[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8566]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  THE FIGHT TO STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING

  (Mr. BURGESS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to continue support for this 
week's focus on combating human trafficking.
  Some of the people most vulnerable to trafficking are unaccompanied 
alien children who cross our southern border. These children are 
oftentimes released to sponsors or relatives, and sometimes they simply 
disappear. Once released, unaccompanied alien children receive one 
follow-up phone call, and many are never contacted, leaving them 
potentially vulnerable to trafficking.
  No child should fall into the hands of traffickers because of our 
lack of surveillance. When I was in practice as a physician, if I ever 
suspected that a child had been abused, I was required by law to notify 
authorities. We should require no less of our Federal agencies.
  Today, I am asking the Office of Refugee Resettlement to redouble 
their efforts to make certain these children never end up in the care 
of the wrong people.
  I also want to take this opportunity to thank our Denton County 
sheriff, Tracy Murphree. Just last weekend, they conducted a 
significant human trafficking operation that led to 11 arrests. I am 
grateful for them and for all law enforcement officials for taking the 
steps to end this abuse.

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