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Justice for Victims of Human Trafficking Act

Floor Speech

Date: March 25, 2015
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Minors and Children Criminal Justice

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Mr. Speaker, sex trafficking is one of the world's most monstrous, pervasive, and underpenalized crimes. Up to 300,000 American children are at risk of being trafficked annually.

The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which I coauthored with Congressman Poe and which passed this House unanimously in January, clarifies that the true criminals are the traffickers who enslave adolescents and the johns who prey upon them.

The bill would create stiffer penalties and enforcement for the demand side of human trafficking and provide restitution to the survivors.

The bill has strong support in the other body, but it is being complicated by a proposed expansion of the Hyde amendment, which I do not support.

We must pass this bill. The Senate should either take up the House-passed version or find some other compromise. The voiceless victims of modern-day slavery in its most horrific form of cruelty cannot afford to wait any longer.

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