Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Page H771]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ADDRESSING SERIOUSNESS OF SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Bacon) for 5 minutes.
Mr. BACON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address a serious issue
that affects millions of people around the world, to include many
Americans: slavery and human trafficking. Despite major progress, many
countries still struggle to define and understand human traffic
operations and how to combat it.
Most of us assume that human trafficking transports people only
internationally. In reality, the 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report
showed that a majority of human trafficking survivors were identified
in their countries of citizenship. While women and children may account
for the majority of people trafficked, adolescent boys and men also
have been victims of this modern-day slavery.
Everyone is vulnerable to human trafficking, women, children, foster
youth, Native Americans, immigrant children, those with disabilities,
and the LGBTQ community. That is why the public must be educated on
human trafficking and reject the misconception that it can't or won't
happen to them or someone they know.
While there is not an exact statistic on how many people are
trafficked in the United States, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
assessed as many as 24.9 million people--adults and children--are
trapped in this human form of modern slavery around the world,
including our own country.
We may also assume trafficking occurs only in major cities like New
York or Las Vegas, but it also happens in suburbs, rural areas, and on
Tribal or farmland. In Nebraska, 900 individuals are being sold online
for sex each month, and 75 percent of them are from just Omaha.
I am grateful for the steps Nebraska has taken to combat trafficking
and protect survivors, but legislation can do only so much.
Organizations such as the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland
Security, and the Department of State have worked hard to fight this
global issue and have been trained to locate and deter human
trafficking.
I thank the Nebraska State Patrol, the sheriff departments, and local
law enforcement for their diligent work in capturing traffickers and
rescuing survivors. I thank the many nonprofit volunteer organizations
that are dedicated to making a difference in combating this crime.
In honor of the National Slavery and Human Trafficking Month this
past January, we must commit to work together to address this heinous
crime and ensure that all are safe from exploitation.
Bringing Awareness to Importance of Mentoring
Mr. BACON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Mentoring
Month from this past January. As a member of the Youth Mentoring
Caucus, I rise to bring awareness to the importance of supporting
strategies and policies that enhance mentoring programs and increase
the procurement of quality volunteer mentors.
Research has shown that mentoring relationships have positive effects
on people's lives in so many ways. Mentoring reassures our youth that
they are not alone in dealing with everyday challenges; creates
opportunity for personal growth and development; and provides youth,
especially those in foster care, with vital relationships, networks,
and counseling services needed to navigate life and successfully
transition into adulthood.
I know the power of mentorship firsthand. I joined the Air Force in
1985 after a faith-based mentor saw where my talents leaned, and I
would never have been a five-time commander nor a general officer
without thoughtful mentors.
In my district, MENTOR Nebraska has partnered with 26 Omaha public
schools to implement a mentoring program called Success Mentors, which
serves over 600 youth. Within the last 2 years, the percentage of
mentored youth in North Omaha increased by 150 percent. In the last 5
years, the percentage of mentored juvenile justice youth increased by
250 percent. In addition to a number of positive benefits associated
with increased mentorship, this program has shown an improvement in
school attendance--by over 50 percent in one school alone.
Congress must partner and support State and local governments and
nonprofits so they can continue to prioritize new ways and approaches
for serving at-risk or disadvantaged youth and connect them with caring
adults who will help them navigate life and be their support system.
That is why I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 3061, the Foster Youth
Mentoring Act of 2019, which addresses the need for greater support of
mentoring programs that serve youth in foster care by developing best
practices and quality mentoring standards when searching for and hiring
mentors.
I thank our Nation's mentors, who are actively strengthening our
communities and making a difference in the educational, personal, and
professional lives of today's youth. Additionally, I urge my colleagues
from both sides of the aisle to commit to improving our youth's
outcomes and futures by supporting legislation like H.R. 3061.
____________________