Rep Wagner floor speech on Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Wagner delivered the following floor speech on the Senate Democrats' repeated refusal to allow consideration of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, a bipartisan bill that passed unanimously through committee and creates programs to support victims of sex trafficking:

Here are the remarks as prepared:

Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to express my outrage that Senate Democrats have refused to allow consideration of desperately needed sex trafficking legislation.

The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act would strengthen punishments for perpetrators and increase federal funding for the victims of human trafficking.

But instead of supporting this vitally important legislation, Senate Democrats are playing political games.

They have refused to support the legislation, despite it having a bipartisan group of cosponsors and unanimous approval from the Senate Judiciary committee.

Trafficking is a real problem in every state in America. Right now, almost 300,000 American children are at risk of commercial sexual exploitation.

Children are sold into sexual slavery while some of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have decided to try to make a political point.

Mr. Speaker, it is time for Senate Democrats to drop their protests, support the thousands of vulnerable women and children this legislation will protect and join Republicans in the fight against human trafficking.