[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1434 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1434
To combat trafficking in persons for the removal of their organs, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 26, 2021
Mr. Reschenthaler (for himself and Mr. McCaul) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in
addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To combat trafficking in persons for the removal of their organs, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Predatory Organ Trafficking Act
of 2021''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Global Financial Integrity estimates that up to 10
percent of all transplants rely on organs that have been
illicitly obtained. These organs are often bought from
vulnerable, impoverished persons.
(2) The illicit organ trade is lucrative; demand is high,
and buyers can pay up to over $200,000 to secure a kidney
outside the legitimate market according to Global Financial
Integrity. By some estimates, organ trafficking raises between
$840 million and $1.7 billion. This can bankroll terrorist and
transnational crime activity.
(3) It has been reported that the Islamic State has used
stolen organs to finance its war activities and to treat
injured fighters, sanctioning the removal of organs from living
captives.
(4) A severe shortage of transplanted organs helps fuel
organ trafficking. As of 2014, according to the Global
Observatory on Donation and Transplantation, the 120,000
transplants conducted globally only accounted for 10 percent of
the patients waiting for an organ transplant.
(5) According to a 2013 United Nations report from the
Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women
and children, the economic and social divisions within and
among countries is notably reflected in the illicit organ
trafficking market, in which the victims are commonly poor,
unemployed, and more susceptible to deceit and extortion.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that establishing efficient voluntary
organ donation systems with strong enforcement mechanisms is an
effective way to combat trafficking in persons for purposes of the
removal of organs.
SEC. 4. IMPOSITION OF VISA SANCTIONS.
(a) In General.--
(1) Determination.--An alien who the Secretary of State or
the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of
such Secretaries) knows, or has reason to believe, has
committed or facilitated the trafficking in persons for
purposes of the removal of organs may be determined to be--
(A) removable from the United States;
(B) inadmissible to the United States;
(C) ineligible to receive a visa or other
documentation to enter the United States; and
(D) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled
into the United States or to receive any other benefit
under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101 et seq.).
(2) Reporting of names.--The Secretary of State shall
report the names of persons who have been convicted of an
offense under section 301 of the National Organ Transplant Act
(42 U.S.C. 274e) to foreign ministries for future consideration
regarding the issuance of visas to such persons.
(b) Reporting.--
(1) In general.--Not later than two years after the date of
the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter through 2027,
the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a comprehensive report that includes
the following information:
(A) A description of the sources, practices,
methods, facilitators, and recipients of trafficking in
persons for purposes of the removal of organs during
the period covered by each such report.
(B) A description of activities undertaken by the
Department of State, either unilaterally or in
cooperation with other countries, to address and
prevent trafficking in persons for purposes of the
removal of organs.
(C) A description of activities undertaken by
countries to address and prevent trafficking in persons
for purposes of the removal of organs.
(2) Matters to be included.--The reports required under
subsection (a) shall include the collection and organization of
data from human rights officers at United States diplomatic and
consular posts on host country laws against trafficking in
persons for purposes of the removal of organs, including
enforcement of such laws, or any instances of violations of
such laws.
(3) Additional matters to be included.--The reports
required under subsection (a) may include the following:
(A) Information provided in meetings with host
country officials.
(B) Information provided through cooperation with
United Nations or World Health Organization agencies.
(C) Communications and reports provided by
nongovernmental organizations working on the issue of
trafficking in persons for purposes of the removal of
organs.
(D) Any other reports or information sources the
Secretary of State determines to be necessary and
appropriate.
(4) Relation to trafficking in persons report.--The reports
required under subsection (a) shall be deemed to satisfy the
reporting requirements relating to trafficking in persons for
purposes of the removal of organs under section 110(b) of the
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107(b)).
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