[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3110 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3110
To update the Department of Transportation's multimodal counter-
trafficking training and awareness campaign, and to award grants to all
modes of transportation to address human trafficking awareness,
education, and prevention efforts, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 5, 2025
Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself, Mrs. Blackburn, Ms. Klobuchar, and Mr.
Cornyn) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To update the Department of Transportation's multimodal counter-
trafficking training and awareness campaign, and to award grants to all
modes of transportation to address human trafficking awareness,
education, and prevention efforts, 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 TITLES.
This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Transportation Operations
that Prevent Human Trafficking Act'' or the ``STOP Human Trafficking
Act''.
SEC. 2. HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESEARCH.
(a) Use of Existing Research and Facilities.--The Secretary of
Transportation (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall
carry out this Act by establishing or building upon existing counter-
trafficking research efforts, including--
(1) studies carried out by the Transportation Research
Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine, including the Human Trafficking in Transportation
Common Interest Group Steering Committee and the National
Cooperative Highway Research Program (20-121A) project on
Countering Human Trafficking: A Toolkit for State DOTs; and
(2) prevalence studies and multimodal research projects.
(b) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a comprehensive report to
Congress that summarizes the findings of past, current, and ongoing
research in the area of combating human trafficking in connection with
transportation operations.
SEC. 3. COUNTER-TRAFFICKING INFORMATION SHARING.
(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop--
(1) a central database that tracks the counter-trafficking
efforts of transportation organizations that have signed the
Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking Pledge,
including tips reported, policies, training, public awareness,
and partnerships;
(2) mode-specific, counter-trafficking policies that
include partnerships, reporting protocols, training, public
awareness, research and information-sharing, and victim and
survivor support;
(3) a central database that tracks human trafficking due
diligence and prevention laws, resources, sample policies, and
tools to support the prevention and mitigation of forced labor
in supply chains for goods and services across the
transportation industry; and
(4) a counter-trafficking policy template that includes a
zero-tolerance approach for transportation organizations to
adopt and post on their respective websites.
(b) Consultation.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary
shall consult with representatives of--
(1) the Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking;
(2) the Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking
initiative; and
(3) the Blue Lightning Initiative.
SEC. 4. SUPPORTING COUNTER-TRAFFICKING TRAINING AND AWARENESS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall--
(1) update the Department of Transportation's multimodal
counter-trafficking training and awareness campaign--
(A) to encompass recent best practices, including
survivor-informed, trauma-informed, and mode-specific
signage and resources, that--
(i) support informed decision-making and
self-determination;
(ii) prioritize feelings of safety and
security;
(iii) avoid retraumatization; and
(iv) draw upon knowledge of culturally
based values, traditions, customs, language,
and behavior; and
(B) to address potential technological barriers to
identification and reporting; and
(2) develop--
(A) print and digital modal pocket cards and
toolkits;
(B) multilingual prevention focused awareness
materials for displaced and vulnerable populations;
(C) mode-specific indicators of human trafficking
beyond individuals being subjected to human trafficking
to include suspected traffickers;
(D) standardized checklists to be used by
transportation employees and law enforcement with
indicators of human trafficking, including modal
indicators, for each mode of transportation; and
(E) evaluation tools for transportation
stakeholders--
(i) to ensure survivor-informed training
objectives are met; and
(ii) to measure public awareness campaigns
by measuring outputs and outcomes.
(b) Consultation.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary
shall consult with representatives of--
(1) the Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking;
(2) the Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking
initiative; and
(3) the Blue Lightning Initiative.
(c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of
Homeland Security, shall submit a report to Congress that includes a
plan for how the Department of Transportation and the Department of
Homeland Security will integrate efforts for all modal applications
into the Blue Lightning Initiative and create similar mode-specific
partnerships for other transportation sectors.
SEC. 5. PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and implement an
ongoing public awareness campaign that distributes public safety media
messages, posters, digital media messages, and other media messages
through States, partner organizations, and appropriate media outlets,
such as social medial platforms, television, and radio, to encourage
increased awareness regarding combating human trafficking along
vulnerable routes, cities, and locations during major events, including
conventions, trade shows, sporting events, concerts, and other events,
such as the FIFA World Cup 26, 2028 Summer Olympics, and America250.
(b) Updates.--The Secretary shall periodically update the materials
referred to in subsection (a).
(c) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with law
enforcement, local governments, and public and private stakeholders
involved in combating human trafficking during major events.
(d) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the establishment of the
public awareness campaign pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary
shall submit a report to Congress that includes a plan for how the
Department of Transportation will facilitate counter trafficking pre-
departure public service announcements for travelers and individuals
subjected to human trafficking at all transportation agencies supported
by the Department of Transportation.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated, for each of the fiscal years 2027 through 2031,
$10,000,000, which shall be used to carry out this section and sections
2 through 4.
SEC. 6. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION
GRANTS.
(a) Grants for Transit Operators and Airports.--
(1) Grants authorized.--The Secretary shall establish,
within the Office of the Secretary, a grant program that awards
grants to multi-modal transportation stakeholders to address
human trafficking awareness, education, and prevention efforts.
(2) In general.--Of the amounts appropriated for grants
under this section for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall
reserve $10,000,000 for grants to entities described in
paragraph (3)(A), which grant funds shall be expended to
address human trafficking awareness, education, and prevention
efforts, including by--
(A) coordinating human trafficking prevention
efforts across multimodal transportation operations
within a community; and
(B) accomplishing the best practices and
recommendations provided by the Advisory Committee on
Human Trafficking.
(3) Distribution.--
(A) Eligible entities.--The Secretary may award
grant funds reserved pursuant to paragraph (2) to--
(i) nonprofit organizations that combat
human trafficking through transportation
stakeholders;
(ii) transit operators;
(iii) passenger rail operators;
(iv) airport authorities;
(v) maritime and port operators, including
cruise lines;
(vi) commercial motor vehicle operators;
(vii) rideshare, taxi and limousine
operators; and
(viii) any other entities deemed
appropriate by the Secretary.
(B) Priority; considerations.--In awarding grant
funds reserved pursuant to paragraph (2), the Secretary
shall--
(i) give priority in grant amounts to
entities referred to in subparagraph (A) that
serve regions with a higher prevalence of human
trafficking; and
(ii) take into consideration the effect the
use of such grants would have on surrounding
areas.
(C) Consultation.--In awarding grant funds reserved
pursuant to paragraph (2), the Secretary shall consult
with the Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking to
determine the amounts to be distributed to each
recipient to ensure the best use of such funds.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated, for each of the fiscal years 2027 through 2031,
$10,000,000, which shall be used to carry out the grant program
authorized under subsection (a).
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