[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5317]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           HUMAN TRAFFICKING LEGISLATION AND LYNCH NOMINATION

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, help is finally on the way for the 
thousands of enslaved victims who suffer unspeakable abuse in the 
shadows. These victims often have nowhere safe to sleep. They often 
have no safe place to turn to. And if they do try to escape, many risk 
being treated by the justice system like criminals instead of the 
victims they truly are.
  These victims deserve the help the Justice for Victims of Trafficking 
Act would provide. It is a human rights bill that victims groups and 
advocates have called ``the most comprehensive and thoughtful piece of 
anti-trafficking legislation currently pending'' and one that provides 
unprecedented support to domestic victims of trafficking, who are all 
too often invisible and underserved.
  We are relieved we can finally say that we will pass it today and 
that the Senate won't violate longstanding bipartisan Hyde precedent in 
doing so. But let me be as clear as possible. There was never a 
logically consistent rationale for the filibuster that held up this 
bill, and the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service explicitly 
backed up what Republicans have long said when it confirmed that there 
are no private funds in this bill.
  Thankfully, the filibuster is at an end. Today is a new day. Today, 
we will finally vote to deliver much needed resources for the victims 
of modern slavery, with Hyde essentially applying to all funds used for 
health and medical services, just as it was in the original bill. This 
is nothing new; it is simply a reaffirmation of the status quo.
  We know that today's outcome would not have been possible without the 
Herculean efforts of my colleague Senator Cornyn. He was absolutely 
determined to see justice for victims, and we really cannot thank him 
enough. He negotiated across the aisle in good faith. He never gave up, 
not even in the bleakest hour. And today, the real focus of all our 
efforts--the victims of trafficking and modern slavery--can see that 
help is finally on the way.
  We thank Senator Cornyn. We thank his negotiating partners from both 
parties. We thank Chairman Grassley for his superb work on this 
important bill in the Judiciary Committee as well. We look forward to 
this bill's passage in the House and its signature by the President.
  Mr. President, once the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act passes 
in the Senate, we will turn to consideration of the President's nominee 
to be Attorney General. That is just what I pledged we would do, and 
that is what we will do.

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