Rep. Wagner on Passage of Sex Trafficking Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives today passed S.178, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA), 420-3. Prior to its passage, Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) took to the House floor to discuss her signature legislation, the SAVE Act, which is included in this bill. The SAVE Act, or The Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation Act, combats human trafficking by preventing the knowing advertisement of sex trafficking. The JVTA is now on its way the president's desk to be signed into law.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH REP. WAGNER DISCUSS THE SAVE ACT ON THE HOUSE FLOOR

TRANSCRIPT (as prepared for delivery):

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Senate bill 178, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, and the House-passed human trafficking legislation that was incorporated into the Senate bill.

Mr. Speaker, today marks the culmination of a long journey for myself and many members in both chambers who have worked on this important issue. This legislation represents a significant step forward in the federal government's efforts to combat the scourge of modern-day slavery known as human trafficking.

This bill makes enormous progress in the fight against trafficking by providing resources to law enforcement officials and collecting fees from sex traffickers that go into a new fund for victims. It also includes my legislation, the SAVE Act, which makes it illegal to knowingly advertise the victims of human trafficking.

I thank my friends and colleagues Senators Mark Kirk and Dianne Feinstein for offering the SAVE Act as an amendment to this important legislation.

But beyond the multiple tools and resources it gives to law enforcement and survivors, this legislation also serves an important symbolic purpose.

This bill symbolizes the longstanding and steadfast commitment that members of Congress have towards protecting the most vulnerable members of our society.

No longer will the cruel exploitation of women and children be allowed to continue unchecked.

No longer will sexual predators be allowed to torture, rape and kill young Americans in the name of financial profit.

Mr. Speaker, with this legislation, we are providing voice to the voiceless, and advocating for those who cannot advocate for themselves.

Mr. Speaker, I am so proud of the all good bipartisan work done by my colleagues here in Congress on the issue of human trafficking.

Years of work by many of my colleagues, including Representatives Poe, Smith, Noem, Paulsen, Beatty, and many others, have laid the foundation for this long overdue action.

I am grateful that many of my colleagues have held events in their home districts to raise awareness and educate the public about human trafficking.

Awareness, training and education are the keys to preventing this horrible crime from happening in the first place.

Young people must be warned about the devious and manipulative strategies employed by traffickers to ensnare them in the trap of sexual slavery.

The children at risk are not just high school students—pimps or traffickers are known to prey on victims as young as 9 years old. Traffickers may target minor victims through social media websites, after-school programs, at shopping malls and in clubs, or through friends or acquaintances who recruit students on school campuses.

One of the best ways to combat human trafficking is through education. Many states have successful programs that train school personnel about how to identify victims.

We should work with schools to develop policies, protocols, and partnerships to address and prevent the exploitation of children.

Partnership between the public and private sectors is the key to combatting human trafficking.

Many times, front line employees in the transportation and hospitality industries are the ones best-suited to identify trafficking victims and their predators.

Increased awareness and training will lead to more victims being identified, which is the critical step in breaking the cycle of exploitation and victimization.

I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation and all efforts to combat human trafficking, and I look forward to continuing this work for years to come.

Thank you.

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