January 31, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 20 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages S810-S811]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SENATE RESOLUTION 36--SUPPORTING THE OBSERVATION OF NATIONAL 
   TRAFFICKING AND MODERN SLAVERY PREVENTION MONTH DURING THE PERIOD 
BEGINNING ON JANUARY 1, 2019, AND ENDING ON FEBRUARY 1, 2019, TO RAISE 
 AWARENESS OF, AND OPPOSITION TO, HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND MODERN SLAVERY

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Markey, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. 
Brown, Mr. Toomey, and Mr. Rubio) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                               S. Res. 36

       Whereas the United States abolished the transatlantic slave 
     trade in 1808 and abolished chattel slavery and prohibited 
     involuntary servitude in 1865;
       Whereas, because the people of the United States remain 
     committed to protecting individual freedom, there is a 
     national imperative to eliminate human trafficking and modern 
     slavery, which is commonly considered to mean--
       (1) the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, 
     or obtaining of an individual through the use of force, 
     fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjecting that 
     individual to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, 
     or slavery; or
       (2) the inducement of a commercial sex act by force, fraud, 
     or coercion, or in which the individual induced to perform 
     that act is younger than 18 years of age;
       Whereas the Department of Justice has reported that human 
     trafficking and modern slavery has been reported and 
     investigated in each of the 50 States and the District of 
     Columbia;
       Whereas, since 2007, the National Human Trafficking Hotline 
     has identified more than 45,000 cases of human trafficking;
       Whereas victims of human trafficking are difficult to 
     identify and are subject to manipulation, force, fraud, 
     coercion, and abuse;
       Whereas, to help businesses in the United States combat 
     child labor and forced labor in global supply chains, the 
     Department of Labor has identified 148 goods from 76 
     countries that are made by child labor and forced labor;
       Whereas the Department of State has reported that the top 3 
     countries of origin of federally identified trafficking 
     victims in fiscal year 2017 were the United States, Mexico, 
     and Honduras;
       Whereas forced labor and human trafficking generates 
     revenues of approximately $150,000,000,000 annually worldwide 
     and there are an estimated 40,000,000 victims of human 
     trafficking across the globe;
       Whereas, to combat human trafficking and modern slavery in 
     the United States and globally, the people of the United 
     States, the Federal Government, and State and local 
     governments must be--
       (1) aware of the realities of human trafficking and modern 
     slavery; and
       (2) dedicated to stopping the horrific enterprise of human 
     trafficking and modern slavery;
       Whereas the United States should hold accountable all 
     individuals, groups, organizations, and countries that 
     support, advance, or commit acts of human trafficking and 
     modern slavery;
       Whereas, through education, the United States must also 
     work to end human trafficking and modern slavery in all forms 
     in the United States and around the world;
       Whereas victims of human trafficking deserve a trauma-
     informed approach that integrates the pursuit of justice and 
     provision of social services designed to help them escape, 
     and recover from, the physical, mental, emotional, and 
     spiritual trauma they endured;
       Whereas combating human trafficking requires a whole-of-
     government effort that rests on a unified and coordinated 
     response among Federal, State, and local agencies and that 
     places equal value on the identification and stabilization of 
     victims, as well as the investigation and prosecution of 
     traffickers;
       Whereas laws to prosecute perpetrators of human trafficking 
     and to assist and protect victims of human trafficking and 
     modern slavery have been enacted in the United States, 
     including--
       (1) the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 
     U.S.C. 7101 et seq.);
       (2) title XII of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization 
     Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-4; 127 Stat. 136);
       (3) the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 
     (Public Law 114-22; 129 Stat. 227);
       (4) sections 910 and 914(e) of the Trade Facilitation and 
     Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-125);
       (5) section 1298 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
     for Fiscal Year 2017 (22 U.S.C. 7114);

[[Page S811]]

       (6) the Abolish Human Trafficking Act of 2017 (Public Law 
     115-392);
       (7) the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2017 (Public 
     Law 115-393);
       (8) the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention 
     and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-
     425); and
       (9) the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act 
     of 2017 (Public Law 115-427);
       Whereas the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 
     (Public Law 114-22; 129 Stat. 227) established the United 
     States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking to provide a 
     formal platform for survivors of human trafficking to advise 
     and make recommendations on Federal anti-trafficking policies 
     to the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat 
     Trafficking established by the President;
       Whereas the Department of Defense, the General Services 
     Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration issued a final rule (80 Fed. Reg. 4967) to 
     implement Executive Order 13627, entitled ``Strengthening 
     Protections Against Trafficking in Persons in Federal 
     Contracts'', that clarifies the policy of the United States 
     on combating trafficking in persons as outlined in the 
     Federal Acquisition Regulation by strengthening the 
     prohibition on contractors from charging employee recruitment 
     fees;
       Whereas, although such laws and regulations are currently 
     in force, it is essential to increase public awareness, 
     particularly among individuals who are most likely to come 
     into contact with victims of human trafficking and modern 
     slavery, regarding conditions and dynamics of human 
     trafficking and modern slavery precisely because traffickers 
     use techniques that are designed to severely limit self-
     reporting and evade law enforcement;
       Whereas January 1 is the anniversary of the effective date 
     of the Emancipation Proclamation;
       Whereas February 1 is--
       (1) the anniversary of the date on which President Abraham 
     Lincoln signed the joint resolution sending the 13th 
     Amendment to the Constitution of the United States to the 
     States for ratification to forever declare, ``Neither slavery 
     nor involuntary servitude . . . shall exist within the United 
     States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction''; and
       (2) a date that has long been celebrated as National 
     Freedom Day, as described in section 124 of title 36, United 
     States Code; and
       Whereas, under the authority of Congress to enforce the 
     13th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States ``by 
     appropriate legislation'', Congress, through the Trafficking 
     Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), 
     updated the post-Civil War involuntary servitude and slavery 
     statutes and adopted an approach of victim protection, 
     vigorous prosecution, and prevention of human trafficking, 
     commonly known as the ``3P'' approach: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate supports--
       (1) observing National Trafficking and Modern Slavery 
     Prevention Month during the period beginning on January 1, 
     2019, and ending on February 1, 2019, to recognize the vital 
     role that the people of the United States have in ending 
     human trafficking and modern slavery;
       (2) marking the observation of National Trafficking and 
     Modern Slavery Prevention Month with appropriate programs and 
     activities, culminating in the observance on February 1, 
     2019, of National Freedom Day, as described in section 124 of 
     title 36, United States Code;
       (3) urging continued partnerships with Federal, State, and 
     local agencies, as well as social service providers and 
     nonprofit organizations to address human trafficking with a 
     collaborative, victim-centered approach; and
       (4) all other efforts to prevent, eradicate, and raise 
     awareness of, and opposition to, human trafficking and modern 
     slavery.

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise to introduce a resolution in 
observance of ``National Trafficking and Modern Slavery Prevention 
Month.'' This resolution is meant to bring awareness to the worldwide 
scourge of human trafficking.
  All of us, as Americans, must raise our awareness of this pernicious 
crime that often goes unnoticed and undetected in our communities. 
Human trafficking claims over 40 million victims globally. It has also 
created an estimated $150 billion global industry, an industry that 
affects every State in America.
  Traffickers prey on vulnerable populations, like those in the 
juvenile justice system, and use physical and psychological techniques 
to control their victims behind closed doors: isolating them from the 
public, exploiting language and cultural barriers, and threatening 
victims with violence. These techniques often prevent victims from 
coming forward. All of us can do better in recognizing warning signs.
  I have been heartened that recently, various private entities, such 
as hotels, the travel industry, and those in the convenience-store 
industry, have all come together to commit to training their employees 
to better detect human trafficking. In addition to raising awareness, 
January is also a month to renew our commitment to enforce, and enact, 
laws to help eradicate trafficking.
  For example, in 2000, Congress enacted the Trafficking Victims 
Protection Act, which marked a strong commitment to prosecute human 
traffickers and better aid victims.
  Last Congress, then-Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley and I authored 
the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which was complemented by 
Senators Cornyn's and Klobuchar's Abolish Human Trafficking Act. Both 
of those bills update our trafficking laws to better aid victims.
  Bipartisan members of Congress worked together to address this 
critical issue, and I am proud that both bills were signed into law 
last month.
  Finally, in introducing today's resolution, I would like to thank 
Senators Grassley, Leahy, Cornyn, Klobuchar, Isakson, Markey, Shaheen, 
Blumenthal, Brown, Toomey, and Rubio for cosponsoring the resolution.
  Thank you very much, Mr. President. I yield the Floor.

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