[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 1219]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING

  (Mr. WENSTRUP asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WENSTRUP. Madam Speaker, it is shocking: human trafficking is the 
fastest growing business of organized crime and the third largest 
criminal enterprise in the world. In my home State of Ohio, the most 
common age a child becomes victimized by trafficking is 13 years old. 
At 13, a child should be looking forward to their first days of high 
school, not living in fear. In 2014 alone, in Ohio, 98 arrests were 
made in human trafficking investigations, involving 181 potential 
victims.
  Today, the House is fighting back.
  The anti-trafficking bills this week will take aim at modern 
trafficking networks and the criminals who seek to abuse the lives of 
their victims. These bills encourage States to adopt safe harbor laws, 
enhance services for homeless youth, and further protect children in 
our Nation's foster system. We must help survivors reclaim their lives 
through heightened public awareness and increased collaboration among 
governments.
  Our Founders declared inherent and inalienable the rights of life, 
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Human trafficking violates these 
core rights. A strong commitment to every human life will help the 
millions who suffer in the dark shadows of this heinous crime.

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