On April 23, the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved, by voice vote, the Survivors of Human Trafficking Empowerment Act (H.R. 500).
As amended, the bill, sponsored by Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), would establish the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. The council would provide advice and recommendations to the Senior Policy Operating Group and the President’s Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
Among other functions, the council would review federal policies and programs intended to combat human trafficking and provide services to trafficking victims. The council also would serve as a point of contact for federal agencies seeking input from survivors on programming and services.
The bill requires that the council membership consist of at least five individuals who are survivors of human trafficking, or who have experience in the human trafficking field.
