[Senate Report 119-75]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 184
119th Congress } { Report
SENATE
1st Session } { 119-75
_______________________________________________________________________
COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN TRANSPORTATION ACT
__________
R E P O R T
of the
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND
TRANSPORTATION
on
S. 1442
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
October 14, 2025.--Ordered to be printed
------
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
69-010 WASHINGTON : 2025
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
one hundred nineteenth congress
first session
TED CRUZ, Texas, Chairman
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
JERRY MORAN, Kansas EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
TODD YOUNG, Indiana TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
TED BUDD, North Carolina JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico
JOHN CURTIS, Utah JOHN W. HICKENLOOPER, Colorado
BERNIE MORENO, Ohio JOHN FETTERMAN, Pennsylvania
TIM SHEEHY, Montana ANDY KIM, New Jersey
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia LISA BLUNT ROCHESTER, Delaware
CYNTHIA M. LUMMIS, Wyoming
Brad Grantz, Majority Staff Director
Lila Harper Helms, Democratic Staff Director
Calendar No. 184
119th Congress } { Report
SENATE
1st Session } { 119-75
=======================================================================
COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN TRANSPORTATION ACT
----------------
October 14, 2025.--Ordered to be printed
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Mr. Cruz, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 1442]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to
which was referred the bill (S. 1442) to amend title 49, United
States Code, to allow for eligibility for projects for the
installation of human trafficking awareness signs at rest
stops, and for other purposes, having considered the same,
reports favorably thereon with an amendment in the nature of a
substitute and recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass.
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of S. 1442, the Combating Trafficking in
Transportation Act, is to add a seat for a representative from
a State department of transportation to the Department of
Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking.\1\
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\1\The provision of the introduced bill, as noted in the
introductory paragraph, was struck at the Committee's markup because
its jurisdiction is under the Committee on Environment and Public Works
of the Senate.
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Background and Needs
Human trafficking is ``the recruitment, transportation,
transfer, harboring or receipt of people through force, fraud
or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit.''\2\
More than 27 million people are victims of human trafficking
worldwide according to a United Nations estimate, with 63
percent for private sector labor exploitation and approximately
20 percent in forced sexual exploitation.\3\ In 2023, at least
38 percent of Federal trafficking cases involved the transport
of victims by private vehicles and 5 percent involved the
transport of victims by buses or commercial trucks, though the
mode of transportation was unknown in nearly half of all cases
filed.\4\ Human trafficking, particularly sex trafficking, has
been documented at both commercially operated truck stops and
State-run rest areas throughout the United States. The remote
and isolated nature of these locations make them appealing to
traffickers seeking to avoid detection.\5\ Additionally, the
frequent relocation of victims enables traffickers to maintain
control and evade law enforcement.
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\2\``Human Trafficking,'' Office on Drugs and Crime, United
Nations, https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-Trafficking/Human-
Trafficking.html.
\3\``Forced Labour, Modern Slavery and Trafficking in Persons,''
International Labour Organization, United Nations, https://www.ilo.org/
topics-and-sectors/forced-labour-modern-slavery-and-trafficking-
persons.
\4\Human Trafficking Institute, 2023 Federal Human Trafficking
Report, 2023, https://traffickinginstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/
06/2023-Federal-Human-Trafficking-Report-
WEB-Spreads-LR.pdf.
\5\DOT Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking, Department of
Transportation, Preventing and Addressing Human Trafficking in the
Transportation Sector 2024 Report, 2024, https://
www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2024-11/
ACHT%202024%20Final%20Report%20
Preventing%20and%20Addressing%20Human%20Trafficking%20in%20the%20Transpo
rtation
%20Sector%20%28508-Compliant%29.pdf.
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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) established the
Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking (TLAHT)
initiative in 2012,\6\ and its hotline has seen a steady rise
in the number of signals received, including calls, texts, and
online chats.\7\ In 2023, over 9,600 potential human
trafficking cases involving 17,000 potential victims were
reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.\8\
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\6\``Human Trafficking Awareness and Public Safety Initiative,''
Federal Transit Administration, https://www.transit.dot.gov/
HumanTraffickingAwareness.
\7\``National Statistics,'' National Human Trafficking Hotline,
based on data retrieved on April 22, 2025, https://
humantraffickinghotline.org/en/statistics.
\8\Ibid.
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The DOT Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking was
established in the 2018 Combating Human Trafficking in
Commercial Vehicles Act\9\ and rechartered as a requirement of
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act\10\ (IIJA). The
committee is made up of 15 members, including representatives
from (1) trafficking advocacy organizations; (2) law
enforcement; and (3) the trucking, bus, rail, aviation,
maritime, and port sectors. That committee makes triennial
recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation on
countering human trafficking in transportation.\11\
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\9\Public Law 115-99.
\10\Public Law 117-58.
\11\DOT Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking, Department of
Transportation, Preventing and Addressing Human Trafficking in the
Transportation Sector 2024 Report, 2024, https://
www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2024-11/
ACHT%202024%20Final%20Report%20
Preventing%20and%20Addressing%20Human%20Trafficking%20in%20the%20Transpo
rtation
%20Sector%20%28508-Compliant%29.pdf.
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To address the documented prevalence of human trafficking
at State-run rest areas, this legislation would add the
perspectives of the owners of those rest areas--State
departments of transportation--to the DOT Advisory Committee.
Summary of Provision
S. 1442 would add a 16th seat to the Department of
Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking for a
representative from a State department of transportation.
Legislative History
S. 1442 was introduced on April 10, 2025, by Senator
Blackburn (for herself and Senator Klobuchar) and was referred
to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of
the Senate. On May 21, 2025, the Committee met in open
Executive Session and, by voice vote, ordered S. 1442 reported
favorably with an amendment (in the nature of a substitute).
Estimated Costs
In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget
Office:
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
S. 1442 would require the Department of Transportation
(DOT) to add a representative from a state department of
transportation to its Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking.
The Secretary of Transportation would need to appoint this
member within nine months of enactment. Members of the
committee serve without pay but may be reimbursed for travel
and daily expenses.
Based on the costs of similar advisory committees, CBO
estimates that implementing S. 1442 would cost less than
$500,000 over the 2026-2030 period; any related spending would
be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Willow Latham-
Proenca. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss,
Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
Regulatory Impact Statement
Because S. 1442 does not create any new programs, the
legislation will have no additional regulatory impact, and will
result in no additional reporting requirements. The legislation
will have no further effect on the number or types of
individuals and businesses regulated, the economic impact of
such regulation, the personal privacy of affected individuals,
or the paperwork required from such individuals and businesses.
Congressionally Directed Spending
In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no
provisions contained in the bill, as reported, meet the
definition of congressionally directed spending items under the
rule.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title.
This section would provide that the bill may be cited as
the ``Combating Trafficking in Transportation Act''.
Section 2. Department of Transportation Advisory Committee on Human
Trafficking.
This section would expand the membership of the Department
of Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking from
15 to 16 members by adding a representative from a State
department of transportation. This section would also require
the Secretary of Transportation to appoint this new member no
later than 9 months after enactment.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, 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
material is printed in italic, existing law in which no change
is proposed is shown in roman):
COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ACT
[Public Law 115-99; 131 Stat. 2243]
* * * * * * *
SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY
COMMITTEE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
(a) * * *
(b) Membership.--
(1) Composition.--The Committee shall be composed of
not more than [15] 16 external stakeholder members
whose diverse experience and background enable them to
provide balanced points of view with regard to carrying
out the duties of the Committee.
(2) Selection.--The Secretary shall appoint the
external stakeholder members to the Committee,
including representatives from--
(A) trafficking advocacy organizations;
(B) law enforcement; [and]
(C) trucking, bus, rail, aviation, maritime,
and port sectors, including industry and
labor[.]; and
(D) State departments of transportation.
(3) Periods of appointment.--Members shall be
appointed for the life of the Committee.
(4) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Committee shall be
filled in the manner in which the original appointment
was made and shall not affect the powers or duties of
the Committee.
(5) Compensation.--Committee members shall serve
without compensation.
(c) Authority.--[Not later than]
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2),
not later than 9 months after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall establish and appoint all
members of the Committee.
(2) State department of transportation
representatives.--The Secretary shall appoint the
member described in subsection (b)(2)(D) by not later
than 9 months after the date of enactment of the
Combating Trafficking in Transportation Act.
(d) * * *
(e) * * *
(f) * * *
* * * * * * *
[all]