On October 13, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved, 12-6, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (S. 1301). The House Foreign Affairs Committee approved its version of the measure (H.R. 2830) on October 5 (see The Source, 10/7/11). The current authorization (P.L. 110-457) expired in September.
Sponsored by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), S. 1301 would authorize $130 million annually through FY2015 for several programs to eliminate human trafficking and forced labor.
The bill would require each of the State Department’s regional bureaus to submit annually a list of goals and objectives for each country to address human trafficking in its region. The State Department would share these goals with the host country; when possible, the host country would contribute to the development and drafting of those goals and objectives.
The measure would require the president to establish anti-trafficking programs with other countries that would enhance the anti-trafficking responses and capacities of countries by providing technical assistance to: address the needs of immigrant populations; provide the legal framework for nonimmigrant and vulnerable populations; and investigate and carry out inspections in foreign countries.
The secretary of State would be required to establish and implement a multi-year strategy to prevent child marriage, empower girls at risk of child marriage, address the unique needs and potential of girls younger than 18, and target areas in developing countries with high prevalence of child marriage.
The bill would strengthen laws to address domestic human trafficking. Criminal penalties would be imposed for individuals who destroy, conceal, remove, confiscate, or possess the passports or other immigration documents of another individual. The Department of Labor would be required to share with other agencies information on child and forced labor with regard to the production of goods in violation of international labor standards.
The legislation would increase the statute of limitations from six to ten years for civil lawsuits for harm to children that results from forced labor or sex trafficking.
During consideration of the bill, the committee approved, by voice vote, an amendment by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to extend the bill’s criminal provisions to military contractors and subcontractors in Iraq and Afghanistan found to be associated with human trafficking.
The committee rejected, 7-11, an amendment by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) to authorize funds for six block grant programs to combat human trafficking.
