On July 27, the Senate amended and passed, by unanimous consent, legislation (H.R. 3244) aimed at preventing international trafficking, specifically in women and children. The measure was approved by the House on May 9 (see The Source, 5/12/00).
Sens. Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Paul Wellstone (D-MN) offered a substitute amendment that reflected a compromise between their bills, S. 449 and S. 2414 respectively. The amendment was adopted by unanimous consent. The Senate-passed bill is similar to the House-passed version, but several differences will have to be ironed out in conference.
Both bills would authorize $94.5 million over two years for efforts to combat international trafficking, including prevention activities, counseling and treatment services, food, shelter, translation and legal assistance for survivors, and monitoring efforts. Of this amount, $4.5 million would be authorized for the creation of an interagency task force within the State Department to address trafficking.
Both bills would allow the Immigration and Naturalization Service to provide temporary U.S. citizenship to survivors of international trafficking through the issuance of a newly created “T” visa category. Survivors of international trafficking who cooperate with U.S. law enforcement or who face extreme hardship if deported from the U.S. would qualify for the visa. The House-passed bill would grant the visa to family members if the Attorney General deemed “it necessary to avoid extreme hardship.” The House-passed bill also would exempt minor children from the extreme hardship standard and would cap the number of “T” visas at 5,000 each year.
The Senate bill also would provide for the establishment of economic initiatives aimed at preventing and deterring trafficking, including microcredit lending programs, training in business development, job counseling, programs to promote women’s participation in economic decision making, programs to keep girls in school, and educational curricula regarding the dangers of trafficking. Similar initiatives are not included in the House-passed bill.
Additionally, the Senate and House bills differ in their treatment of economic sanctions. The Senate-passed bill would grant the President the authority to impose sanctions on countries failing to meet certain minimum standards with respect to trafficking. The House-passed bill would impose economic sanctions on those countries failing to meet similar standards.
During Senate consideration, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) offered an amendment that would strengthen provisions dealing with the prosecution and punishment of traffickers. The amendment was adopted by unanimous consent.
