The House of Representatives passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in a landslide 414-11 vote. The bill was first signed into law in 2000, and with this reauthorization, the programs and funding associated with it will last until 2028.
“This bill saves lives and it is a bipartisan cause,” Rep. Kathy Manning, D-N.C., said. “It is not about politics. This is about doing the right thing, it is about our common humanity.”
The Frederick Douglass Act, this year’s reauthorization, is named after the renowned abolitionist and endorsed by his great-great grandson.
The bill:
- Seeks to promote situational awareness training for elementary and secondary school students through grants.
- Requires the Secretary of State to provide information to Congress about countries that don’t comply with the law’s anti-human trafficking standards.
- Authorizes survivors’ employment, housing and education programs.
- Authorizes $175 million over five years for DOJ Housing Assistance Grants for victims of human trafficking; in addition to other measures.
“One of the things we find is that [when] a woman — or a man but most are women — are liberated, where do they go?” Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said. “They need help. And we do have programs in existence. This will help redirect some of those funds to help them get a house, a home, so that they are less likely and less vulnerable to being re-trafficked.”
Smith has held multiple hearings on human trafficking. During those hearings, victims share stories of being raped, beaten and having necessities like food either given or withheld as reward or punishment. The nature of that captivity can ultimately lead to psychological damage and the belief that what happened to the victim is their fault, which is why trafficking is described as modern-day slavery.
“Does this sound like anything that a young person dreams of for their future?” Smith said. “Being stripped and robbed of your peace of mind and of your body, your humanity, your dignity, and your respect?”
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act has made it far easier for prosecutors to successfully bring charges against perpetrators by creating new statutes and clarifying definitions of certain crimes.
A study from the Bureau of Justice Statistics on Human Trafficking found that from 2011 to 2019, there was a 79% increase in defendants charged with human trafficking in U.S. District Courts, an 80% increase in convictions, and an 82% increase in perpetrators who were sentenced.
The most publicized case of all was Jeffrey Epstein’s, who faced charges under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
According to NPR, when Epstein’s victims entered into a $290 million settlement with JPMorgan Chase, they successfully argued that the bank was negligent when handling his finances and “knowingly benefited from participating in a sex-trafficking venture … [and] obstructed enforcement of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.”
One of the few who voted against the bill was Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. Roy said human trafficking is an abomination and must be rooted out. He also explained why he voted against the bill.
“I cannot support a measure that irresponsibly reauthorizes these programs without actually paying for them,” Roy said. “Indeed, the Congressional Budget Office estimates this bill could cost over $1.1 billion over the next decade. I am committed to the fight to end human trafficking and will continue to support responsible solutions to do so.”
The bill must still pass the Senate and receive the President’s signature to become official.
