September 30, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 170 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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DHS BLUE CAMPAIGN ENHANCEMENT ACT; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 170
(House of Representatives - September 30, 2020)
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[Pages H5086-H5088] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] DHS BLUE CAMPAIGN ENHANCEMENT ACT Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5804) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance the Blue Campaign of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5804 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 ``DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act''. SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BLUE CAMPAIGN ENHANCEMENT. Section 434 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 242) is amended-- (1) in subsection (e)(6), by striking ``utilizing resources,'' and inserting ``developing and utilizing, in consultation with the Advisory Board established pursuant to subsection (g), resources''; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsections: ``(f) Web-Based Training Programs.--To enhance training opportunities, the Director of the Blue Campaign shall develop web-based interactive training videos that utilize a learning management system to provide online training opportunities that shall be made available to the following individuals: ``(1) Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers. ``(2) Non-Federal correction system personnel. ``(3) Such other individuals as the Director determines appropriate. ``(g) Blue Campaign Advisory Board.-- ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish within the Department a Blue Campaign Advisory Board and shall assign to such Board a representative from each of the following components: ``(A) The Transportation Security Administration. ``(B) U.S. Customs and Border Protection. ``(C) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ``(D) The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. ``(E) The United States Secret Service. ``(F) Any other components or offices the Secretary determines appropriate. ``(2) Consultation.--The Director shall consult the Board established pursuant to paragraph (1) regarding the following: ``(A) Recruitment tactics used by human traffickers to inform the development of training and materials by the Blue Campaign. ``(B) The development of effective awareness tools for distribution to Federal and non-Federal officials to identify and prevent instances of human trafficking. ``(C) Identification of additional persons or entities that may be uniquely positioned to recognize signs of human trafficking and the development of materials for such persons. [[Page H5087]] ``(3) Applicability.--The Federal Advisor Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) does not apply to-- ``(A) the Board; or ``(B) consultations under paragraph (2). ``(h) Consultation.--With regard to the development of programs under the Blue Campaign and the implementation of such programs, the Director is authorized to consult with State, local, Tribal, and territorial agencies, non- governmental organizations, private sector organizations, and experts. Such consultation shall be exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Illinois. General Leave Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Illinois? There was no objection. Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Homeland Security's Blue Campaign is dedicated to raising awareness about how to identify and prevent human trafficking. Last year, over 4,000 self-reported victims and survivors from all over the country contacted the U.S. national hotline for help with a human trafficking situation, an increase of almost 20 percent over the previous year. Traffickers subject their victims to forced labor, debt bondage, or sexual exploitation using violence, manipulation, and false promises. This DHS campaign works to combat trafficking by educating law enforcement and the public on how to recognize the signs of human trafficking. To effectively identify trafficking victims and keep their community safe, local and State law enforcement need to have timely information about the tactics and techniques these criminals use. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5804, the Blue Campaign Enhancement Act, seeks to do just that by, among other things, expanding human trafficking prevention training opportunities. Importantly, it would also create new, web-based training programs for State and local partners to ensure these education tools can reach the widest possible audience. H.R. 5804 has bipartisan support and was reported out of committee by unanimous consent. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, September 4, 2020. Hon. Bennie G. Thompson, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Thompson: This is to advise you that the Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to review the provisions in H.R. 5804, the ``DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act,'' that fall within our Rule X jurisdiction. I appreciate your consulting with us on those provisions. The Judiciary Committee has no objection to your including them in the bill for consideration on the House floor, and to expedite that consideration is willing to forgo action on H.R. 5804, with the understanding that we do not thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over those provisions or their subject matters. In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the right to request an appropriate number of conferees to address any concerns with these or similar provisions that may arise in conference. Please place this letter into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our committees. Sincerely, Jerrold Nadler, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC, September 16, 2020. Hon. Jerrold Nadler, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Nadler: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 5804, the ``DHS Blue Campaign Act.'' The Committee on Homeland Security recognizes that the Committee on the Judiciary has a jurisdictional interest in H.R. 5804, and I appreciate your effort to allow this bill to be considered on the House floor. I concur with you that forgoing action on the bill does not in any way prejudice the Committee on the Judiciary with respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill or similar legislation in the future, and I would support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House--Senate conference involving this legislation. I will include our letters on H.R. 5804 in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of this bill. I look forward to working with you on this legislation and other matters of great importance to this nation. Sincerely, Bennie G. Thompson, Chairman. Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5804. According to DHS, there are millions of victims of trafficking worldwide each year. Men, women, and children are trafficked throughout the world--many of the victims right here in the United States. The Blue Campaign is a national campaign designed to promote awareness of trafficking and help identify the signs of trafficking. The Blue Campaign conducts outreach to law enforcement, the public, and certain industry professionals. The ability to recognize the signs of trafficking can lead to rescuing individuals from trafficking and bringing the criminals who seek to exploit them to justice. This bill would build on the excellent work of the DHS Blue Campaign and expand its awareness to include even more individuals that are likely to encounter victims of human trafficking. I applaud the efforts of my colleague from Texas (Mr. Crenshaw) and urge other Members to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Crenshaw). Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 5804. Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. It is one of the most heinous crimes imaginable. It deprives its victims of their inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. While DHS and the Department of Justice are the lead Federal agencies in the fight against trafficking, State and local law enforcement frequently encounter victims and their traffickers. Individuals and employees of certain industries, such as medical professionals, educators, and airline employees, among others, are also more likely to encounter victims and need to know how to identify and respond to them. This is where the Blue Campaign has come in to fill an important gap. ``Blue Campaign is a national public awareness campaign, designed to educate the public, law enforcement, and other industry partners to recognize the indicators of human trafficking, and how to appropriately respond to possible cases.'' In the 10 years since it began, the Blue Campaign has helped raise awareness of trafficking. Materials developed by the Blue Campaign have helped individuals outside law enforcement recognize the signs of trafficking and helped those at risk of being trafficked. It has fostered communication and partnerships between industry, law enforcement, and nongovernmental organizations. My bill, H.R. 5804, the DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act, amends the Homeland Security Act to expand the reach of the Blue Campaign through the use of online educational videos and the creation of a Blue Campaign Advisory Committee within DHS to provide support and guidance for future development, training, and outreach. It expands on the great work of the Blue Campaign and the fight against human trafficking. It is another step toward ending the cruel and inhumane exploitation by traffickers and rescuing those caught in its grasp. I appreciate my colleagues' support of this bill. {time} 1400 Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I have no speakers, I am prepared to [[Page H5088]] close, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5804, which seeks to build upon the success of the DHS Blue Campaign's human trafficking awareness campaign to make it more accessible and effective. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5804, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________
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