[House Report 117-475]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


117th Congress    }                                        {      Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session       }                                        {     117-475

======================================================================



 
                        NO TRAFFICKING ZONES ACT

                                _______
                                

 September 19, 2022.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

    Mr. Nadler, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 7566]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the 
bill (H.R. 7566) to amend title 18, United States Code, to 
increase the punishment for human trafficking in a school zone, 
and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports 
favorably thereon with an amendment and recommends that the 
bill as amended do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose and Summary..............................................     3
Background and Need for the Legislation..........................     3
Hearings.........................................................     6
Committee Consideration..........................................     7
Committee Votes..................................................     7
Committee Oversight Findings.....................................    15
Committee Estimate of Budgetary Effects..........................    15
New Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost 
  Estimate.......................................................    15
Duplication of Federal Programs..................................    16
Performance Goals and Objectives.................................    16
Advisory on Earmarks.............................................    16
Section-by-Section Analysis......................................    16
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............    17

    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``No Trafficking Zones Act'' or the 
``NTZ Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

  Congress finds as follows:
          (1) Child sex trafficking can have devastating immediate and 
        long-term consequences, including health impacts, psychological 
        and physical trauma, and even death.
          (2) While any child can be targeted by a trafficker, 
        research, data, survivors' lived experiences, and expertise 
        have revealed that traffickers often target vulnerable youth 
        who lack strong support networks, supervision, care, or basic 
        necessities, have low self-esteem, have experienced violence in 
        the past, are experiencing homelessness, are experiencing 
        academic difficulties, or are marginalized by society, and lure 
        them into forced labor and prostitution and other forms of 
        sexual exploitation. Traffickers are masters of manipulation 
        and prey upon vulnerabilities using psychological pressure, 
        intimidation, and drugs to control and sexually exploit the 
        child for their benefit.
          (3) The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 
        (NCMEC) has received reports of child sex trafficking in all 50 
        States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. These 
        reports include incidents occurring in every type of community, 
        including suburban, rural, urban, and Tribal lands. In 2021, 
        NCMEC received more than 17,200 reports of possible child sex 
        trafficking.
          (4) Of 22,326 trafficking victims and survivors identified 
        through contacts with the National Human Trafficking Hotline in 
        2019, at least 5,359 were under age 18.
          (5) Many underage victims of sex trafficking are students in 
        the United States school system. No community, school, 
        socioeconomic group, or student demographic is immune.
          (6) While the internet and social media make up the majority 
        of first encounters, traffickers regularly find young people in 
        shopping malls, through friends, at bus stops, and at schools. 
        Specifically, traffickers systematically target vulnerable 
        children and youth by frequenting locations where young people 
        congregate, including schools. They also use peers or 
        classmates, who befriend the target and slowly groom them for 
        the trafficker by bringing the young person along to parties 
        and other activities.
          (7) A 2018 survey reported that 55 percent of young sex 
        trafficking survivors in Texas were trafficked while at school 
        or school activities and 60 percent of trafficked adults say 
        they were first groomed and solicited for trafficking on school 
        campuses.
          (8) Schools can and should be safe havens for students. 
        Schools are best positioned to identify and report suspected 
        trafficking and connect affected students to critical services. 
        Students are more likely to report instances of sex 
        trafficking, attempted sex trafficking, or grooming for the 
        purposes of sex trafficking where they feel most safe from harm 
        and threats.

SEC. 3. INCREASED PUNISHMENT FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN SCHOOL ZONES.

  Section 1591 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
          (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
          (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
  ``(e)(1) Whoever violates subsection (a) in a school zone, or on, or 
within 1,000 feet of, a premises on which a school-sponsored activity 
is taking place, or on, or within 1,000 feet of a premises owned by an 
institution of higher education, shall, in addition to the punishment 
otherwise provided under this section, be imprisoned for not more than 
5 years.
  ``(2) In this subsection:
          ``(A) The term `school zone' has the meaning given such term 
        in section 921.
          ``(B) The term `school-sponsored activity' means any activity 
        that is produced, financed, arranged, supervised, or 
        coordinated by a school or a State educational agency or local 
        educational agency or is under the jurisdiction of a State 
        educational agency or local educational agency.
          ``(C) The terms `State educational agency' and `local 
        educational agency' have the meanings given those terms under 
        section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965.
          ``(D) The term `institution of higher education' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).''.

SEC. 4. INCREASED PUNISHMENT FOR COERCION AND ENTICEMENT IN SCHOOL 
                    ZONES.

  Section 2422 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
          (1) in subsection (b), by striking ``individual who has not 
        attained the age of 18 years'' and inserting ``minor''; and
          (2) by adding at the end the following:
  ``(c)(1) Whoever violates subsection (a) or (b) knowing, or having 
reasonable cause to believe, that the violation is committed against a 
minor who is enrolled in school and is, at the time of the violation, 
in a school zone or on, or within 1,000 feet of, a premises on which a 
school-sponsored activity is taking place, or against a person who is 
enrolled in an institution of higher education and is, at the time of 
the violation on or within 1,000 feet of a premises owned by the 
institution of higher education, shall, in addition to the punishment 
otherwise provided under this section, be imprisoned for not more than 
5 years.
  ``(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply in a case in which a minor's 
presence on, or within 1,000 feet of, the premises on which a school-
sponsored activity is taking place is not related to such school-
sponsored activity, or the person's presence on or within 1,000 feet of 
the premises owned by the institution of higher education is not 
related to their enrollment at such institution.
  ``(d) In this section:
          ``(1) The term `minor' means an individual who has not 
        attained 18 years of age.
          ``(2) The term `school' means a public, parochial, or private 
        school that provides elementary or secondary education.
          ``(3) The term `school zone' has the meaning given such term 
        in section 921.
          ``(4) The term `school-sponsored activity' means any activity 
        that is produced, financed, arranged, supervised, or 
        coordinated by a school or a State educational agency or local 
        educational agency or is under the jurisdiction of a State 
        educational agency or local educational agency.
          ``(5) The terms `State educational agency' and `local 
        educational agency' have the meanings given those terms under 
        section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965.
          ``(6) The term `institution of higher education' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).''.

                          Purpose and Summary

    Introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) on April 25, 
2022, H.R. 7566, the ``No Trafficking Zones Act,'' or the 
``NTZ''\1\ would increase the maximum penalty available under 
current law for the commission of the offenses of sex 
trafficking of children and coercion and enticement committed 
within school zones or on, or within 1,000 feet of, school-
sponsored activities or institutions of higher education by up 
to five years.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\The bill was originally introduced as the ``Stop Human 
Trafficking in School Zones Act.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                Background and Need for the Legislation


                        I. CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING

    The United States has made the global fight against human 
trafficking a policy priority and employs a whole-of-government 
approach to stop human traffickers, protect victims, and 
prevent these crimes. Human trafficking, often referred to in 
U.S. law as trafficking in persons, is the crime of exploiting 
a person for compelled labor, services, or commercial sex acts. 
Human trafficking poses a grave danger to individual well-
being, public health, public safety, national security, 
economic development, and prosperity.
    In 2020, there were 11,193 incidents of human trafficking 
identified through the United States National Human Trafficking 
Hotline (``Trafficking Hotline'').\2\ While human trafficking 
comes in many forms, sex trafficking of adults--involving the 
commercial sexual exploitation of a person over the age of 18 
through force, fraud, or coercion--is the most commonly 
acknowledged. Notably, when a person under 18 years old is 
induced to perform a commercial sex act, it constitutes the 
crime of sex trafficking, regardless of whether there is any 
force, fraud, or coercion.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \2\See Department of State Annual Trafficking in Persons Report, 
2021, available at https://www.state.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2021/07/
TIP_Report_Final_20210701.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 
(NCMEC) has received reports of child sex trafficking in all 50 
U.S. States, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. These reports 
include incidents occurring in every type of community: 
suburban, rural, urban, and tribal lands. Of 22,326 trafficking 
victims and survivors identified through contacts with the 
Trafficking Hotline in 2019, at least 5,359 were under age 
18.\3\ In 2021, NCMEC received more than 17,200 reports of 
possible child sex trafficking.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \3\Polaris Project, 2019 data report: The US National Human 
Trafficking Hotline (2020). https://polarisproject.org/wp-content/
uploads/2019/09/Polaris-2019-US-National-HumanTrafficking-Hotline-Data-
Report.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Child and youth sex trafficking can have devastating 
immediate and long-term consequences, including health impacts, 
psychological and physical trauma, substance use disorders, 
mental health disorders, and even death.\4\ While any minor can 
be targeted by a trafficker, research, data, survivor lived 
experience, and expertise have revealed that traffickers often 
target vulnerable youth who lack strong support networks, 
supervision, care, or basic necessities, have low self-esteem, 
have experienced violence in the past, are experiencing 
homelessness, are experiencing academic difficulties, or are 
marginalized by society. Exploiting these vulnerabilities, 
traffickers then lure these young people into forced labor, 
prostitution, and other forms of sexual exploitation.\5\ 
Traffickers are masters of manipulation who prey upon 
vulnerabilities using psychological pressure, intimidation, and 
drugs to control and sexually exploit the child for their 
benefit. They target children and youth for grooming, often 
over an extended period. They secure their target's trust, 
fulfill their needs, isolate them from potential support, and 
eventually exert total control over them, while normalizing the 
abuse.\6\ Once traffickers have established sufficient control, 
they sell their victims at private parties, illicit massage 
parlors, hotel and motel rooms, strip clubs, truck stops, and 
other venues.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \4\Fedina, L., Williamson, C., & Perdue, T., Risk factors for 
domestic child sex trafficking in the United States, Journal of 
Interpersonal Violence, 34(13), 2653-2673 (2019) https://doi.org/
10.1177/0886260516662306.
    \5\National Human Trafficking Hotline, Myths & Facts available at 
https://humantraffickinghotline.org/what-human-trafficking/myths-
misconceptions.
    \6\U.S. Dep't of Education, Office of Safe and Healthy Students, 
Human Trafficking in America's Schools (January 2015) https://
safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/
HumanTraffickinginAmericasSchools.pdf.
    \7\National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE, Sex trafficking 
of minors: What schools need to know to recognize and respond to the 
trafficking of students (2014) https://nche.ed.gov/wp-content/uploads/
2018/10/trafficking.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Recruiting occurs everywhere--in schools, malls, sporting 
events, parties, in shelters, and at home.\8\ No community, 
school, socioeconomic group, or student demographic is immune. 
Recruitment, grooming, and trafficking are conducted both in 
person and online. The internet and cellular technology offer 
individuals the opportunity to stay connected around the clock 
and from any distance, and it offers access--to information, 
goods, and people--that was previously out of reach. These same 
benefits support the ease of internet and cell phone usage in 
sex trafficking. The use of technology by traffickers, victims, 
and buyers has grown exponentially in recent years.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \8\Polaris Project, Educators and Human Trafficking: In-depth 
review (2011). https://humantraffickinghotline.org/sites/default/files/
In%20Depth%20Review%20for%20Educators.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    While the internet and social media make up the majority of 
first encounters, traffickers regularly find young people in 
shopping malls, through friends, at bus stops, and at schools. 
Specifically, traffickers systematically target vulnerable 
children and youth by frequenting locations where young people 
congregate, including schools.\9\ Confirmed cases have revealed 
that trafficking activity occurs on campuses, during school-
sponsored events, and among peers.\10\ Traffickers also use 
peers or classmates, who befriend the target and slowly groom 
them for the trafficker by forming relationships with fellow 
students, bringing their targets along to parties and other 
activities to bring more youth into the criminal 
enterprise.\11\ Students might also meet traffickers while 
traveling to or from school.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \9\U.S. Dep't of Education, Office of Safe and Healthy Students, 
Human Trafficking in America's Schools (January 2015) https://
safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/
HumanTraffickinginAmericasSchools.pdf.
    \10\ISafe Ventures, U.S. Dep't of Education, The Human Trafficking 
Framework for Instructional Programming in Schools (2017) https://
safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/
USDOE_UseCase_HT_2017.pdf.
    \11\Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Trafficked students might continue to attend school, 
although sporadically. A 2018 survey reported that 55% of young 
sex trafficking survivors in Texas were in school while they 
were being trafficked, 33% of those with a trafficker met him 
or her through a mutual friend, a family member, or at 
school,\12\ and 60% of trafficked adults say they were first 
groomed and solicited for trafficking on school campuses. And 
many respondents reported that they were in school at least 
part of the time that they were ``in the life.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \12\Bouche, V., Survivor Insights: The Role of Technology in 
Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking, Thorn (Jan. 2018).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Schools can and should be safe havens for students\13\ and 
even more so for students whose lives are otherwise burdened by 
instability and a lack of safety and security. A safe learning 
environment is necessary for overall student success, but 
general student safety is jeopardized when some students are 
being exploited and victimized, particularly if students are 
being used to recruit other students or if a trafficker is 
connected to student social circles.\14\ Educators, faculty, 
and school officials are best positioned to identify potential 
victims, report suspected trafficking to the appropriate 
authorities, and connect affected students to critical 
services. And students are more likely to report instances of 
sex trafficking, attempted sex trafficking, or grooming for the 
purposes of sex trafficking where they feel most safe from harm 
and threats--circumstances made impossible when traffickers can 
contact their targets and maintain control over their victims 
while they are in school or participating in school-sponsored 
activities. Creating safer campuses can increase the chances 
for the academic, social, and psychological success of 
students.\15\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \13\ISafe Ventures, U.S. Dep't of Education, The Human Trafficking 
Framework for Instructional Programming in Schools (2017) https://
safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/
USDOE_UseCase_HT_2017.pdf.
    \14\National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, 
Impact on the Students and the Learning Environment (2022) https://
safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/human-trafficking-americas-schools/
impact-on-students-and-learning-environment.
    \15\Human Trafficking in America's Schools, supra.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                II. PROSECUTION OF CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING

    Child Sex Trafficking is prohibited by 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1591. 
This statute makes it a federal offense to knowingly recruit, 
entice, harbor, transport, provide, obtain, or maintain a minor 
(defined as someone under 18 years of age) knowing or in 
reckless disregard of the fact that the victim is a minor and 
would be caused to engage in a commercial sex act. A commercial 
sex act is defined very broadly to include ``any sex act, on 
account of which anything of value is given to or received by 
any person.'' In other words, it is illegal both to offer and 
to obtain a child and cause that child to engage in any kind of 
sexual activity in exchange for anything of value, whether it 
be money, goods, personal benefit, in-kind favors, or any other 
kind of benefit. Section 1591 also makes it a crime for 
individuals to participate in a business venture that obtains 
minors and causes them to engage in commercial sex acts.
    When the victim is a minor, section 1591 does not require 
proof that the defendant used force, threats of force, fraud, 
or coercion, or any combination of those means, to cause the 
minor to engage in a commercial sex act. It also does not 
require proof that either the defendant or the victim crossed 
state or international lines. If the victim was under the age 
of 14 or if force, fraud, or coercion were used, the penalty is 
not less than 15 years in prison up to life. If the victim was 
aged 14-17, the penalty shall not be less than 10 years in 
prison up to life.
    Section 2422(b) of title 18 makes it a crime to use the 
U.S. Mail or certain technology, such as the internet or a 
telephone (whether cellular or a land line), to persuade, 
induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in prostitution or 
any other illegal sexual activity. For example, it is a federal 
crime for an adult to use the mail, a chat room, email, social 
media, instant messaging, or text messages to persuade a child 
to meet him or her to engage that child in prostitution or 
other illegal sexual activity. Under this statute, it is not 
necessary to prove that either the defendant or the victim 
crossed state lines. The penalty for this offense is not less 
than ten years in prison, up to life.
    This legislation is meant to protect students from the 
physical or virtual reach of sex traffickers by establishing a 
sentencing enhancement of up to five additional years of 
imprisonment for commission of the offenses of child sex 
trafficking (under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1591) and coercion and 
enticement of a minor (under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2422(b)) on or 
within 1,000 feet of a school or premises in which a school 
sponsored activity is taking place. By creating human-
trafficking-free zones in and around the premises of schools 
and school-sponsored activities, H.R. 7566, the ``Stop Human 
Trafficking in School Zones Act'' would ensure that schools are 
a safe space for learning.

                                Hearings

    For the purposes of clause 3(c)(6) of House rule XIII, the 
following hearing was used to develop H.R. 7566: ``Oversight 
Hearing on Federal Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking,'' held 
on April 27, 2022, before the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, 
and Homeland Security. The Subcommittee heard testimony from:
           Evelyn Chumbow, Greater Washington, DC Area;
           Shamere McKenzie, Greater Washington, DC 
        Area;
           Cristian Eduardo, Greater New York City 
        Area;
           Terry FitzPatrick, Director, Alliance to End 
        Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST);
           Martina E. Vandenberg, Founder and 
        President, The Human Trafficking Legal Center;
           Jacquelyn Aluotto, Co-Founder, No 
        Trafficking Zone;
           Sheriff Mark Dannels, Cochise County, 
        Arizona; and
           Jessica M. Vaughan, Director of Policy 
        Studies, Center for Immigration Studies.
    The hearing addressed child sex trafficking and factors 
that make children vulnerable to sex trafficking. The 
Subcommittee received expert testimony on statistics related to 
the prevalence of child sex trafficking, and the recruiting 
tactics used by traffickers to entice, persuade, and coerce 
child sex trafficking victims.

                        Committee Consideration

    On July 13, 2022, the Committee met in open session and 
ordered the bill, H.R. 7566, favorably reported as amended, by 
a voice vote, a quorum being present.

                            Committee Votes

    In compliance with clause 3(b) of House rule XIII, the 
following rollcall votes occurred during the Committee's 
consideration of H.R. 7566:
    1. An amendment by Mr. Biggs, to increase the maximum 
penalty of imprisonment by up to five years for an individual 
who: brings or attempts to bring a minor who is not a citizen 
of the U.S. to a place other than a designated port of entry or 
another place designated by the Homeland Security Department, 
regardless of whether the individual has received prior 
authorization to come to, enter or reside in the U.S. and 
regardless of any future official action that could be taken 
with respect to the individual; knowingly transports or 
attempts to transport an undocumented minor within the U.S.; 
conceals, harbors, or shields from detection, an undocumented 
minor, or attempts to do so; encourages or induces an 
undocumented minor to come to, enter, or reside in the U.S.; or 
engages in any conspiracy to commit any such offense or aids or 
abets the commission of such an offense, was defeated by a 
rollcall vote of 17 to 20. The vote was as follows:


[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

    2. An amendment by Mr. Fitzgerald, to increase the maximum 
penalty of imprisonment by up to five years for an individual 
who violates section 1591 of title 18 and is not a citizen or 
national of the U.S. who entered the U.S. legally, was defeated 
by a rollcall vote of 19 to 19. The vote was as follows:



[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

    3. An amendment by Mr. Roy, to increase the minimum 
imprisonment period for an individual who sex trafficked a 
child under age 14 from at least 15 years to at least 20 years. 
For a child between ages 15 to 17, it would increase the 
minimum imprisonment period from at least 10 years to at least 
15 years. It would also increase the maximum imprisonment 
period from up to 25 years to up to 30 years for someone who 
obstructed, attempted to obstruct or in any way interfere with 
or prevent the enforcement of current laws concerning child sex 
trafficking. It would also increase the maximum imprisonment 
period from up to 20 years to up to 25 years for an individual 
who knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced any 
individual to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to 
engage in prostitution or a criminal sexual activity. It would 
also increase the minimum imprisonment period from at least 10 
years to at least 15 years for an individual who used the mail 
or interstate or foreign commerce, including phone, email, or 
internet chat rooms, to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, or 
coerce any minor to engage in prostitution or any criminal 
sexual activity. The amendment was defeated by a rollcall vote 
of 16 to 22. The vote was as follows:

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

    4. An amendment by Mr. Johnson of Louisiana, to increase 
the maximum penalty of imprisonment by up to five years for an 
individual who knowingly persuades, induces, entices, or 
coerces any individual--regardless of their age--to travel in 
interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution or a 
criminal sexual activity, or who uses the mail or interstate 
commerce to commit such crimes, if the victim is enrolled in 
school and in a school zone or within 1,000 feet of a school-
sponsored activity, was defeated by a rollcall vote of 16 to 
21. The vote was follows:

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                      Committee Oversight Findings

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of House rule XIII, the 
Committee advises that the findings and recommendations of the 
Committee, based on oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1) 
of House Rule X, are incorporated in the descriptive portions 
of this report.

                Committee Estimate of Budgetary Effects

    Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of House rule XIII, the 
Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared by the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

   New Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of House rule XIII and section 
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, and pursuant to 
clause (3)(c)(3) of House rule XIII and section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee sets forth, 
with respect to the bill, H.R. 7566, the following analysis and 
estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office:

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


    H.R. 7566 would increase the prison sentence for 
individuals convicted of child sex trafficking for offenses 
that occur within 1,000 feet of a school zone or a school-
sponsored activity. Specifically, the bill would increase the 
minimum sentence from 15 years to up to 20 years for sex 
trafficking offenses effected through force or coercion or 
against children under the age of 14. It would also raise the 
minimum penalty from 10 years to up to 15 years for offenses 
committed without force or coercion against those between the 
ages of 14 and 18.
    Under H.R. 7566, new offenders could face longer prison 
sentences. Using information from the Department of Justice 
(DOJ), CBO estimates that a few hundred defendants are 
convicted of sex trafficking annually but only a small number 
would meet the bill's criteria for an enhanced sentence. In 
addition, CBO expects that any costs to the federal prison 
system or savings from reduced federal benefits paid to 
individuals resulting from longer sentences would not occur for 
several years. As a result, CBO estimates that the costs to DOJ 
to implement new policies and procedures in response to H.R. 
7566 would be less than $500,000 over the 2022-2027 period; 
such spending would be subject to the availability of 
appropriated funds.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeremy Crimm. 
The estimate was reviewed by Leo Lex, Deputy Director of Budget 
Analysis.

                    Duplication of Federal Programs

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of House rule XIII, no provision 
of H.R. 7566 establishes or reauthorizes a program of the 
federal government known to be duplicative of another federal 
program.

                    Performance Goals and Objectives

    The Committee states that pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of 
House rule XIII, H.R. 7566 would increase the maximum penalty 
of imprisonment by up to five years for commission of the 
offense of sex trafficking of children within a school zone or 
on, or within 1,000 feet of, a school-sponsored activity, and 
for contacting a minor to persuade or entice a minor to engage 
in illegal sexual activity using a facility or means of 
interstate or foreign commerce, such as cellular technology or 
the internet, including social media platforms, while the minor 
is within a school zone or on, or within 1,000 feet of, a 
school-sponsored activity.

                          Advisory on Earmarks

    In accordance with clause 9 of House rule XXI, H.R. 7566 
does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited tax 
benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 
9(e), or 9(f) of House rule XXI.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis

    The following discussion describes the bill as reported by 
the Committee.
    Sec. 1. Short Title. Section 1 of the bill sets forth the 
short title of the bill as the ``No Trafficking Zones Act'' or 
the ``NTZ Act.''
    Sec. 2. Findings. Section 2 of the bill provides findings 
related to child sex trafficking, including the impact of sex 
trafficking on child victims, factors that make children 
vulnerable to sex trafficking, statistics related to the 
occurrence and prevalence of child sex trafficking, and the 
recruiting tactics used by traffickers.
    Sec. 3. Increased Punishment for Human Trafficking in 
School Zones. Section 3 of the bill would amend section 1591 of 
title 18 to add a sentencing enhancement of not more than five 
years imprisonment to be imposed, in addition to the punishment 
otherwise provided, for committing the offense in a school 
zone, or on, or within 1,000 feet of, a premises where a 
school-sponsored activity is taking place or premises owned by 
an institution of higher education. A ``school zone'' takes the 
meaning set forth in section 921 of title 18. This section also 
defines ``school-sponsored activity'' as any activity that is 
produced, financed, arranged, supervised, or coordinated by a 
school or state or local educational agency or is under the 
jurisdiction of a state or local educational agency. State and 
local educational agencies have the meanings given in section 
8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. 
``Institution of higher education'' has the meaning given in 
section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
    Sec. 4. Increased Punishment for Coercion and Enticement. 
Section 4 of the bill would amend section 2422 of title 18 to 
add a sentencing enhancement of not more than five years 
imprisonment to the underlying punishment, if a minor, who is 
enrolled in school, is contacted while in a school zone, or on, 
or within 1,000 feet of, a premises where a school-sponsored 
activity is taking place, or a person enrolled in an 
institution of higher education is contacted while on, or 
within 1,000 feet of, a premises owned by an institution of 
higher education to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce the 
minor or person to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to 
engage in prostitution or illegal sexual activity; or, if using 
the mail or any facility or means of interstate or foreign 
commerce, a minor, who is enrolled in school, is contacted 
while in a school zone, or on, or within 1,000 feet of, a 
premises where a school-sponsored activity is taking place, or 
a person enrolled in an institute of higher education is 
contacted while on or within 1,000 feet of a premises owned by 
the institution of higher is contacted to persuade, induce, 
entice, or coerce the minor or person to engage in prostitution 
or any illegal sexual activity. This section makes clear that 
the enhancement does not apply if the minor's presence at or 
near a school-sponsored activity is unrelated to the activity 
or a person's presence on or near an institution of higher 
education is not related to their enrollment at the 
institution. This section also changes existing language in the 
underlying statute that refers to a potential victim of the 
offense involving use of the mail or any facility or means of 
interstate or foreign commerce as ``any individual who has not 
attained the age of 18 years'' to ``a minor.''

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italics, and existing law in which no 
change is proposed is shown in roman):

                      TITLE 18, UNITED STATES CODE



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PART I--CRIMES

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CHAPTER 77--PEONAGE, SLAVERY, AND TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

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Sec. 1591. Sex trafficking of children or by force, fraud, or coercion

  (a) Whoever knowingly--
          (1) in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, 
        or within the special maritime and territorial 
        jurisdiction of the United States, recruits, entices, 
        harbors, transports, provides, obtains, advertises, 
        maintains, patronizes, or solicits by any means a 
        person; or
          (2) benefits, financially or by receiving anything of 
        value, from participation in a venture which has 
        engaged in an act described in violation of paragraph 
        (1),
knowing, or, except where the act constituting the violation of 
paragraph (1) is advertising, in reckless disregard of the 
fact, that means of force, threats of force, fraud, coercion 
described in subsection (e)(2), or any combination of such 
means will be used to cause the person to engage in a 
commercial sex act, or that the person has not attained the age 
of 18 years and will be caused to engage in a commercial sex 
act, shall be punished as provided in subsection (b).
  (b) The punishment for an offense under subsection (a) is--
          (1) if the offense was effected by means of force, 
        threats of force, fraud, or coercion described in 
        subsection (e)(2), or by any combination of such means, 
        or if the person recruited, enticed, harbored, 
        transported, provided, obtained, advertised, 
        patronized, or solicited had not attained the age of 14 
        years at the time of such offense, by a fine under this 
        title and imprisonment for any term of years not less 
        than 15 or for life; or
          (2) if the offense was not so effected, and the 
        person recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, 
        provided, obtained, advertised, patronized, or 
        solicited had attained the age of 14 years but had not 
        attained the age of 18 years at the time of such 
        offense, by a fine under this title and imprisonment 
        for not less than 10 years or for life.
  (c) In a prosecution under subsection (a)(1) in which the 
defendant had a reasonable opportunity to observe the person so 
recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, 
maintained, patronized, or solicited, the Government need not 
prove that the defendant knew, or recklessly disregarded the 
fact, that the person had not attained the age of 18 years.
  (d) Whoever obstructs, attempts to obstruct, or in any way 
interferes with or prevents the enforcement of this section, 
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for a term not to 
exceed 25 years, or both.
  (e)(1) Whoever violates subsection (a) in a school zone, or 
on, or within 1,000 feet of, a premises on which a school-
sponsored activity is taking place, or on, or within 1,000 feet 
of a premises owned by an institution of higher education, 
shall, in addition to the punishment otherwise provided under 
this section, be imprisoned for not more than 5 years.
  (2) In this subsection:
          (A) The term ``school zone'' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 921.
          (B) The term ``school-sponsored activity'' means any 
        activity that is produced, financed, arranged, 
        supervised, or coordinated by a school or a State 
        educational agency or local educational agency or is 
        under the jurisdiction of a State educational agency or 
        local educational agency.
          (C) The terms ``State educational agency'' and 
        ``local educational agency'' have the meanings given 
        those terms under section 8101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965.
          (D) The term ``institution of higher education'' has 
        the meaning given such term in section 101 of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
  [(e)] (f) In this section:
          (1) The term ``abuse or threatened abuse of law or 
        legal process'' means the use or threatened use of a 
        law or legal process, whether administrative, civil, or 
        criminal, in any manner or for any purpose for which 
        the law was not designed, in order to exert pressure on 
        another person to cause that person to take some action 
        or refrain from taking some action.
          (2) The term ``coercion'' means--
                  (A) threats of serious harm to or physical 
                restraint against any person;
                  (B) any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to 
                cause a person to believe that failure to 
                perform an act would result in serious harm to 
                or physical restraint against any person; or
                  (C) the abuse or threatened abuse of law or 
                the legal process.
          (3) The term ``commercial sex act'' means any sex 
        act, on account of which anything of value is given to 
        or received by any person.
          (4) The term ``participation in a venture'' means 
        knowingly assisting, supporting, or facilitating a 
        violation of subsection (a)(1).
          (5) The term ``serious harm'' means any harm, whether 
        physical or nonphysical, including psychological, 
        financial, or reputational harm, that is sufficiently 
        serious, under all the surrounding circumstances, to 
        compel a reasonable person of the same background and 
        in the same circumstances to perform or to continue 
        performing commercial sexual activity in order to avoid 
        incurring that harm.
          (6) The term ``venture'' means any group of two or 
        more individuals associated in fact, whether or not a 
        legal entity.

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  CHAPTER 117--TRANSPORTATION FOR ILLEGAL SEXUAL ACTIVITY AND RELATED 
CRIMES

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Sec. 2422. Coercion and enticement

  (a) Whoever knowingly persuades, induces, entices, or coerces 
any individual to travel in interstate or foreign commerce, or 
in any Territory or Possession of the United States, to engage 
in prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person 
can be charged with a criminal offense, or attempts to do so, 
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 
years, or both.
  (b) Whoever, using the mail or any facility or means of 
interstate or foreign commerce, or within the special maritime 
and territorial jurisdiction of the United States knowingly 
persuades, induces, entices, or coerces any [individual who has 
not attained the age of 18 years] minor , to engage in 
prostitution or any sexual activity for which any person can be 
charged with a criminal offense, or attempts to do so, shall be 
fined under this title and imprisoned not less than 10 years or 
for life.
  (c)(1) Whoever violates subsection (a) or (b) knowing, or 
having reasonable cause to believe, that the violation is 
committed against a minor who is enrolled in school and is, at 
the time of the violation, in a school zone or on, or within 
1,000 feet of, a premises on which a school-sponsored activity 
is taking place, or against a person who is enrolled in an 
institution of higher education and is, at the time of the 
violation on or within 1,000 feet of a premises owned by the 
institution of higher education, shall, in addition to the 
punishment otherwise provided under this section, be imprisoned 
for not more than 5 years.
  (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply in a case in which a 
minor's presence on, or within 1,000 feet of, the premises on 
which a school-sponsored activity is taking place is not 
related to such school-sponsored activity, or the person's 
presence on or within 1,000 feet of the premises owned by the 
institution of higher education is not related to their 
enrollment at such institution.
  (d) In this section:
          (1) The term ``minor'' means an individual who has 
        not attained 18 years of age.
          (2) The term ``school'' means a public, parochial, or 
        private school that provides elementary or secondary 
        education.
          (3) The term ``school zone'' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 921.
          (4) The term ``school-sponsored activity'' means any 
        activity that is produced, financed, arranged, 
        supervised, or coordinated by a school or a State 
        educational agency or local educational agency or is 
        under the jurisdiction of a State educational agency or 
        local educational agency.
          (5) The terms ``State educational agency'' and 
        ``local educational agency'' have the meanings given 
        those terms under section 8101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965.
          (6) The term ``institution of higher education'' has 
        the meaning given such term in section 101 of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).

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