Human Trafficking Detection Act of 2015

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I indicated this afternoon was an important afternoon. I thank the gentleman for his legislation and his leadership, and I add my appreciation of the ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee, Mr. Thompson, and, as well, the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, who previously did four bills, Mr. Conyers. It seems that we are having bipartisan support on a very important crisis in our Nation and around the world.

In 2014, President Obama said:

At home, we are leading by example. My administration is

cracking down on traffickers, charging a record number of

perpetrators. We are deploying new technology in the fight

against human trafficking, developing the Federal

Government's first-ever strategic action plan to strengthen

victim services and strengthening protections against human

trafficking in Federal contracts. During the past year, the

White House has hosted events on combating human trafficking,

bringing together leaders from every sector of society.

Together, we came up with new ideas to fight trafficking at

the national and grassroots levels.

The present legislation before us, as I rise to strongly support it, H.R. 460, is the Human Trafficking Detection Act of 2015. This is a great partnership between Homeland Security, the committee which I am a senior member on, and Judiciary to fight against human trafficking. In particular, this bill has a very important purpose because our Homeland Security personnel are in our airports and ports, they are along our borders, they are the eyes and ears, they are the first responders. It is crucial that this bill is effectively working with personnel to train, to deter, detect, disrupt, and prevent human trafficking during the course of their primary roles and responsibilities and for other work.

This is a very good idea. Human trafficking is not only a crime but also a horrible violation of human rights. Human trafficking is often a hidden crime. Victims of human trafficking may be afraid to come forward and get help because they may be forced or coerced. They may fear retribution or they might not have control over their documents.

According to the most recent estimate from the Department of State, approximately 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across global borders each year.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Houston, Texas, is one of the Nation's largest hubs in human trafficking. There are over 200 active brothels in Houston and more strip clubs and illicit spas than Las Vegas. These businesses serve as fronts for sex trafficking.

Let me be very clear. This is not a condemnation of my city. This is a recognition that every single elected person; local, county, and State government; and our law enforcement are working every day and we are being successful, in essence, in shutting down strip clubs, illicit spas, and others.

The main factors that contribute to high levels of trafficking throughout the Nation and in Texas are proximity, demographics, and a large migrant labor population. Houston's proximity to the Mexican border, I-10, a highway running cross-country through Houston, and the port make it a popular point. But that is not solely the site of human trafficking. As my colleague has mentioned, it is everywhere. It is a national problem. Therefore, our Homeland Security personnel, thank goodness, will now have the opportunity to have special training so that in the capacity of their work, their eyes and ears will be extra trained to detect those trying to move past the law.

Houston's huge geographic size and large ethnic and culturally diverse population is seen in and around the Nation, which creates optimal conditions. It is not the only city with that.

To combat human trafficking, the Department of Homeland Security, recognizing there needs to be a national campaign, launched the Blue Campaign in 2010. Through the Blue Campaign, DHS works in collaboration with law enforcement, government, nongovernment, and private organizations to protect the basic right of freedom and to bring those who exploit human lives to justice.

This legislation will begin to institutionalize the training. Last year, this training--the Blue training--was credited when two men were arrested at Miami International Airport. TSA personnel who had received training to detect trafficking observed the interaction between the young men and young woman and noticed the signs.

What we want to do today, again, is to institutionalize and codify this effort so that no human trafficker, no child being held by an adult but being trafficked can escape the eye of our trained Homeland Security personnel, and they can break that hand away from that adult that is trying to do that child harm because they will know that is not the friendly parent or wonderful grandparent or best aunt or uncle. They will know it is a dastardly act.

I support the underlying bill, ask my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, Human trafficking is not only a crime, but also a horrible violation of human rights.

Human trafficking is often a hidden crime.

Victims of human trafficking may be afraid to come forward and get help because they may be forced or coerced, they may fear retribution, or they might not have control over their documents.

According to the most recent estimate from the Department of State, approximately 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across global borders each year.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Houston, Texas is one of the nation's largest hubs for human trafficking.

There are over 200 active brothels in Houston and more strip clubs and illicit spas than Las Vegas; these businesses serve as fronts for sex trafficking.

The main factors that contribute to high levels of trafficking through Houston and the rest of Texas are proximity, demographics, and a large migrant labor force.

Houston's proximity to the Mexican border, I-10, a highway running across country through Houston, and the port of Houston make it a popular point of entry for international trafficking.

Additionally, the presence of two large airports provides ways in and out of the city.

Houston's huge geographic size and large ethnic and culturally diverse population create optimal conditions for trafficking because of the ability to blend in with the community.

To combat human trafficking, the Department of Homeland Security launched the ``Blue Campaign'' in 2010.

Through the ``Blue Campaign,'' DHS works in collaboration with law enforcement, government, non-government and private organizations to protect the basic right of freedom and to bring those who exploit human lives to justice.

In part, DHS does so by increasing awareness and training for its front line employees such as Transportation Security Officers, Customs and Border Protection Officers, and others.

Last year, this training was credited when two men were arrested at Miami International Airport.

TSA personnel, who received training to detect trafficking, observed the interaction between the men and a young woman and noticed the signs.

The bill before us today seeks to codify in law the training of DHS personnel on how to

deter, detect, and disrupt human trafficking and, where appropriate, interdict a suspected trafficker during the course of their primary roles and responsibilities.

For CBP, this means Officers at our ports of entry will be trained on how to identify potential victims of trafficking.

For TSA, it means that screening personnel, who screen approximately 1.8 million passengers a day, will be knowledgeable about signs of trafficking.

Importantly, the bill requires that the training received be appropriate for a particular location or environment in which the personnel receiving the training perform their official duties.

This will help tailor the training received so that it is relevant to the specific personnel receiving the training.

Mr. Speaker, with this bill, we have the opportunity to call attention to the human rights crisis that is human trafficking.

January is ``National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.''

To ensure that continued attention be paid to this often hidden crime, I urge passage of H.R. 460.

Though the bill before us today will not eliminate human trafficking, it may help prevent it by ensuring that DHS' frontline workforce is properly trained to fight it.

President's Interagency Task Force

Progress in Combating Trafficking in Persons: The U.S. Government

Response to Modern Slavery

Trafficking in persons, or human trafficking, is the act of

recruiting, enticing, harboring, transporting, providing,

obtaining, or maintaining a person for compelled labor or

commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud, or

coercion. Sex trafficking of a minor under the age of 18 does

not require the use of force, threats of force, fraud, or

coercion. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of

2000 (Pub. L. 106-386), as amended, describes this compelled

service using a number of different terms, including

involuntary servitude, slavery, debt bondage, and forced

labor.

Human trafficking can include, but does not require,

movement. Under the TVPA, people may be considered

trafficking victims regardless of whether they were

transported to the exploitative situation, previously

consented to work for a trafficker, or participated in a

crime as a direct result of being trafficked. At the heart of

this phenomenon are the traffickers' aim to exploit and

enslave their victims and the myriad of coercive and

deceptive practices they use.

Human trafficking is an opportunistic crime. Traffickers

target all types of people: adults and children, women, men,

and transgender individuals, citizens and noncitizens alike.

No socioeconomic group is immune; new immigrants, Native

Americans, runaways, the homeless, and lesbian, gay,

bisexual, and transgender youth are particularly vulnerable.

One of the most common assumptions about ``average''

trafficking victims is that they are vulnerable simply

because they come from the poorest, most isolated

communities, whether overseas or in the United States.

Indeed, many do. Yet some victims, from a variety of

backgrounds, have reported that their suffering began with

their aspirations for a better life and a lack of options to

fulfill them.

That's where the traffickers come in. Exploiting these

realities, traffickers appear to offer a solution--a good

job, a brighter future, a safe home, or a sense of belonging,

even love. They prey on their victims' hope and exploit their

trust and confidence, coercing them into using themselves as

collateral for that chance.

In the United States, the President's Interagency Task

Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF) and

its operational arm, the Senior Policy Operating Group

(SPOG), bring together federal departments and agencies to

ensure a whole-of-government approach that addresses all

aspects of human trafficking--enforcement of criminal and

labor law, development of victim identification and

protection measures, support for innovations in data

gathering and research, education and public awareness,

enhanced partnerships and research opportunities, and

strategically linked foreign assistance and diplomatic

engagement. The agencies of the PITF are the Departments of

State (DOS), Defense (DOD), Justice (DOJ), the Interior

(DOI), Agriculture (USDA), Labor (DOL), Health and Human

Services (HHS), Transportation (DOT), Education (ED), and

Homeland Security (DHS), as well as the Domestic Policy

Council (DPC), the National Security Council (NSC), the

Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Office of the

Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau

of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Agency for International

Development (USAID), and the U.S. Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission (EEOC). As part of the PITF, these

agencies convene routinely to coordinate both federal

policies to combat trafficking in persons and implementation

of the TVPA.

Agencies of the PITF have brought together leaders from

government, the private sector, advocates and survivors,

faith leaders, law enforcement and academia, and have made

significant progress following President Obama's March 2012

call to strengthen federal efforts to combat human

trafficking, his September 2012 speech announcing a number of

new and strengthened initiatives, and the first-ever White

House Forum to Combat Human Trafficking in April 2013, where

the first recipients of the Presidential Award for

Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons--

survivor advocate Florrie Burke and hospitality and travel

company Carlson--were honored.

The pages that follow reflect the work these agencies have

accomplished over the past year, as well as their commitment

to continue their efforts in the year to come. From

strengthening the SPOG and its four Committees to

implementing the nation's first-ever Services for Trafficking

Victims in the United States, to implementing an Executive

Order that strengthens protections against human trafficking

in government contracting, PITF agencies are enabling law

enforcement and service providers to deploy resources more

effectively and raising public awareness both at home and

abroad.

Federal agencies also worked to expand partnerships with

civil society and the private sector in order to bring more

resources to bear in fighting this horrific injustice.

Although the primary responsibility, for fighting this crime

and protecting its survivors lies with governments,

governments alone cannot solve this problem. Everyone has a

role--from local law enforcement and first responders to the

heads of major corporations and everyday citizens. Effective

anti-trafficking strategies require partnerships that

integrate the experiences and guidance of survivors and reach

industries, local communities, schools, religious

congregations, and multilateral partners. The U.S.

government, for example, funds the National Human Trafficking

Resource Center (NHTRC), a national hotline (1-888-373-7888)

operated by a nongovernmental organization that provides

emergency assistance every day of the year, as well as anti-

trafficking task forces in which law enforcement and victim

service providers combine efforts to respond to this crime in

their communities. Significant partnerships and support for

non-governmental efforts have also taken root, including the

Partnership for Freedom, where Humanity United and DOJ, HHS,

and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

launched the first of three challenge award contests,

Reimagine: Opportunity, to develop innovative solutions to

address human trafficking; twelve finalists will compete to

expand access to housing, social services, and economic

empowerment for trafficking victims. In addition, DOS has

teamed up with Veritee, an NGO leader in supply chain

management, to implement a project in consultation with

federal agencies and other stakeholders to help gather data

on the risks of trafficking in the production of goods and

provision of services. Working with partners the Aspen

Institute and Made in a Free World, Veritee will also convene

stakeholders and develop a tool for federal contractors and

businesses to analyze supply chain risks and adopt ethical

sourcing guidelines and compliance plans that align with

Executive Order 13627. Finally, partnering with survivors of

human trafficking, federal anti-trafficking experts from DOJ,

with partners from DHS, DOS, HHS, and the White House, hosted

a day-long Survivor Forum and Listening Session to gain

insight from a diverse group of survivors in developing more

effective programs and strategies.

The Task Force has drawn strength and direction from these

partnerships, which have brought procurement officers and

CEOs, professors and human resources professional together

with law enforcement and victim advocates in the service of

freedom. Such effective collaboration has led to concrete

results in the United States' efforts to advance government

priorities and combat modern slavery both domestically and

globally. This compilation of the Obama Administration's

accomplishments represents merely a snapshot, as of February

2014, of the work made possible by the multifaceted approach

the United States has adopted to combat trafficking in

persons. Each day, the Obama Administration strives to

improve its strategy and to enhance its partnerships in order

to fulfill not only the mandates of the TVPA, but also the

promise of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth

Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

In closing, let me emphasize what I just said earlier. Two people were caught at Miami International Airport. They were caught by officers of TSA who had received training to detect trafficking and observed the interaction between the two men and a young woman. It was the exact description that I gave--holding a little girl's hand, holding a teenager's hand, looking innocent--but our DHS personnel could be the savers of the day.

Just a few years ago, in our own airport, a number of Chinese nationals--young women--were brought in, ultimately, to be held against their will. It was astute personnel who knew that even though girls traveled together that something was wrong.

That is why this legislation is so important. The bill before us today seeks to codify in law the training of DHS personnel on how to deter, detect, and disrupt human trafficking and, where appropriate, to interdict a suspected trafficker during the course of their primary roles and responsibilities. Our front liners from the Department of Homeland Security are everywhere. There is not a place you can travel when entering this country--through our airports or through our ports-- that our agents in some capacity, in some roles, are not there.

For the CBP, this means officers at our ports of entry will be trained on how to identify potential victims of trafficking--smuggling, human slavery. For the TSA, it means that screening personnel, who screen approximately 1.8 million passengers a day, will be knowledgeable about signs of trafficking. Importantly, the bill requires that the training received be appropriate for a particular location or environment in which the personnel receiving the training perform their official duties, streamlining it to make it work. This will help tailor the training received so that it is relevant to the specific personnel receiving the training.

Mr. Speaker, with this bill, we have the opportunity to call attention to the human rights crisis that is human trafficking. I am glad that this bill has been generated out of the Homeland Security Committee, which emphasizes the security of this Nation but, as well, the important act of making sure America stands against human trafficking. January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. To ensure that continued attention be paid to this often hidden crime, I urge the passage of H.R. 460. The bill before us today will not eliminate human trafficking, but it may help prevent it by ensuring that DHS' frontline workforce is properly trained to fight it.

In conclusion, let me say that we are all committed. Again, I refer to all of us. To report suspected human trafficking, dial 1-866-347- 2423. If you are a victim, to get help, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.

I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for his leadership, and I thank our committee chairman and ranking member for their leadership.

I ask for support of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of packages of human trafficking legislation to be considered by the House of Representatives this week, 12 different pieces of legislation. I also rise today in support of all the good work done by my colleagues here in Congress on the issue of human trafficking.

Mr. Speaker, as a former United States Ambassador, I was exposed firsthand to the horrors of human trafficking on an international level. I witnessed and reported on devastating consequences of human trafficking, where innocent women and children were dragged into the dark abyss of sex slavery. But never in my wildest dreams did I ever think human trafficking was so rampant right here in the United States of America. Americans are being forced into sexual slavery by ruthless human traffickers.

Mr. Speaker, right now there are young women being forced into prostitution in virtually every district across this Nation. It is hiding in plain sight. In fact, I was shocked to learn that my own hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, has been identified as one of the top 20 areas for sex trafficking in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, this problem is before our eyes. It is in our communities, it is in our neighborhoods, and it is in our cul-de-sacs. It is right here before us. Every year, thousands of young Americans' lives are impacted by this despicable crime. However, there is hope.

I take hope from the work done by the law enforcement professionals who are on the front lines every day protecting our Nation's children from those who would seek to exploit them. I take hope from those who work in victims services and their tireless efforts to help survivors recover, heal, and forge new lives out of the horrors of sexual enslavement. Most importantly, Mr. Speaker, I take hope from all the survivors, the survivors of this hideous crime. Their strength gives us strength, their resolve gives us inspiration, and their steadfast commitment to ending sex trafficking gives us all the courage to fight.

Mr. Speaker, because of the efforts of many individuals and groups, I am happy to report that Congress has taken notice of this serious problem. Years of work by Representatives Noem, Poe, Paulsen, Hultgren, Reichert, Smith, among many others, have raised awareness of this issue and have laid the foundation for the long overdue action Congress is presently taking. I am grateful that many of my colleagues have held events in their home districts to raise awareness and education of this crime.

Last year in St. Louis, I participated, along with Judge Poe, in a conference at which the private and public sectors came together to share best practices about combating human trafficking. Representatives Davis, Hudson, Walberg, Roskam, Coffman, Huizenga, and Heck, among so many other Members of my colleagues, have all held human trafficking events in their districts to raise awareness and offer solutions to end sexual assault and human trafficking. I applaud these efforts, and I look forward to continuing this work for years to come.

However, Mr. Speaker, there is much, much work to be done. As legislators, we have an obligation to come together and do something because we can, because we should, and because we must.

The legislation that we are voting on this week in the House of Representatives will provide prosecutors with the tools they need to prosecute traffickers and will provide social service providers with the resources they need to assist victims in healing. These bills will mandate much-needed awareness and training, and will provide government agencies with the accurate, dependable statistics they need to combat this terrible crime.

I am so proud of the action this body has taken to recognize and address this problem, which has so long festered in the shadows.

I am equally proud of all my colleagues today who have come to the floor to speak up for the victims of human trafficking, to show them they are not alone, that we are with them, and that we will no longer be silent in the face of such depravity.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to one of my colleagues, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hultgren). He is reintroducing his bill, the Sex Trafficking Demand Reduction Act. The bill urges nations to recognize the link between the purchase of commercial sex and the prevalence of human trafficking in society, and to confront the former in order to effectively combat the latter. The bill targets demand.

He has hosted anti-trafficking forums for Members of Congress at which the anti-trafficking documentary ``Nefarious'' was shown. The producers of the film from Exodus Cry attended.

He is a member of the House leadership Human Trafficking Task Force and the Human Trafficking Caucus, and he has worked with the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission on efforts to help human trafficking victims both in the U.S. and abroad.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois, Randy Hultgren.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw attention to this bracelet that I have on that many of my colleagues are going to be wearing over

the next 2 days as we pass 12 pieces of human trafficking legislation. This tab bracelet was handmade by dedicated volunteers to raise funds for Crisis Aid International safe homes in my own hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. The safe homes provide comfort and support for young women rescued from the horrors of sex trafficking.

The bracelet project, which was inspired by an 11-year-old victim wanting to make a difference, has become the symbol of hope for these precious young people.

Join me. I ask all my colleagues to join me in wearing this bracelet to spread awareness about the scourge of sex slavery.

Next, it is my pleasure to yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio, Representative Joyce Beatty.

Last year, Congresswoman Beatty partnered with Senator Portman from Ohio to introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation, the Bringing Missing Children Home Act, to improve law enforcement reporting and response procedures in cases of missing children, the most vulnerable victims of child trafficking and sexual exploitation.

This Congress, she introduces H.R. 246, which would improve and update the Missing Children's Assistance Act in order to reflect the current state of Federal law and reinforce that children who are sex- trafficked or sexually exploited are victims and not criminals.

I am a proud cosponsor of the gentlewoman's legislation, and it is my pleasure to yield to the gentlelady from Ohio, Representative Joyce Beatty.

I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership and her friendship. Thank you so much, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty.

Next, Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield to the gentleman from Texas, Congressman Ted Poe. Judge Poe has been a longstanding advocate for victims of crime. He has dedicated his life to promoting justice and giving voice to survivors and, as a Member of Congress, has been a tireless advocate for legislation that provides a comprehensive approach to address the problem of human trafficking in the United States. Congressman Poe has been a friend and a colleague and a kindred spirit to me in the House of Representatives. His championing of victims' rights has inspired countless survivors of crime to stand up for their rights and demand change.

I yield to the Congressman from Texas, Judge Ted Poe.

Thank you, Judge Poe, for your tremendous leadership in this area and so many others dealing with victims' rights.

It is now my pleasure to recognize the gentlewoman from New Hampshire, Representative Ann Kuster. Representative Kuster has been a strong proponent of human and women's rights, advocating for a number of bills that support fighting sexual assault and human trafficking, including her bipartisan legislation to improve whistleblower protections which was passed into law last year to protect military members who report instances of sexual abuse.

Last Congress, Representative Kuster and I joined together in coauthoring a letter condemning the kidnapping of nearly 300 girls by the terrorist group Boko Haram and calling on the United States Government to work with the United Nations to enact more comprehensive financial sanctions against the organization.

I thank her for her leadership on this area, and it is my pleasure to yield to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire, Representative Ann Kuster.

I thank the gentlewoman from New Hampshire for her leadership and her friendship on so many matters that we come together.

Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to introduce the gentlewoman from Tennessee, Representative Diane Black. She was an original cosponsor of my SAVE Act that we will be introducing tomorrow and that I will have the pleasure to talk about on the floor during debate tomorrow.

She has sponsored roundtables in her district with law enforcement and community leaders on the impact of human trafficking in her home State of Tennessee, and she has worked with End Slavery Tennessee to see firsthand their efforts to combat trafficking in her State.

She is a leader among us for all victims, all those who have no voice. She is a friend and a dear colleague. It is my pleasure to yield to the representative from Tennessee, Congresswoman Diane Black.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership on this issue and so many others.

It is now my pleasure to yield to a brandnew freshman Member, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Walker). Combating human trafficking is a priority for Congressman Walker, and this is his very first bill introduced here in Washington, the Human Trafficking Detection Act of 2015. It aims to help end this unconscionable industry. North Carolina is ranked as a top State for labor and sex trafficking, and this vital legislation works to effectively train and inform Department of Homeland Security personnel to better detect and intersect human traffickers and their victims.

I thank Congressman Walker for his leadership, and congratulations on your first piece of legislation--it is so very important--that you will be bringing forward tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, it has been a pleasure for me to cosponsor with the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Mrs. Noem) this Special Order on human trafficking. I look forward tomorrow to a number of bills that are going to pass in this United States House of Representatives. I look forward to speaking tomorrow on the SAVE Act that will go after advertisers of this hideous and heinous crime.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield back the remainder of my time so the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Mrs. Noem) may speak. She has been a friend and a partner on the issue of human trafficking since her time in Congress. She has been a real partner to me as we moved this legislation forward. We were able to move, as I said, five pieces of legislation last Congress and will be moving 12 tomorrow with her leadership and support on this very, very important issue. She has a wonderful piece of legislation, H.R. 350, the Human Trafficking Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Act of 2015. I am a proud cosponsor and look forward to its passage tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentlewoman from Missouri for yielding to me.

Mr. Speaker, it is worth noting that this effort to combat human trafficking in the United States, in my opinion, is led by the ladies of the House on both sides, the Republicans and the Democrats. The spunk of my friend from Missouri and all of the others who have spoken and will speak later on these pieces of legislation is obvious.

There are 12 bills, Mr. Speaker. They are bipartisan bills on one subject. As long as I have been here, I have never seen so much attention by all Members of the House on both sides of the aisle moving and trying to fix a problem as this.

Twelve pieces of legislation--many of those passed last year, they just never got voted on in the Senate--and we are bringing them up again. Once again, it is the ladies to whom America owes a great gratitude to. My grandmother used to say that there is nothing more powerful than a woman who has made up her mind. The ladies of the House have made up their mind on the issue of trafficking. They are not going to tolerate it, and neither are the rest of us.

Mr. Speaker, it is ironic to me that this tremendous amount of legislation--this important subject--is getting so little play in the national media. It seems that the media and America, I guess, is more concerned about the disappearance of air in footballs than they are about the disappearance of America's children that are being trafficked across the United States.

The worst thing that is taking place among our youth is the slavery that is happening to them. The runaways, the throwaways, and the stowaways of America's children are disappearing into this scourge of slavery, as it has been rightfully called.

Many of us remember how we got involved in trying to prevent this. My first experience was meeting a little girl in Peru at the age of 7 whose name is Lilly. Lilly could not speak because of the numerous assaults that had been committed against her before she was rescued. It is not just kids in South America or Central America or overseas; it is America's children that are being trafficked.

We have to make it clear that these young girls, primarily, that are on the streets and that are being sold and bartered by these slave masters are not criminals. These are not prostitutes. These are victims of crimes. America needs to change its focus and its understanding that when we see that occurring, that person is a victim, not a criminal.

As has been mentioned, Mr. Speaker, this is one of the leading ways that criminal organizations are making money because, in the drug trade, you get drugs and you sell them one time; plus the risk of apprehension is greater for drug sales than with the selling of kids. Children can be sold multiples times a night, and they are.

When the trafficker is captured, very often, nothing happens, so that is why this lucrative trade continues to make money, but it also continues to make money because there is a demand in this country for this scourge.

These men, primarily, that abuse children are criminals. They are sex offenders. They are child molesters. Some call them johns. They are not johns. John was a good guy. He is in the Bible. Why would we call them that?

They are child molesters, and we need to recognize them for what they are. We need to know who they are. Their names need to be published, and they need to go to jail for what they do because we have to go after the demand.

That is why I have introduced the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act along with my friend Carolyn Maloney from New York. Carolyn Maloney--a New York Democrat and a Texas conservative Republican, that is just about as bipartisan as you can get, Mr. Speaker. We are separated by a common language, to coin the phrase; but on this issue, like most Members of the House, we are united that we are going to stop this.

This bill does a few things. It goes after the trafficker, the slave master. It helps law enforcement capture them and put them in jail. That is why we build prisons. Then it goes after the victim--the child--rescues them, restores them, and finds a place for them.

Did you know, Mr. Speaker, that in the United States, according to the Humane Society, there are about 3,000 animal shelters? We need them all. I have got three Dalmatians. I got one of them from a shelter in Dallas. I call him the weapon of mass destruction. We need those shelters.

But did you know that, according to Shared Hope International, there are only about 300 beds for minor sex-trafficked victims in the United States? That ought not to be. They need more places to go when the police rescue them.

God bless the police. Many times, when they find these children, they know they are sex-trafficked victims, but there is no place to put them, so they put them in the juvenile justice system. That is not a good idea, but that is the only place they are safe. We need to find residences and homes for them. That is what this bill does.

The third thing it does is it goes after the demand, the person in the middle, the customer that abuses children, the rapist. We are going after those guys, Mr. Speaker. The days of ``boys being boys'' is over. Those people are going to be arrested and prosecuted for the crimes that they have committed.

Mr. Speaker, I insert into the Record some of the numerous anti- trafficking organizations that have helped all of us in this legislation.

Anti-trafficking, Child Welfare, and Law Enforcement Organizations

Children at Risk (Houston), Rights for Girls, Shared Hope

International, End Child Prostitution and Trafficking--USA,

National Children's Alliance, National Association to Protect

Children, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,

Equality Now, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women,

Fraternal of Police, National Association of Police

Organizations, National Conference of State Legislatures,

National Criminal Justice Association, National Center for

Missing and Exploited Children.

Mr. Speaker, I call these groups the victims' posse that helps us in this issue.

The last thing I want to mention, Mr. Speaker, is I used to prosecute criminals. I was a judge in criminal court for 22 years. Sexual assault is what it is called now, but the crime really is rape. It is rape of America's greatest resource: children.

We cannot tolerate this. We ask sometimes: Why are we even here? Well, I can tell you why we are here. We are here to make sure that all Americans, including American children and those immigrants that have been sold into the United States, are protected from crimes like rape.

Mr. Speaker, children are not for sale. I am glad to see that the House is making sure that they will not be for sale in the future. I thank the gentlelady for the time.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, first let me just say thank you to my colleague from Missouri, Congresswoman Ann Wagner, for organizing tonight's Special Order hour but, probably more importantly, a bipartisan Special Order hour. And let me say, I proudly wear this bracelet in honor of all of those survivors.

I also want to note that her work as a former United States Ambassador exposed her firsthand to the horrors of human trafficking on an international level. Her work has raised awareness of this problem and has laid the foundation for congressional action.

Despite international efforts to eradicate human trafficking, it still exists and affects communities in every country, including the United States. This transnational crime exploits the weakest and often subjects victims to mental and physical abuse.

Human trafficking is an estimated multibillion-dollar-a-year international enterprise that forces the weakest among us into the horrors of modern day slavery.

It is also one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world. In fact, according to the United States State Department, human trafficking is the world's second-largest criminal enterprise, Mr. Speaker, after illegal drug trade. It is forced prostitution, domestic slavery, and forced labor.

It is also oftentimes underground and masked so well that it is difficult to recognize. These victims are our housekeepers, our farmworkers brought into the United States by labor brokers who promised a job but enslaved these victims instead. Sex traffickers target the weakest members of our society by using violence or threats or other coercive means to keep victims enslaved.

Human trafficking deprives individuals of their most basic and unalienable rights--life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That is why we must continue to work to end human trafficking and support the victims by providing resources and assistance during their time of need.

My home State of Ohio is the fifth-leading State for human trafficking. In Ohio, an estimated 1,100 Ohio children become victims, with some 3,000 more at risk. In fact, a preliminary report on the scope of the problem in Ohio cited that 13 years of age is the most common age for youth to become victims of child sex trafficking.

During my time in public service, as a public servant both in the Ohio Legislature and here, I have heard story after story of heartbreaking personal human trafficking experiences from Ohio. Just 2 weeks ago, my hometown paper, The Columbus Dispatch, reported that a massage spa in central Ohio was serving as a front for organized prostitution, where 18 women who spoke little or no English were forced to work there, eat there, and sleep there. Authorities believe that these women were likely trafficked into the United States to work in a sex trade.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to have a copy of this article placed into the Record.

[From the Columbus Dispatch, Jan. 15, 2015]

(By Theodore Decker)

Behind the Powell storefront--between a dentist's office

and a dessert shop--the women slept each night on massage

tables.

Rarely, investigators say, did they appear to leave the

Amsun Massage Spa, a business that caught the attention of

Powell police not long after it opened last fall in a strip

mall at 128 E. Olentangy St.

The women worked there. They ate there. They slept there.

They might not have had a choice, authorities said.

Local, state and federal investigators announced yesterday

that the massage parlor was a front for organized

prostitution and was one of four addresses raided in Delaware

and Franklin counties as part of Powell's investigation. A

parallel federal investigation resulted in searches of other

addresses, although details of those raids were under court-

ordered seal yesterday.

The combined searches turned up 18 women who speak little

or no English and might have been trafficked to work in the

sex trade. Investigators said various agencies have stepped

in to provide shelter and other support to the women.

``They don't know the culture, they don't speak the

language, and they're very untrusting of law enforcement,''

said Nathan Emery, special agent in charge of the Columbus

office of the federal Homeland Security Investigations

agency.

The women fear deportation, a threat that was used by their

employers to keep them in line, police said. Authorities are

trying to pin down their identities and countries of origin.

``We are not just arresting those who are suspected of

trafficking women for sex, we are also rescuing those who may

be victims of this heinous crime,'' said Cmdr. Gary Cameron

of the Columbus police narcotics bureau.

Powell's search warrants were served at Amsun Massage in

Powell; Amsun Massage, l000 High St., Worthington; Rainbow

Massage, 5564 Hilliard-Rome Rd. on the Far West Side; and a

Jasmine Court residence on the Far West Side.

A man and woman from Columbus were arrested: Xiao Shuang

Chao, 56, and Qing Xu, whose age was unknown. Investigators

aren't sure of the couple's relationship but said they

operated the businesses locally. They face organized-crime

charges in Delaware County Common Pleas Court.

Powell Police Chief Gary Vest said that soon after Amsun

opened, his department was tipped that women were living

there and providing sex-related services to clients.

Emery said women are brought to the United States by human

traffickers and, instead of finding a better life, ``to pay

off their debts, they're put into forced servitude.''

Because of the importance of this issue in my State and in our Nation, I engaged during my first term in Congress to pass a sex trafficking bill, 400-9. Last year, as you heard from Congresswoman Wagner, I partnered with Senator Portman from Ohio to introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation, the Bringing Missing Children Home Act, H.R. 3905.

This Congress, I have introduced H.R. 246, which would improve and update the Missing Children's Assistance Act in order to reflect the current state of Federal law and reinforce that children who are sex- trafficked or sexually exploited are victims and not criminals.

Lastly, my bill would add the phrase ``sex child trafficking, including child prostitution'' to section b(1)(P) of the Missing Children's Assistance Act to fight the perception that sex trafficking is a voluntary, victimless crime.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, in speaking against and bringing awareness of human trafficking. Our country, our constituents, our children need our help.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 460) to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to train Department of Homeland Security personnel how to effectively deter, detect, disrupt, and prevent human trafficking during the course of their primary roles and responsibilities, and for other purposes.

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 H.R. 460, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 460, the Human Trafficking Detection Act of 2015, the first bill I have introduced as a Member of Congress.

A few weeks ago, we took an oath promising to protect the people of this great country. I am convinced that part of this high calling is protecting those who are victims of human trafficking.

North Carolina is often ranked as a top State for labor and sex trafficking. This insidious industry is in our own backyard and, unfortunately, it is growing. Just last week, in my own district, local officials announced the formation of the Alamance County Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy Council to respond to the growing human trafficking problem throughout Alamance County. However, they cannot do it alone, and we must come together to stop this unconscionable industry.

As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I feel strongly that the men and the women of the Department of Homeland Security have a crucial role in preventing human trafficking. Up to an estimated 17,500 people are trafficked each year into the United States, and many of these victims will pass by either Border Patrol or TSA. We must make certain that these agents are properly trained in the current trends and practices to end human trafficking.

This bipartisan legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security to train Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection, and other relevant DHS personnel to counter human trafficking in a manner specific to their professional roles and responsibilities.

The bill also ensures that such training will be assessed by the Secretary of Homeland Security on an annual basis so that it is based on the most current human trafficking trends and intelligence and directs the Secretary to report to Congress on the number of suspected cases reported by the DHS officials.

Lastly, this legislation recognizes the critical role that State and local authorities play in preventing human trafficking by authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to make training curricula available to State, local, tribal, and private sector partners.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, human trafficking is one of the most profitable forms of transnational crime in the world, second only to drug trafficking. It is incumbent upon Congress to take action

and ensure that DHS personnel are better equipped to prevent this serious threat and this modern-day form of slavery.

The Human Trafficking Detection Act of 2015 builds on the good work already under way at DHS by mandating position-specific, relevant training to enable effective trafficking countermeasures at points of entry, transit hubs, and other high-risk locations across the country.

I would like to thank Congressman Meadows for developing and championing this legislation in the 113th Congress and for working with me to reintroduce the measure in this Congress.

Additionally, I would like to thank the chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, Mr. McCaul, for his work on this important issue and for his support of this bill, as well as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security, Mr. Katko, for cosponsoring this legislation.

Finally, I would like to thank each of the bill's cosponsors, including North Carolina's own Alma Adams, Robert Pittenger, Richard Hudson, Patrick McHenry, and the aforementioned Mark Meadows for their great support of this important legislation.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Thank you, Congresswoman Jackson Lee, for your eloquence on such an important issue.

Mr. Speaker, there are millions of victims who are trapped in the United States and around the world who are suffering in silence. In many cases, the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security, who are on the front lines of the fight, are trying to end this heinous crime and help these victims.

This legislation codifies some of the good work already being done to train DHS personnel to detect and prevent human trafficking while also ensuring that such training is specific to the professional roles of the personnel who will utilize it. Moreover, this bill will enable the DHS to equip its non-Federal partners to better counter the devastating effects of human trafficking. In closing, I urge my colleagues to support this critically important, bipartisan bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.