Senator Bob Corker joined a bipartisan group of his Senate colleagues in introducing the Abolish Human Trafficking Act and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2017, which will strengthen and reauthorize key programs that support survivors of human trafficking and provide important resources to law enforcement agencies in the fight to end modern slavery.
“These two pieces of legislation will play an important role in the fight against modern slavery within the United States by helping victims and giving law enforcement the tools they need to combat this brutal industry,” said Senator Corker.
“This scourge on humanity knows no borders or boundaries, and I remain committed to efforts that will help end trafficking and modern slavery worldwide.”
Senator Corker is a leader in efforts to end modern slavery at home and abroad. In addition to cosponsoring both bills to strengthen anti-human trafficking measures domestically, he previously proposed the End Modern Slavery Initiative, which was designed to leverage limited foreign aid dollars and galvanize tremendous support and investment from the public sector, philanthropic organizations and the private sector to eliminate modern slavery and human trafficking around the globe. In December, the president signed legislation into law that included authorizing language for the initiative.
The Abolish Human Trafficking Act was authored by Senators John Cornyn (R-Tx.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Mn.), Chuck Grassley (R-Ia.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca.) and cosponsored by Senators Corker, Sherrod Brown (D-Oh.), Dean Heller (R-Ne.), Ron Wyden (D-Or.), Marco Rubio (R-Fl.), Chris Coons (D-De.), Orrin Hatch (R-Ut.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.). The legislation:
· Extends the Domestic Trafficking Victims’ Fund through 2023
· Reauthorizes key Trafficking Victims Protection Act programs
· Requires mandatory restitution for victims of commercial sexual exploitation offenses
· Enhances statutory maximum penalties for several human trafficking offenses
· Ensures law enforcement agencies nationwide are trained to recognize human trafficking victims, refer them to services, and avoid arresting or prosecuting them
· Expands the authority of state and local governments to seek wiretap warrants in sexual exploitation and prostitution cases
· Establishes human trafficking coordinators at every U.S. attorney’s office and at the Department of Justice
· Improves data collection and reporting on the number of human trafficking crimes
· Permanently authorizes the Human Trafficking Advisory Council
· Continues a Department of Human Services pilot program to provide training to health care providers on human trafficking
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2017 was authored by Senators Grassley, Feinstein, Cornyn and Klobuchar and cosponsored by Senators Corker and Rubio. The legislation:
· Reauthorizes important Trafficking Victims Protection Act programs
· Extends a grant program for training school personnel on recognizing and responding to human trafficking
· Allows prosecutors to enjoin conduct that violates human trafficking statutes
· Formally allows the U.S. Secret Service to offer investigative and forensic assistance to other law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking
· Improves grant programs and education on best practices for screening and identifying trafficking victims
· Improves coordination among federal agencies through consolidation of federal agency data reporting at the FBI and by requiring the Homeland Security Department to submit annual assessments of the human trafficking investigations