[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 1225-1229]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           STOP EXPLOITATION THROUGH TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2015

  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 159) to stop exploitation through trafficking, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 159

       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 ``Stop Exploitation Through 
     Trafficking Act of 2015''.

     SEC. 2. SAFE HARBOR INCENTIVES.

       Part Q of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
     Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 1701(c), by striking ``where feasible'' and 
     all that follows, and inserting the following: ``where 
     feasible, to an application--
       ``(1) for hiring and rehiring additional career law 
     enforcement officers that involves a non-Federal contribution 
     exceeding the 25 percent minimum under subsection (g); or
       ``(2) from an applicant in a State that has in effect a law 
     that--
       ``(A) treats a minor who has engaged in, or has attempted 
     to engage in, a commercial sex act as a victim of a severe 
     form of trafficking in persons;
       ``(B) discourages the charging or prosecution of an 
     individual described in subparagraph (A) for a prostitution 
     or sex trafficking offense, based on the conduct described in 
     subparagraph (A); and
       ``(C) encourages the diversion of an individual described 
     in subparagraph (A) to appropriate service providers, 
     including child welfare services, victim treatment programs, 
     child advocacy centers, rape crisis centers, or other social 
     services.''; and
       (2) in section 1709, by inserting at the end the following:
       ``(5) `commercial sex act' has the meaning given the term 
     in section 103 of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence 
     Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102).
       ``(6) `minor' means an individual who has not attained the 
     age of 18 years.
       ``(7) `severe form of trafficking in persons' has the 
     meaning given the term in section 103 of the Victims of 
     Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 
     7102).''.

     SEC. 3. REPORT ON RESTITUTION PAID IN CONNECTION WITH CERTAIN 
                   TRAFFICKING OFFENSES.

       Section 105(d)(7)(Q) of the Victims of Trafficking and 
     Violence Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7103(d)(7)(Q)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by inserting after ``1590,'' the following: ``1591,'';
       (2) by striking ``and 1594'' and inserting ``1594, 2251, 
     2251A, 2421, 2422, and 2423'';
       (3) in clause (iv), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (4) in clause (v), by striking ``and'' at the end; and
       (5) by inserting after clause (v) the following:
       ``(vi) the number of individuals required by a court order 
     to pay restitution in connection with a violation of each 
     offense under title 18, United States Code, the amount of

[[Page 1226]]

     restitution required to be paid under each such order, and 
     the amount of restitution actually paid pursuant to each such 
     order; and
       ``(vii) the age, gender, race, country of origin, country 
     of citizenship, and description of the role in the offense of 
     individuals convicted under each offense; and''.

     SEC. 4. NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE.

       Section 107(b)(2) of the Victims of Trafficking and 
     Violence Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7105(b)(2)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as 
     subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
       ``(B) National human trafficking hotline.--Beginning in 
     fiscal year 2017 and each fiscal year thereafter, of amounts 
     made available for grants under this paragraph, the Secretary 
     of Health and Human Services shall make grants for a national 
     communication system to assist victims of severe forms of 
     trafficking in persons in communicating with service 
     providers. The Secretary shall give priority to grant 
     applicants that have experience in providing telephone 
     services to victims of severe forms of trafficking in 
     persons.''.

     SEC. 5. JOB CORPS ELIGIBILITY.

       Section 144(a)(3) of the Workforce Innovation and 
     Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3194(a)(3)) is amended by adding 
     at the end the following:
       ``(F) A victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons 
     (as defined in section 103 of the Victims of Trafficking and 
     Violence Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102)). 
     Notwithstanding paragraph (2), an individual described in 
     this subparagraph shall not be required to demonstrate 
     eligibility under such paragraph.''.

     SEC. 6. CLARIFICATION OF AUTHORITY OF THE UNITED STATES 
                   MARSHALS SERVICE.

       Section 566(e)(1) of title 28, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by inserting after subparagraph (C), the following:
       ``(D) assist State, local, and other Federal law 
     enforcement agencies, upon the request of such an agency, in 
     locating and recovering missing children.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. 
Jackson Lee) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 159, currently 
under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Wisconsin?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  This weekend is one of America's greatest sports traditions--the 
Super Bowl. As most Americans huddle around the television, either 
rooting for their teams or against the rival as the case may be, sadly, 
many American children are huddled on the streets or in hotel rooms--
the victims of sex trafficking.
  A sinister side to major sporting events and to other large events is 
that a portion of the attendants come looking to abuse young children 
as much as they come for the headline events. While no one knows 
exactly how much the incidence of child sex trafficking increases 
during these events, it is known that pimps do bring children and other 
victims from around the country to offer them for sale at the Super 
Bowl and at other similar events. During last year's Super Bowl, the 
FBI and other law enforcement agencies arrested more than 45 
traffickers and rescued 16 child victims of sex trafficking, including 
victims as young as 13 years old and some who had been reported missing 
by their families.
  Compounding this tragedy is the fact that most States have no 
exception to their prostitution laws for minor victims of trafficking. 
These children must often fear arrest and prosecution when law 
enforcement manages to locate and rescue some sex trafficking victims. 
This must stop. In recognizing the need for protection and support for 
the growing number of child victims of commercial sex trafficking, an 
increasing number of States have taken steps to establish so-called 
``safe harbor'' provisions that either decriminalize minor prostitution 
or divert minor victims to the services and support needed for 
recovery.
  H.R. 159, the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act, introduced 
by Mr. Paulsen of Minnesota and Ms. Moore of my own State of Wisconsin, 
seeks to continue this trend by encouraging the States, through 
preferential treatment in the Federal COPS grants, to enact safe harbor 
legislation that ensures these victims are treated as victims and not 
as criminals and that they are directed to support services and not to 
detention facilities.
  The bill also codifies a ``national human trafficking hotline'' that 
ensures young victims are eligible for enrollment in the Job Corps 
program. It requires the Attorney General to report on sex offender 
convictions, and it clarifies the authority of the U.S. Marshals 
Service to help locate and recover missing children, many of whom are 
vulnerable to becoming sex trafficking victims.
  This bill passed the Judiciary Committee by voice vote. Similar 
legislation passed on the House floor unanimously last Congress, but it 
was not enacted into law.
  There is no such thing as a child prostitute--just victims of 
commercial sexual abuse at the hands of adults, so I urge my colleagues 
to support H.R. 159.
  I reserve the balance of my time.

         Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of 
           Representatives,
                                 Washington, DC, January 26, 2015.
     Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
     Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to confirm our mutual 
     understanding with respect to H.R. 159, the ``Stop 
     Exploitation Through Trafficking Act of 1015.'' Thank you for 
     consulting with the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
     with regard to H.R. 159 on those matters within the 
     committee's jurisdiction.
       In the interest of expediting the House's consideration of 
     H.R. 159, the Committee on Education and the Workforce will 
     forgo further consideration of this bill. However, I do so 
     only with the understanding this procedural route will not be 
     construed to prejudice my committee's jurisdictional interest 
     and prerogatives on this bill, or any other similar 
     legislation, and will not be considered as precedent for 
     consideration of matters of jurisdictional interest to my 
     committee in the future.
       I respectfully request your support for the appointment of 
     outside conferees from the Committee on Education and the 
     Workforce should this bill or a similar bill be considered in 
     a conference with the Senate. I also request you include our 
     exchange of letters on this matter in the Congressional 
     Record during consideration of this bill on the House floor. 
     Thank you for your attention to these matters.
           Sincerely,
                                                       John Kline,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                                 Washington, DC, January 26, 2015.
     Hon. John Kline,
     Chairman, Committee on Education and the Workforce, Rayburn 
         House Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Kline, Thank you for your letter regarding 
     H.R. 159, the ``Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act of 
     2015,'' which the Judiciary Committee ordered reported 
     favorably to the House on January 21, 2015.
       I am most appreciative of your decision to forego 
     consideration of H.R. 159 so that it may move expeditiously 
     to the House floor. I acknowledge that although you are 
     waiving formal consideration of the bill, the Committee on 
     Education and the Workforce is in no way waiving its 
     jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in the bill. 
     In addition, I would support your effort to seek appointment 
     of an appropriate number of conferees on any House-Senate 
     conference involving this legislation.
       Finally, I am pleased to include a copy of our letters in 
     the Congressional Record during consideration of H.R. 159.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Bob Goodlatte,
                                                         Chairman.

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  The manager, Mr. Sensenbrenner, is right. These are certainly both 
cases and legislation that, one, we are appalled at with the case 
studies that we

[[Page 1227]]

have seen and with the legislation that we seek in a bipartisan manner 
to solve that exploitation.
  I rise in support of H.R. 159, the Stop Exploitation Through 
Trafficking Act of 2015. The Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act 
is another weapon in the war against sex trafficking in our country.
  Madam Speaker, we are truly at war. As we stand here today, some 
child is being sex-trafficked--some runaway who is away from her 
family, not able to be found, not finding a place of refuge--falling 
into the deadly hands, if you will, of someone who will take advantage 
of her almost for the rest of her life. In Houston, I met women who had 
engaged in or who had been subjected to that in the early part of their 
lives, and they will tell you how it follows them for a long, long 
time, so they subject themselves to drugs and alcohol to eliminate the 
pain.
  This bill contains important victim-based initiatives to help combat 
sex trafficking. One of those initiatives, the national safe harbor 
law, is essential to making sure that victims of sex trafficking are 
not criminalized but, instead, are diverted to Child Protective 
Services. Only 12 States have safe harbor laws for minor victims of sex 
trafficking. That is far too few. Obviously, we need all 50 States to 
have this safe harbor.
  My colleagues, there is no such thing as a child prostitute. There 
are only child victims of rape. Children cannot give consent. There is 
no such thing as a child prostitute. Likewise, it is illegal for adults 
to have sex with children, children who by their very ages are under 
the age of consent. Sex with a minor, again, is rape. The seriousness 
of the offense is not diminished by having the john pay for the sex, 
making him feel good. It is still rape. It is time we stopped referring 
to the customer--the person having sex with a child--with such a polite 
title as a ``john.''
  In addition, we must label those who provide the johns with children, 
with minors, as what they are--horrific and horrible and vile 
criminals. The person who is the john is a rapist, a child rapist. We 
must punish those who prey on the vulnerable, and that includes not 
only the pimps and the traffickers, but also the rapists.

                              {time}  1300

  On the other hand, in an effort to help their recovery, we must not 
continue to victimize the victims. This bill empowers victims by 
providing for a national hotline to request help. The importance of 
this national hotline must not be underestimated.
  In my earlier statement, I spoke of a field hearing that I convened 
last March in Houston as a member of the Homeland Security Committee. 
During that hearing, Mr. McClelland, the chief of the Houston Police 
Department, testified that an 18-year-old victim of human trafficking 
contacted the national hotline asking for help to escape her violent 
pimp.
  The young victim had been forced to have sex with a john who ended up 
stabbing her and leaving without paying any money--a stabbing. She was 
fearful and wanted to get the money. It was a horrible situation.
  While her injuries were not life threatening, she did require medical 
attention for her injuries. However, the pimp refused to take her to 
get medical treatment, and she owed him to make up the money that the 
previous john who stabbed her did not pay.
  Vice's human trafficking unit received the information from hotline 
personnel and were able to contact, locate, and rescue the young 
female. They also arrested the pimp and charged him with felony of 
compelling prostitution. Madam Speaker, I wish there was a harsher 
charge, but it was good work by the local law enforcement.
  Madam Speaker, this story ends well. The young victim was reunited 
with family members that same day. This case serves as a great example 
of how law enforcement and nongovernmental organizations can 
successfully work together to not only rescue victims of human 
trafficking, but also arrest the perpetrators of this crime and get 
them off the street and away from other victims who are still out 
there.
  H.R. 159 also helps victims obtain restitution, and this is what I 
like: it puts them back on the right track by giving them eligibility 
for the Job Corps program, where we have seen lives turn around. It 
wants to say to them: You are valuable, you are worthy, and you have a 
future.
  This bill will help ensure that all victims of sex trafficking are 
treated as victims in every State and every jurisdiction. For these 
reasons, I join with my colleague, Mr. Sensenbrenner, and urge my 
colleagues to support this legislation as well.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 159, the ``Stop Exploitation 
Through Trafficking Act of 2015.''
  The Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act is another weapon in 
the war against sex trafficking in our country. This bill contains 
important victim-based initiatives to help combat sex trafficking. One 
of those initiatives, the National Safe Harbor Law, is essential to 
making sure that victims of sex trafficking are not criminalized, but 
instead are diverted to child protective services. Only 12 states have 
safe harbor laws for minor victims of sex trafficking.
  My colleagues, there is no such thing as a ``child prostitute''; 
there are only child victims of rape. Likewise, it is illegal for 
adults to have sex with children who, by their very age, are under the 
age of consent. Sex with a minor is rape! The seriousness of the 
offense is not diminished by having the ``john'' pay for the sex. It is 
still rape, and it's time we stopped referring to the customer, the 
person having sex with a child, with such a polite title as a ``john.'' 
He is a rapist, a child rapist! We must punish those who prey on the 
vulnerable, and that includes not only the pimps and traffickers but 
also the rapists.
  On the other hand, we must not continue to victimize the victims. In 
an effort to help their recovery, this bill empowers victims with a 
national hotline to request help. The importance of this national 
hotline must not be underestimated.
  In my earlier statement, I spoke of a field hearing that the 
Committee on Homeland Security held in Houston in March of last year. 
During that hearing Mr. Charles McClelland, Jr, Chief of Police, of the 
Houston Police Department, testified,

       . . . an 18 year old female victim of Human Trafficking . . 
     . contacted the National Human Trafficking Resource Center 
     Hotline asking for help to escape her violent pimp. The young 
     victim had been forced to have sex with a ``john'' who ended 
     up stabbing her and leaving without paying her any money. 
     While her injuries were not life threatening, she did require 
     medical attention for her injuries, however, the pimp refused 
     to take her to get medical treatment until she earner him 
     more money to make up for the money that the previous 
     ``john'' did not pay. Vice/Human Trafficking Unit personnel 
     received the information from Hotline personnel, and were 
     able to contact, locate, and rescue the young female, and 
     also arrest the pimp and charge him with felony compelling 
     prostitution.

  Madam Speaker, this story ends well. This young victim was reunited 
with family members that same day. This case serves as a great example 
of how law enforcement and non-governmental organizations can 
successfully work together to not only rescue victims of Human 
Trafficking, but also arrest the perpetrators of this crime and get 
them off the street and away from other victims who are still out 
there.
  H.R. 159 also helps victims obtain restitution and grants them 
eligibility for Job Corps programs. This bill will help ensure that all 
victims of sex trafficking are treated as victims in every state and in 
every jurisdiction.
  For these reasons I support this bill and urge my colleagues to 
support it as well.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume 
to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen), the principal author of 
the bill.
  Mr. PAULSEN. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, it is easy and comfortable to think that sex 
trafficking only happens in countries outside the United States. The 
truth is that more than 100,000 are at risk of being trafficked for 
commercial sex here in the United States each and every year, here in 
America.
  We have a word for a situation when one group of people is 
dehumanized and has their basic human rights snuffed out for someone 
else's economic gain. That word is slavery. The problem we have today 
is not a thing of the past. It is not from some remote corner of the 
world that you can't find on a map.

[[Page 1228]]

  Slavery in the form of human trafficking is happening right now. It 
is happening in our cities, suburbs, and rural communities. It is 
happening in each and every one of our congressional districts.
  I am sad to say that Minneapolis, Minnesota, my home State, has 
actually been listed as one of the 13th largest centers for sexual 
exploitation of children in the entire country.
  I realize how critical it is to educate our community about what I 
have learned from talking to victims like Dayanna, who became a 13-
year-old trafficking victim. Dayanna didn't get a lot of love and 
attention from her mother or family.
  While she took it upon herself to take care of her brothers and 
sisters, she longed for someone to give her love and attention. She 
ended up being seduced by a man who promised to be her ``boyfriend.''
  Guess what? At age 13, within days after running away with him, she 
found herself being trafficked in Chicago and Philadelphia, without a 
home and separated from her family. Only a daring jump from a second-
story window actually allowed her to escape.
  Many might think that if Dayanna had come from a different family 
situation, she wouldn't have been trafficked; sadly, that is not the 
case.
  I will never forget meeting with the mother of a young woman named 
Brittany. Brittany was a very young girl who was violently raped, 
murdered, and then found dead in an impound lot last February. Unlike 
Dayanna, Brittany had a loving family. She worked with children at a 
local recreation center and taught dance lessons.
  Despite these circumstances, Brittany was also a victim of sex 
trafficking but was too embarrassed to speak out until it was too late. 
As Brittany's mother told me: ``It doesn't matter if victims have a 
home because if sex trafficking can happen to my daughter, it can 
happen to any young girl.''
  That is exactly what we are talking about: young girls who are only 
12, 13, or 14 years old. They are not old enough to have graduated from 
high school. They are not old enough to have voted in an election. They 
are not old enough to pass their driver's license exam. In fact, in 
most States, these girls would be considered criminals that should be 
incarcerated and charged with prostitution instead of being treated as 
victims.
  We found that criminalization only traumatizes these girls and 
actually isolates them from the community and the services that they 
need and deserve. That is why, Madam Speaker, we need this legislation, 
H.R. 159, the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act, which focuses 
on incentivizing States to have safe harbor laws.
  Safe harbor laws ensure that these girls are treated as victims. Safe 
harbor laws will give legal protection for minor victims and provide 
them with specialized social services.
  We know that by bringing these victims out of the shadows, we can 
make sure they get the services they need, including medical and 
psychological treatment, housing, legal services, educational 
assistance, job training, and more.
  Law enforcement can then focus on actually bringing the perpetrators 
of these awful crimes to justice. This bipartisan legislation 
incentivizes States to adopt these safe harbor laws, so we can expand 
on the successes we have seen in States like Minnesota.
  In 2011, Minnesota became the fifth State to approve safe harbor 
legislation. After their safe harbor laws went into effect, guess what? 
Law enforcement in Minnesota began arresting more johns than ever 
before, and human trafficking convictions more than doubled. Best 
practices evaluated by law enforcement and victims groups show that 
removing the fear of prosecution from victims actually works.
  Today, only a little over a dozen States have full safe harbor laws. 
We have got to do more to protect these victims and be sure the pimps 
and johns are brought to justice.
  This legislation also helps victims by codifying a national human 
trafficking hotline and making victims eligible for Job Corps services. 
By giving them an avenue to access for job skill training, they can 
begin to rebuild their lives.
  Madam Speaker, the bill also helps law enforcement by allowing the 
U.S. Marshals Service to support other State, local, or Federal law 
enforcement agencies that are investigating missing child cases.
  Finally, the bill increases oversight by requiring additional 
reporting to Congress on restitution orders in trafficking cases. These 
provisions are all essentially critically important pieces in the 
effort to combat sex trafficking.
  I want to thank my colleague Gwen Moore from Wisconsin for her 
advocacy, passion, and partnership on this legislation and moving it 
forward on a bipartisan basis. I also want to thank the leaders of the 
Judiciary Committee team who have recognized that this is a top 
priority and moved it quickly early in this session of Congress.
  I look forward to working with my colleague, Senator Klobuchar from 
Minnesota, as well, in passing each and every one of these anti-
trafficking bills and getting them on the President's desk, so we can 
continue to save the lives of children.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3 minutes 
to the distinguished gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore), who has 
championed these bills.
  Ms. MOORE. I want to thank the gentlewoman from Texas and the 
gentleman from Wisconsin.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 159, the Stop 
Exploitation Through Trafficking Act, which has been so diligently 
pushed through with the superb partnership of Congressman Erik Paulsen 
of Minnesota. It has been a thrill to partner with him throughout this 
process.
  This is a bipartisan collaboration because, unfortunately, this is a 
bipartisan problem. Solving the problem of sexual exploitation of 
children will require work on all of our parts because it is a 
financial boom. People become multimillionaires in this illicit trade.
  Also, the gentlewoman from Texas has worked so diligently to combat 
sex trafficking in places like Nigeria, and I joined with her on that 
initiative.
  It is very disheartening to know that right here, within our own 
borders, the FBI estimates that at least 100,000 children in the United 
States of America are currently trafficked and another 200,000 are 
right on the cusp. They are at risk of sexual exploitation.
  These victims are not ``women of the night'' or sexualized women who 
are doing it of their own free will--no. The average age of these 
victims is 13. It is an embarrassing statistic. It is embarrassing to 
report that my own hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has become known 
as a sex trafficking hub for both children and adults.
  In 2013 alone, just on a random day, the FBI did a sweep and rescued 
10 juvenile girls from sex traffickers in Milwaukee. Trafficking is all 
too common in communities across the Nation--from urban settings, rural 
settings, suburban settings, and from coast to coast.
  Predators victimize vulnerable young people such as those in the 
foster care system. They prey upon those living in poverty; but what we 
do know is they also seek out higher-income children, going after those 
children who may have problems in their own homes. Some are LGBT 
identified.
  There is no safe harbor for children unless we create it through laws 
such as this.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.
  Ms. MOORE. I am proud of this legislation, I am pleased to cosponsor 
it, and I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 159.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  In closing, we have all come today with an important project, and 
that is to help save our children.
  I wouldn't want to leave this very important bill that talks about 
saving our children from sex trafficking without letting our colleagues 
know that we want every possible act of human

[[Page 1229]]

trafficking to be reported at 1-866-347-2423. We want those who are 
victims to know that they can seek help, too, at 1-888-373-7888.
  The statement we are making is that we are doing everything we can to 
extinguish and eliminate this heinous tragedy in our country. I ask my 
colleagues to support this legislation and to recognize that we must 
stop exploitation through trafficking.
  I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 159, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  Madam Speaker, this is another example of bipartisan cooperation in 
the House of Representatives. I do wish to commend the principal author 
of the bill, Mr. Paulsen from Minnesota, an original cosponsor; Ms. 
Moore from Wisconsin; and my colleague, the ranking member of the Crime 
Subcommittee, Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas.
  We have all worked together. Hopefully, we can send this bill over to 
the other body, and they will promptly pass it.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 159, as amended.
  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.

                          ____________________