak little 
     or no English and might have been trafficked to work in the 
     sex trade. Investigators said various agencies have stepped 
     in to provide shelter and other support to the women.
       ``They don't know the culture, they don't speak the 
     language, and they're very untrusting of law enforcement,'' 
     said Nathan Emery, special agent in charge of the Columbus 
     office of the federal Homeland Security Investigations 
     agency.
       The women fear deportation, a threat that was used by their 
     employers to keep them in line, police said. Authorities are 
     trying to pin down their identities and countries of origin.
       ``We are not just arresting those who are suspected of 
     trafficking women for sex, we are also rescuing those who may 
     be victims of this heinous crime,'' said Cmdr. Gary

[[Page 1182]]

     Cameron of the Columbus police narcotics bureau.
       Powell's search warrants were served at Amsun Massage in 
     Powell; Amsun Massage, l000 High St., Worthington; Rainbow 
     Massage, 5564 Hilliard-Rome Rd. on the Far West Side; and a 
     Jasmine Court residence on the Far West Side.
       A man and woman from Columbus were arrested: Xiao Shuang 
     Chao, 56, and Qing Xu, whose age was unknown. Investigators 
     aren't sure of the couple's relationship but said they 
     operated the businesses locally. They face organized-crime 
     charges in Delaware County Common Pleas Court.
       Powell Police Chief Gary Vest said that soon after Amsun 
     opened, his department was tipped that women were living 
     there and providing sex-related services to clients.
       Emery said women are brought to the United States by human 
     traffickers and, instead of finding a better life, ``to pay 
     off their debts, they're put into forced servitude.''

  Mrs. BEATTY. Because of the importance of this issue in my State and 
in our Nation, I engaged during my first term in Congress to pass a sex 
trafficking bill, 400-9. Last year, as you heard from Congresswoman 
Wagner, I partnered with Senator Portman from Ohio to introduce 
bipartisan, bicameral legislation, the Bringing Missing Children Home 
Act, H.R. 3905.
  This Congress, I have introduced H.R. 246, which would improve and 
update the Missing Children's Assistance Act in order to reflect the 
current state of Federal law and reinforce that children who are sex-
trafficked or sexually exploited are victims and not criminals.
  Lastly, my bill would add the phrase ``sex child trafficking, 
including child prostitution'' to section b(1)(P) of the Missing 
Children's Assistance Act to fight the perception that sex trafficking 
is a voluntary, victimless crime.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join my colleagues, Democrats and 
Republicans, in speaking against and bringing awareness of human 
trafficking. Our country, our constituents, our children need our help.
  Mrs. WAGNER. I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership and her 
friendship. Thank you so much, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty.
  Next, Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield to the gentleman from 
Texas, Congressman Ted Poe. Judge Poe has been a longstanding advocate 
for victims of crime. He has dedicated his life to promoting justice 
and giving voice to survivors and, as a Member of Congress, has been a 
tireless advocate for legislation that provides a comprehensive 
approach to address the problem of human trafficking in the United 
States. Congressman Poe has been a friend and a colleague and a kindred 
spirit to me in the House of Representatives. His championing of 
victims' rights has inspired countless survivors of crime to stand up 
for their rights and demand change.
  I yield to the Congressman from Texas, Judge Ted Poe.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentlewoman from Missouri for yielding 
to me.
  Mr. Speaker, it is worth noting that this effort to combat human 
trafficking in the United States, in my opinion, is led by the ladies 
of the House on both sides, the Republicans and the Democrats. The 
spunk of my friend from Missouri and all of the others who have spoken 
and will speak later on these pieces of legislation is obvious.

                              {time}  1745

  There are 12 bills, Mr. Speaker. They are bipartisan bills on one 
subject. As long as I have been here, I have never seen so much 
attention by all Members of the House on both sides of the aisle moving 
and trying to fix a problem as this.
  Twelve pieces of legislation--many of those passed last year, they 
just never got voted on in the Senate--and we are bringing them up 
again. Once again, it is the ladies to whom America owes a great 
gratitude to. My grandmother used to say that there is nothing more 
powerful than a woman who has made up her mind. The ladies of the House 
have made up their mind on the issue of trafficking. They are not going 
to tolerate it, and neither are the rest of us.
  Mr. Speaker, it is ironic to me that this tremendous amount of 
legislation--this important subject--is getting so little play in the 
national media. It seems that the media and America, I guess, is more 
concerned about the disappearance of air in footballs than they are 
about the disappearance of America's children that are being trafficked 
across the United States.
  The worst thing that is taking place among our youth is the slavery 
that is happening to them. The runaways, the throwaways, and the 
stowaways of America's children are disappearing into this scourge of 
slavery, as it has been rightfully called.
  Many of us remember how we got involved in trying to prevent this. My 
first experience was meeting a little girl in Peru at the age of 7 
whose name is Lilly. Lilly could not speak because of the numerous 
assaults that had been committed against her before she was rescued. It 
is not just kids in South America or Central America or overseas; it is 
America's children that are being trafficked.
  We have to make it clear that these young girls, primarily, that are 
on the streets and that are being sold and bartered by these slave 
masters are not criminals. These are not prostitutes. These are victims 
of crimes. America needs to change its focus and its understanding that 
when we see that occurring, that person is a victim, not a criminal.
  As has been mentioned, Mr. Speaker, this is one of the leading ways 
that criminal organizations are making money because, in the drug 
trade, you get drugs and you sell them one time; plus the risk of 
apprehension is greater for drug sales than with the selling of kids. 
Children can be sold multiples times a night, and they are.
  When the trafficker is captured, very often, nothing happens, so that 
is why this lucrative trade continues to make money, but it also 
continues to make money because there is a demand in this country for 
this scourge.
  These men, primarily, that abuse children are criminals. They are sex 
offenders. They are child molesters. Some call them johns. They are not 
johns. John was a good guy. He is in the Bible. Why would we call them 
that?
  They are child molesters, and we need to recognize them for what they 
are. We need to know who they are. Their names need to be published, 
and they need to go to jail for what they do because we have to go 
after the demand.
  That is why I have introduced the Justice for Victims of Trafficking 
Act along with my friend Carolyn Maloney from New York. Carolyn 
Maloney--a New York Democrat and a Texas conservative Republican, that 
is just about as bipartisan as you can get, Mr. Speaker. We are 
separated by a common language, to coin the phrase; but on this issue, 
like most Members of the House, we are united that we are going to stop 
this.
  This bill does a few things. It goes after the trafficker, the slave 
master. It helps law enforcement capture them and put them in jail. 
That is why we build prisons. Then it goes after the victim--the 
child--rescues them, restores them, and finds a place for them.
  Did you know, Mr. Speaker, that in the United States, according to 
the Humane Society, there are about 3,000 animal shelters? We need them 
all. I have got three Dalmatians. I got one of them from a shelter in 
Dallas. I call him the weapon of mass destruction. We need those 
shelters.
  But did you know that, according to Shared Hope International, there 
are only about 300 beds for minor sex-trafficked victims in the United 
States? That ought not to be. They need more places to go when the 
police rescue them.
  God bless the police. Many times, when they find these children, they 
know they are sex-trafficked victims, but there is no place to put 
them, so they put them in the juvenile justice system. That is not a 
good idea, but that is the only place they are safe. We need to find 
residences and homes for them. That is what this bill does.
  The third thing it does is it goes after the demand, the person in 
the middle, the customer that abuses children, the rapist. We are going 
after those guys, Mr. Speaker. The days of

[[Page 1183]]

``boys being boys'' is over. Those people are going to be arrested and 
prosecuted for the crimes that they have committed.
  Mr. Speaker, I insert into the Record some of the numerous anti-
trafficking organizations that have helped all of us in this 
legislation.

   Anti-trafficking, Child Welfare, and Law Enforcement Organizations

       Children at Risk (Houston), Rights for Girls, Shared Hope 
     International, End Child Prostitution and Trafficking--USA, 
     National Children's Alliance, National Association to Protect 
     Children, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 
     Equality Now, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, 
     Fraternal of Police, National Association of Police 
     Organizations, National Conference of State Legislatures, 
     National Criminal Justice Association, National Center for 
     Missing and Exploited Children.

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I call these groups the victims' posse 
that helps us in this issue.
  The last thing I want to mention, Mr. Speaker, is I used to prosecute 
criminals. I was a judge in criminal court for 22 years. Sexual assault 
is what it is called now, but the crime really is rape. It is rape of 
America's greatest resource: children.
  We cannot tolerate this. We ask sometimes: Why are we even here? 
Well, I can tell you why we are here. We are here to make sure that all 
Americans, including American children and those immigrants that have 
been sold into the United States, are protected from crimes like rape.
  Mr. Speaker, children are not for sale. I am glad to see that the 
House is making sure that they will not be for sale in the future. I 
thank the gentlelady for the time.
  And that is just the way it is.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Thank you, Judge Poe, for your tremendous leadership in 
this area and so many others dealing with victims' rights.
  It is now my pleasure to recognize the gentlewoman from New 
Hampshire, Representative Ann Kuster. Representative Kuster has been a 
strong proponent of human and women's rights, advocating for a number 
of bills that support fighting sexual assault and human trafficking, 
including her bipartisan legislation to improve whistleblower 
protections which was passed into law last year to protect military 
members who report instances of sexual abuse.
  Last Congress, Representative Kuster and I joined together in 
coauthoring a letter condemning the kidnapping of nearly 300 girls by 
the terrorist group Boko Haram and calling on the United States 
Government to work with the United Nations to enact more comprehensive 
financial sanctions against the organization.
  I thank her for her leadership on this area, and it is my pleasure to 
yield to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire, Representative Ann Kuster.
  Ms. KUSTER. Thank you, Judge Poe, and to my dear colleague, Ann 
Wagner, and to all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for 
tackling this issue.
  I am proud to join my colleagues in passing these six commonsense 
bills which I have pushed for across the aisle to strengthen 
protections for victims of sex trafficking, and Judge Poe has done a 
great job setting the stage here for the child who is the victim of sex 
trafficking.
  I think we all need to work on our language and our understanding. He 
is absolutely correct. I look forward to passing more of these reforms 
tomorrow and to continuing our bipartisan work together.
  It saddens and astonishes me that in today's world, human trafficking 
remains such a serious problem both here at home and abroad. Throughout 
the world, thousands of women and underage children are being 
trafficked and forced to commit sexual acts against their will.
  As Judge Poe so eloquently stated, rape, that is what we are talking 
about. It is sickening that individuals advertise and promote this 
heinous practice in order to make a quick profit. Representative 
Wagner's legislation, the SAVE Act, which I helped to cointroduce, 
would penalize individuals who knowingly host and sell advertisements 
for the commercial exploitation of minors and trafficking victims.
  Last Congress, as she eloquently stated, I was very proud to reach 
across the aisle and join Representative Wagner to lead all House 
women--every single House woman Member, Republican and Democrat--in 
urging the Obama administration to push the United Nations Security 
Council to add Boko Haram to the Al-Qaida Sanctions List, following the 
abduction of nearly 300 schoolgirls threatened to be sold into sexual 
slavery by this terrorist group.
  The horrific kidnapping of the female Nigerian school students 
captured the world's shock and horror; however, human trafficking is 
not just a foreign issue. Together, we can be a powerful bipartisan 
voice against the horrors of this and other instances of human 
trafficking.
  Both Democrats and Republicans in the House understand the importance 
of working together to protect women and girls, and they know that 
trafficking isn't just a political issue, it is a human issue.
  I have organized discussions on this topic back home in New Hampshire 
where I have heard from community leaders, law enforcement officials, 
academic researchers, advocates, and--most importantly and, frankly, 
most eloquently--the trafficking victims themselves about the ongoing 
occurrence of human and sex trafficking taking place right here in our 
own backyard.
  Domestic child sex trafficking is a serious problem in the United 
States, with an estimated 293,000 American youth at risk of commercial 
sex trafficking and exploitation.
  It is imperative that we pass these bills to help law enforcement 
rescue domestic victims, track down their exploiters, provide 
additional tools for prosecutors to treat trafficked minors as victims 
instead of criminals, and ensure access to protective services. Again, 
I commend Judge Poe for his eloquent description.
  I applaud the House leadership for bringing to a vote these 
bipartisan bills to prevent trafficking and provide support to victims. 
As a mother, I honestly cannot even imagine the anguish and the pain 
that these families go through as they fight to bring their loved ones 
back home.
  It is essential that we pass these bills and, moving forward, that we 
do everything together to support States' and countries' efforts to 
eliminate human trafficking.
  Thank you, Representative Wagner, and to all my colleagues on both 
sides of the aisle for organizing this worthy effort.
  Mrs. WAGNER. I thank the gentlewoman from New Hampshire for her 
leadership and her friendship on so many matters that we come together.
  Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to introduce the gentlewoman from 
Tennessee, Representative Diane Black. She was an original cosponsor of 
my SAVE Act that we will be introducing tomorrow and that I will have 
the pleasure to talk about on the floor during debate tomorrow.
  She has sponsored roundtables in her district with law enforcement 
and community leaders on the impact of human trafficking in her home 
State of Tennessee, and she has worked with End Slavery Tennessee to 
see firsthand their efforts to combat trafficking in her State.
  She is a leader among us for all victims, all those who have no 
voice. She is a friend and a dear colleague. It is my pleasure to yield 
to the representative from Tennessee, Congresswoman Diane Black.
  Mrs. BLACK. I thank the gentlelady and my good friend from Missouri 
for yielding to me, and I also thank her for all her tireless hours of 
work in not only bringing up this issue so that we will be more aware, 
but also in finding solutions so that we can help those that are 
victims.
  I am honored to wear the bracelet that is made by the survivors, and 
I thank her for her endless and tireless work on behalf of these young 
women--young women and men--who have become victims.
  Mr. Speaker, for many Americans, the issue of human trafficking is 
far removed from their daily lives, something that is relegated to 
foreign countries and maybe history books, but the

[[Page 1184]]

truth is human sex trafficking is the third largest criminal enterprise 
in the world, with an estimated 300,000 young Americans at risk of 
becoming victims.
  According to the Department of Justice, those most likely to fall 
prey to this heartbreaking crime are 12- to 14-year-old girls. These 
young women are someone's daughters, and we cannot turn a blind eye to 
their plight.
  Last year, I had the opportunity to visit End Slavery Tennessee, a 
nonprofit that works tirelessly to confront trafficking in my State. 
Their mission is taken from the Book of Isaiah, ``to bind up the 
brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from 
darkness for the prisoners.''
  This week, the House will take meaningful steps to fulfill this 
vision by taking up a series of bipartisan bills addressing the impact 
of trafficking. This includes the SAVE Act, sponsored by my good friend 
from Missouri, legislation that I cosponsored to go after the online 
advertisers who profit off of the sale of these innocent victims.

                              {time}  1800

  Mr. Speaker, no single act of Congress will stop all acts of 
trafficking, or even bring justice for every victim whose innocence has 
been stolen by this evil activity, but we cannot let our inability to 
do everything stop us from doing something.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership 
on this issue and so many others.
  It is now my pleasure to yield to a brandnew freshman Member, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Walker). Combating human trafficking 
is a priority for Congressman Walker, and this is his very first bill 
introduced here in Washington, the Human Trafficking Detection Act of 
2015. It aims to help end this unconscionable industry. North Carolina 
is ranked as a top State for labor and sex trafficking, and this vital 
legislation works to effectively train and inform Department of 
Homeland Security personnel to better detect and intersect human 
traffickers and their victims.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Wagner for her work in 
organizing this Special Order, and I also thank Representative Mark 
Meadows in allowing us to lead with such an important piece of 
legislation.
  It was only a week ago that we celebrated the life of Martin Luther 
King, Jr., who famously said: ``Injustice anywhere is a threat to 
justice everywhere.''
  We now have the opportunity to act upon one of the greatest 
injustices of our time--the growing criminal industry of human 
trafficking.
  All across America, vulnerable young men, women, children, and even 
entire families, are being victimized and exploited in unspeakable 
ways. These precious human beings are seen by their traffickers as a 
commodity, valued only for the profit they can turn. We must not remain 
silent about such depravity. Rather, we must engage with immediate 
fervor on this significant humanitarian crisis.
  Victims of human trafficking can literally be hidden in plain sight. 
However, we know that the United States is considered a leading 
destination for human traffickers. It is a top source of income for 
organized crime and involves more than half the street gangs in our 
Nation. From our big cities to our small towns, this billion-dollar 
industry is here. And unless we move quickly, it will be here for some 
time. It is growing, and it must be eradicated.
  Law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and nonprofit groups such as 
Alamance for Freedom in my own Sixth Congressional District of North 
Carolina are on the front lines of this battle, and they are pleading 
for our help. Here in Congress, we hear your voices. Most importantly, 
we hear the voices of those trapped in this evil, modern-day slavery.
  There is an immediate need for training that will enable officers and 
agents to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking.
  Last week, I introduced my first bill, H.R. 460, the Human 
Trafficking Detection Act of 2015. This bipartisan legislation works to 
effectively train and inform the Department of Homeland Security 
personnel to better detect and intercept human traffickers and their 
victims.
  We took an oath a few weeks ago promising to protect the people of 
this great country. I am convinced that part of this high calling is to 
protect those who are victims of human trafficking. Our President even 
says that the fight against human trafficking is one of the greatest 
human rights causes of our time, and the United States will continue to 
lead it. Well, now is the time to lead.
  This bill will provide the very necessary training skills in 
identifying victims of human trafficking as they enter and move about 
across this country. It is not a final step, but an important one that 
can immediately save these precious individuals from years of abuse. 
Let us do so with boldness, courage, and an unflinching dedication to 
those who need us the most.
  Mrs. WAGNER. I thank Congressman Walker for his leadership, and 
congratulations on your first piece of legislation--it is so very 
important--that you will be bringing forward tomorrow.
  Mr. Speaker, it has been a pleasure for me to cosponsor with the 
gentlewoman from South Dakota (Mrs. Noem) this Special Order on human 
trafficking. I look forward tomorrow to a number of bills that are 
going to pass in this United States House of Representatives. I look 
forward to speaking tomorrow on the SAVE Act that will go after 
advertisers of this hideous and heinous crime.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield back the remainder of my time 
so the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Mrs. Noem) may speak. She has 
been a friend and a partner on the issue of human trafficking since her 
time in Congress. She has been a real partner to me as we moved this 
legislation forward. We were able to move, as I said, five pieces of 
legislation last Congress and will be moving 12 tomorrow with her 
leadership and support on this very, very important issue. She has a 
wonderful piece of legislation, H.R. 350, the Human Trafficking 
Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Act of 2015. I am a proud 
cosponsor and look forward to its passage tomorrow.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to condemn the horrific 
tragedy of human trafficking. Globally, there are 20.9 million people 
who have been trafficked. Not one U.S. State has been spared--sadly 
men, women and children in every state have been victimized. This is 
not just a global problem, it is an American problem and it is right 
here in our own backyards.
  I witnessed this problem first hand while working in Washington State 
for the King County Sheriffs Office. All too often, I spoke to young 
girls on the street one day, urging them to get off the streets, and 
the next they had disappeared. This was allowed to happen for far too 
long, because for many of us, these girls and even many boys are 
invisible. We do not want to see the problem and so we too often choose 
to look the other way and pretend it isn't real--not in our 
communities.
  We have to make the problem--and the solutions--visible. Last year, I 
introduced and passed legislation which became law that helped--will 
help--prevent the sex trafficking of youth in foster care. The children 
in federal and state care are often the most vulnerable to becoming 
trafficking victims. According to the National Center for Missing and 
Exploited children, as many as 6 in 10 of the young women forced into 
selling their bodies on the streets are current or former foster 
children. I was honored to have been able to lead the efforts to change 
that reality last Congress. I stand today to join my colleagues in 
continuing to raise awareness and pledge my commitment to keeping up 
the fight on behalf of our children and working to enact additional 
legislation to end human trafficking.
  This week, we will vote on legislation sponsored by Congresswomen 
Wagner, Ellmers and Noem, Congressman Paulsen, Johnson and Poe and many 
others which will go a long ways towards preventing the trafficking of 
countless men, women, boys and girls. This is a fight we must all be in 
together. We must all join with our colleagues, with law enforcement, 
and with those who are dedicated to ending human trafficking across the 
globe to say ``no more''.

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