Preventing Child Trafficking Act of 2025

Mr. President, child trafficking in Georgia and nationwide is a crisis and one of the most heinous crimes imaginable. In my State, the Georgia Department of Public Health this year reported that more than 370 girls are trafficked in Georgia every month--370 girls every month.

It is every parent's worst nightmare. I have got two young daughters at home, and I know that there is no more fundamental question for any human being than, Is my child safe?

That is why here in the Senate, despite whatever differences and divisions we might have, we have to work together to protect children from trafficking. That is why Senator Grassley and I, together, have authored the Preventing Child Trafficking Act to strengthen prevention, investigation, and prosecution of child trafficking crimes and to ensure that prosecutors and law enforcement officials work together with those who provide supportive services to victims and survivors because too often the children who have endured this crime and this trauma fall through the cracks and are targeted and victimized again.

Now, the Government Accountability Office is one of the top Federal watchdogs, and its investigation found that this failure of prosecuting and enforcement authorities to work with those who provide services to victims leaves American children at risk in Georgia and across the country.

We have also found, through congressional investigations, that something that sounds simple--law enforcement working with those who serve victims--is essential to protecting children.

That is why Senator Grassley and I have written this bill to solve this problem to protect children in Georgia, in Iowa, and across the country.

So I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation because there is nothing more important than protecting children.

Mr. President, notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. 1049 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that bill be read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I am happy to join Senator Ossoff in support of our bill, the Prevent Child Trafficking Act. This is an important bill with an important objective: fostering communication between the Department of Justice and Health and Human Services with the result, we hope, of preventing children from falling prey to the evils of human trafficking.

It does this, as Senator Ossoff just said, by implementing recommendations from the Government Accountability Office and requiring these Agencies to set performance goals that reflect best practices. Preventing future instances of trafficking is very, very essential, and I am happy to support this bill's advancement today.

I yield the floor.