[Pages H7083-H7089]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

FREDERICK DOUGLASS TRAFFICKING VICTIMS PREVENTION AND PROTECTION
REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2022

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 6552) to reauthorize the Trafficking Victims Protection Act
of 2000, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 6552

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Frederick Douglass
Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization
Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.

TITLE I--COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS IN THE UNITED STATES

Subtitle A--Programs To Support Victims and Persons Vulnerable to Human
Trafficking

Sec. 101. Modifications to grants to assist in the recognition of
trafficking.
Sec. 102. Human trafficking survivors employment and education program.
Sec. 103. Extending sunset for Advisory Council on Human Trafficking.

Subtitle B--Monitoring Child, Forced, and Slave Labor

Sec. 111. Sense of Congress on submission of Department of Justice
reports on time.
Sec. 112. Sense of Congress on requiring child welfare agencies to
report information on missing and abducted foster
children and youth.

TITLE II--FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING ABROAD

Sec. 201. Modifications to program to end modern slavery grants.
Sec. 202. Amendments to tier standards.
Sec. 203. Expanding prevention efforts at the United States Agency for
International Development.
Sec. 204. Sense of Congress on human trafficking crisis in Ukraine.

TITLE III--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

Sec. 301. Extension of authorizations under the Victims of Trafficking
and Violence Protection Act of 2000.
Sec. 302. Extension of authorizations under the International Megan's
Law.

TITLE I--COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS IN THE UNITED STATES

Subtitle A--Programs To Support Victims and Persons Vulnerable to Human
Trafficking

SEC. 101. MODIFICATIONS TO GRANTS TO ASSIST IN THE
RECOGNITION OF TRAFFICKING.

(a) Amendments to Authorities To Prevent Trafficking.--
Section 106(b)(2) of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7104(b)) is amended--
(1) in the heading, by striking ``Grants to assist in the
recognition of trafficking'' and inserting ``Frederick
douglass human trafficking prevention education grants'';
(2) in subparagraph (B)--
(A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting
``under a program named `Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking
Prevention Education Grants' '' after ``may award grants'';
and
(B) in clause (ii), by inserting ``, linguistically
accessible, and culturally responsive'' after ``age-
appropriate'';
(3) in the heading of subparagraph (C), by inserting ``for
frederick douglass human trafficking prevention education
grants'' after ``Program requirements'';
(4) by amending subparagraph (D) to read as follows:
``(D) Priority.--In awarding Frederick Douglass Human
Trafficking Prevention Education Grants under this paragraph,
the Secretary shall--
``(i) give priority to local educational agencies serving a
high-intensity child sex trafficking area or an area with
significant child labor trafficking;
``(ii) give additional priority to local educational
agencies that partner with non-profit organizations
specializing in human trafficking prevention education, which
partner with law enforcement and technology or social media
companies, to assist in training efforts to protect children
from labor trafficking and sexual exploitation and abuse
including grooming, materials depicting the sexual abuse of
children, and human trafficking transmitted through
technology; and
``(iii) consult, as appropriate, with the Secretary of
Education, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development,
the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Labor, and
the Attorney General, to identify the geographic areas in the
United States with the highest prevalence of at-risk
populations for child trafficking, including children who are
members of a racial or ethnic minority, homeless youth,
foster youth, youth involved in the child welfare system, and
children and youth who run away from home or an out-of-home
placement.''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) Criteria for selection.--Grantees should be selected
based on their demonstrated ability to--
``(i) engage stakeholders, including survivors of human
trafficking, and Federal, State, local, or Tribal partners,
to develop the programs;
``(ii) train the trainers, guardians, K-12 students,
teachers, and other school personnel in a linguistically
accessible, culturally responsive, age-appropriate, and
trauma-informed fashion; and
``(iii) create a scalable, repeatable program to prevent
child labor trafficking and sexual exploitation and abuse
including grooming, child sexual abuse materials, and
trafficking transmitted through technology that--

``(I) uses evidence-based (as such term is defined in
section 8101(21)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(21)(A))) best practices; and
``(II) employs appropriate technological tools and
methodologies, including linguistically accessible,
culturally responsive, age-appropriate, and trauma-informed
approaches for trainers, guardians, educators, and K-12
students.

``(F) Train the trainers.--For purposes of subparagraph
(E), the term `train the trainers' means having experienced
or master trainers coach new trainers who are less
experienced with a particular topic or skill, or with
training overall, who can then teach the material to others,
creating a broader reach, sustainability, and making efforts
cost- and time-efficient (commonly referred to as `training
of trainers').
``(G) Data collection.--The Secretary shall consult with
the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development, and the Secretary of the Interior to
determine the appropriate demographics of the recipients or
of students at risk of being trafficked or exploited, to be
collected and reported with respect to grants under this
paragraph, which shall include data collection of, at a
minimum, students who are economically disadvantaged, members
of a racial or ethnic minority, homeless youth, foster youth,
youth involved in the child welfare system, and children and
youth who run away from home or an out-of-home placement.
``(H) Report.--Not later than 540 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the
Committees on Education and Labor, Energy and Commerce, and
the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the
Committees on the Judiciary and Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate and make available to the public a
report, including data on the following:
``(i) The total number of entities that received a
Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking Prevention Education
Grant over the past year.
``(ii) The total number of partnerships or consultants that
included survivors, non-profit organizations specialized in
human trafficking prevention education, law enforcement, and
technology or social media companies.
``(iii) The total number of elementary and secondary
schools that established and implemented evidence-based (as
such term is defined in section 8101(21)(A) of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(21)(A)))
best practices through programs developed using such grants.
``(iv) The total number and geographic distribution of
trainers, guardians, students, teachers, and other school
personnel trained using such grants pursuant to this
paragraph.
``(v) The results of pre-training and post-training surveys
to gauge trainees' increased understanding of the scope and
signs of child trafficking and child sexual exploitation and
abuse; how to interact with potential victims and survivors
of child trafficking and child sexual exploitation and abuse
using age-appropriate and trauma-informed approach; and the
manner in which to respond to potential child trafficking and
child sexual exploitation and abuse.
``(vi) The number of potential victims and survivors of
child trafficking and child sexual exploitation and abuse
identified and served by grantees, excluding any individually
identifiable information about such children and acting in
full compliance with all applicable privacy laws and
regulations.
``(vii) The number of students in elementary or secondary
school identified by grantees as being at risk of being
trafficked or sexually exploited and abused, excluding any
individually identifiable information about such children.
``(viii) The demographic characteristics of child
trafficking survivors and victims, sexually exploited and
abused children, and students at risk of being trafficked or
sexually exploited and abused described in clauses (vi) and
(vii), excluding any individually identifiable information
about such children.
``(ix) Any service gaps and best practices identified by
grantees.''.

SEC. 102. HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS EMPLOYMENT AND
EDUCATION PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
may carry out a Human Trafficking Survivors Employment and
Education Program to prevent the re-exploitation of eligible
individuals who have been victims of trafficking, by
assisting such individuals to integrate or reintegrate into
society through social services support for the attainment of
life-skills, employment, and

[[Page H7084]]

education necessary to achieve self-sufficiency.
(b) Services Provided.--Services offered, provided, and
funded by the Program shall include (as relevant to the
victim of trafficking)--
(1) enrollment and participation in--
(A) basic education, including literacy education and
English as a second language education;
(B) job-related skills training;
(C) vocational and certificate programs; and
(D) programs for attaining a regular high school diploma or
its recognized equivalent;
(2) life-skill training programs, including management of
personal finances, self-care, and parenting classes;
(3) resume creation and review;
(4) interview coaching and counseling;
(5) assistance with expungement of criminal records when
such records are for nonviolent crimes that were committed as
a consequence of the eligible individual's victimization,
including assistance with credit repair;
(6) assistance with enrollment in college or technical
school;
(7) scholarship assistance for attending college or
technical school;
(8) professional coaching or professional development
classes;
(9) case management to develop an individualized plan with
each victim of trafficking, based on each person's needs and
goals;
(10) assistance with obtaining victim compensation, direct
victim assistance, or other funds for mental health care; and
(11) other programs and services that help eligible
individuals to achieve self-sufficiency, such as wrap-around
social services to assist survivors in meeting their basic
needs.
(c) Service Period.--Eligible individuals may receive
services through the Program for a cumulative period of 5
years.
(d) Cooperative Agreements.--Subject to the availability of
appropriations, the Secretary shall enter into cooperative
agreements with one or more eligible organizations to carry
out this section.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible individual.--The term ``eligible individual''
means a domestic or foreign victim of trafficking who--
(A) has attained the age of 18 years; and
(B) is eligible to receive services under section 107(b) of
the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C.
7105(b)).
(2) Eligible organization.--The ``eligible organization''
may include a non-governmental organization and means a
service provider that meets the following criteria:
(A) Experience in using national or local anti-trafficking
networks to serve victims of trafficking.
(B) Experience qualifying, providing, and coordinating
services for victims of trafficking, as described in
subsection (b), that is linguistically accessible, culturally
responsive, age-appropriate, and trauma-informed.
(C) With respect to a service provider for victims of
trafficking served by the Program who are not United States
citizens, a provider that has experience in identifying and
assisting foreign-born victims of trafficking, including
helping them qualify for Continued Presence, T-Visas, and
other Federal, State, and local services and funding.
(D) With respect to a service provider for victims of
trafficking served by the Program who are United States
citizens and legal permanent residents, a provider that has
experience identifying and assisting victims of trafficking,
as such term is defined in section 103 of the Trafficking
Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102), especially
youth and underserved populations.
(3) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the Human
Trafficking Survivors Employment and Education Program
established under this section.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.

SEC. 103. EXTENDING SUNSET FOR ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HUMAN
TRAFFICKING.

Section 115(h) of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking
Act of 2015 is amended by striking ``2020'' and inserting
``2031''.

Subtitle B--Monitoring Child, Forced, and Slave Labor

SEC. 111. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON SUBMISSION OF DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE REPORTS ON TIME.

It is the sense of Congress that the Department of Justice
has failed to meet reporting requirements under title IV of
the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2017 (Public Law
115-393; 132 Stat. 5273)) and that progress on critical data
collection on human trafficking and crime reporting are in
jeopardy as a result of such failure and must be addressed
immediately.

SEC. 112. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON REQUIRING CHILD WELFARE
AGENCIES TO REPORT INFORMATION ON MISSING AND
ABDUCTED FOSTER CHILDREN AND YOUTH.

It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) each State child welfare agency should prioritize
developing and implementing protocols to comply with section
471(1)(35)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
671(a)(35)(B));
(2) report the information it receives on missing or
abducted foster children and youth to the National Center on
Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and to law enforcement
authorities for inclusion in the FBI's National Crime
Information Center database, in accordance with subparagraphs
(A) and (B) of section 471(a)(34) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 671(a)(34));
(3) such reports must be made immediately (and in no case
later than 24 hours) after the information is received; and
(4) such reports to the Secretary of the Department of
Health and Human Services were required to start on September
30, 2016, and annual reports were required to start on
September 30, 2017, by such section 471(a)(34), to provide
the total number of children and youth who are sex
trafficking victims.

TITLE II--FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING ABROAD

SEC. 201. MODIFICATIONS TO PROGRAM TO END MODERN SLAVERY
GRANTS.

(a) In General.--Section 1298 of the National Defense
Authorization Act of 2017 (22 U.S.C. 7114) is amended as
follows:
(1) In subsection (g)(2), by striking ``2020'' and
inserting ``2026''.
(2) In subsection (h)(1), by striking ``Not later than
September 30, 2018, and September 30, 2020'' and inserting
``Not later than September 30, 2022, and September 30,
2026''.
(b) Award of Funds.--All grants shall be awarded on a
competitive basis.

SEC. 202. AMENDMENTS TO TIER STANDARDS.

(a) Modifications to Tier 2 Watch List.--Subsection (b)(2)
of section 110 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of
2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107), is amended--
(1) in the heading, by striking ``Special'' and inserting
``Tier 2''; and
(2) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:
``(A) Submission of list.--Not later than the date on which
the determinations described in subsections (c) and (d) are
submitted to the appropriate congressional committees in
accordance with such subsections, the Secretary of State
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
list of countries that the Secretary determines requires
special scrutiny during the following year. The list shall be
composed of countries that have been listed pursuant to
paragraph (1)(B) pursuant to the current annual report
because--
``(i) the estimated number of victims of severe forms of
trafficking is very significant or is significantly
increasing and the country is not taking proportional
concrete actions; or
``(ii) there is a failure to provide evidence of increasing
efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons from
the previous year, including increased investigations,
prosecutions and convictions of trafficking crimes, increased
assistance to victims, and decreasing evidence of complicity
in severe forms of trafficking by government officials.''.
(b) Modification to Special Rule for Downgraded and
Reinstated Countries.--Subsection (b)(2)(F) of such section
110 is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking ``the
special watch list'' and all that follows through ``the
country--'' and inserting ``the Tier 2 watchlist described in
subparagraph (A) for more than 1 year immediately after the
country consecutively--'';
(2) in clause (i), in the matter preceding subclause (I),
by striking ``the special watch list described in
subparagraph (A)(iii)'' and inserting ``the Tier 2 watch list
described in subparagraph (A)''; and
(3) in clause (ii), by inserting ``in the year following
such waiver under subparagraph (D)(ii)'' before the period at
the end.
(c) Conforming Amendments.--Subsection (b) of such section
110 is amended as follows:
(1) In paragraph (2), as amended by subsection (a)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``special watch list''
and inserting ``Tier 2 watch list'';
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``special watch list''
and inserting ``Tier 2 watch list''; and
(C) in subparagraph (D)--
(i) in the heading, by striking ``special watch list'' and
inserting ``tier 2 watch list''; and
(ii) in clause (i), by striking ``special watch list'' and
inserting ``Tier 2 watch list''.
(2) In paragraph (3)(B), in the matter preceding clause
(i), by striking ``clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of''.
(3) In paragraph (4)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), in the matter preceding clause
(i), by striking ``each country described in paragraph
(2)(A)(ii)'' and inserting ``each country described in
paragraph (2)(A)''; and
(B) in subparagraph (D)(ii), by striking ``the Special
Watch List under paragraph (2)'' and inserting ``the Tier 2
watch list under paragraph (2)''.

SEC. 203. EXPANDING PREVENTION EFFORTS AT THE UNITED STATES
AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

In order to increase the prevention efforts by the United
States abroad, the Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development shall encourage integration of
activities to counter trafficking in persons (C-TIP) into
broader assistance programming. The Administrator shall--
(1) determine a reasonable definition for the term ``C-TIP
Integrated Development Programs'', which shall at a minimum
include any programming to address health, economic
development, education, democracy and governance, food
security and humanitarian assistance that the Administrator
determines includes a sufficient counter-trafficking in
persons element integrated in the program design or delivery;

[[Page H7085]]

(2) encourage that any program design or delivery that may
directly serve victims of trafficking in persons is age-
appropriate, linguistically accessible, culturally
responsive, and survivor- and trauma-informed, and provides
opportunities for anonymous and voluntary feedback from the
beneficiaries receiving such services;
(3) encourage that each USAID mission integrates a counter-
trafficking in persons perspective and specific approaches
into development programs, project design, and methods for
program monitoring and evaluation, when addressing a range of
development issues, including--
(A) health;
(B) economic development;
(C) education;
(D) democracy and governance;
(E) food security; and
(F) humanitarian assistance;
(4) implement robust training and disseminate tools around
the integration of a counter-trafficking perspective and
awareness in the day-to-day work of development
professionals; and
(5) encourage subsequent Country Development Cooperation
Strategies include a counter-trafficking in persons analytic
component to guide future project design and promote the
inclusion of counter-trafficking elements in project design,
implementation, monitoring, and evaluation required for Tier
2 Watch List and Tier 3 countries (as such terms are defined
for purposes of section 110 of the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107), as amended).

SEC. 204. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING CRISIS IN
UKRAINE.

It is the sense of Congress that Russia's aggression in
Ukraine targeting civilians and non-military infrastructure
has led to millions to flee their homes--90 percent of them
being women and children according to the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees--creating a humanitarian and human
trafficking crisis, as Russian President Putin continues to
wage the largest and most lethal war in Europe since World
War II.

TITLE III--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

SEC. 301. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATIONS UNDER THE VICTIMS OF
TRAFFICKING AND VIOLENCE PROTECTION ACT OF
2000.

Section 113 of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7110) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``2018 through 2021,
$13,822,000'' and inserting ``2022 through 2026,
$16,000,000'';
(2) in subsection (b)(1)--
(A) by striking ``To carry out the purposes of sections
106(b) and 107(b),'' and inserting ``To carry out the
purposes of sections 106(b) and 107(b) of this Act and
sections 101 and 102 of the Frederick Douglass Trafficking
Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of
2022,''; and
(B) by striking ``$19,500,000'' and all that follows, and
inserting ``$25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2022
through 2026, of which $5,000,000 is authorized to be
appropriated in each fiscal year for the National Human
Trafficking Hotline and for cybersecurity and public
education campaigns, in consultation with the Secretary of
Homeland Security, for identifying and responding as needed
to cases of human trafficking.'';
(3) in subsection (c)(1)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
``2018 through 2021, $65,000,000'' and inserting ``2022
through 2026, $89,500,000'';
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(C) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(E) to fund programs to end modern slavery, in an amount
not to exceed $37,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2022
through 2026.''; and
(4) in subsection (d) in paragraph (1), by striking ``2018
through 2021'' and inserting ``2022 through 2026, of which
$35,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal
year for the Office of Victims of Crime Housing Assistance
Grants for Victims of Human Trafficking''.

SEC. 302. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATIONS UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL
MEGAN'S LAW.

Section 11 of the International Megan's Law to Prevent
Child Exploitation and Other Sexual Crimes Through Advanced
Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders (34 U.S.C. 21509) is
amended by striking ``2018 through 2021'' and inserting
``2022 through 2026''.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Bass) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.

General Leave

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 6552, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6552, the
Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection
Reauthorization Act of 2022.
I thank the ranking member of our Subcommittee on Africa, Global
Health, and Global Human Rights, Representative Chris Smith, who I have
worked closely with for many years to develop this bill. This joint
effort has served as a daily reminder that collaboration in Congress is
both imperative and far from finished when it comes to combating and
eliminating human trafficking.
This legislation is the overdue reauthorization of the Trafficking
Victims Act of 2000, which expired last September. To continue this
essential fight to end global human trafficking, this measure must be
passed by the House today so that more than 20 years of work is not
undone.
This bill is especially important in the wake of the COVID-19
pandemic, when virtual K-12 education made it harder for teachers to
identify and report human trafficking, prosecutions of traffickers were
delayed as courts closed, and the demand for social services for
survivors increased as many of them lost their jobs and homes.
Critically, this reauthorization strengthens provisions in the
original bill that protect and support trafficking victims while
reauthorizing $1 billion to fund programs across the Departments of
Justice, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services that are
dedicated to addressing human trafficking and aiding victims.
This funding includes $35 million in housing assistant grants for the
victims of human trafficking, which offer temporary housing that
provides trafficking survivors with meaningful alternatives to living
with their abusers. It also funds education programs on trafficking
warning signs for educators and law enforcement personnel who may
otherwise unknowingly encounter trafficking victims. It further
requires greater accountability measures to protect people who are
trafficked while appropriately punishing traffickers.
In the U.S., the populations most vulnerable to human trafficking
include migrant laborers, minorities, people with disabilities, those
in the LGBTQ community, and especially runaway and homeless youth and
those in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. In regard to
sex trafficking, which is where the child welfare system comes in, the
average age of the victim is 12 years old.
As a former healthcare professional and chair of the subcommittee, I
have been a champion of child welfare issues throughout my time in
Congress. I have seen too many instances of human rights violations
against children and other vulnerable populations falling victim to the
abuses of human trafficking, both in the U.S. and around the world. We
must take this issue seriously and continue taking a whole-of-
government approach to addressing it.
Sometimes, however, we focus on the international and forget that
this is a problem right here in many cities around our Nation. The
Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection
Reauthorization Act adds several new provisions to the original
legislation that will substantially improve our efforts against
trafficking here at home while only slightly modifying existing
provisions that have been successful throughout its passage.
One important example is the modifications made to existing HHS
grants that would train elementary and secondary school teachers,
children, guardians, and trainers in the recognition and response to
child trafficking. Child trafficking in the U.S. is not labor
trafficking, but it is sex trafficking. This section now focuses
authorities to ensure that grantees will use proven best practices,
trains personnel with equitable approaches, and identifies service
gaps, among other things.
It also calls on State child welfare agencies to prioritize the
implementation of protocols to report information on missing and
abducted children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children and law enforcement.
Additionally, the bill requires States to submit annual reports on
child sex

[[Page H7086]]

trafficking victims to Health and Human Services, which is one of the
many steps that we can take to trace, track, and find those missing
and, hopefully, create a system that prevents further disappearance of
our youth. It is our job to protect those in this country who cannot
protect themselves, especially children in the child welfare system.
When we remove them from their parents and from their homes, then we
the government become the parents, and we cannot be guilty of neglect.
H.R. 6552 strengthens anti-trafficking efforts abroad. Human
trafficking is the second largest criminal industry worldwide, with
more than 25 million people, women and girls being the largest
identified demographic. These numbers are alarming, and I am humbled to
be part of a measure that will focus on expanding prevention efforts at
USAID by taking steps to further integrate counter-trafficking in
persons activities into already existing international development
programs.
This bill moves not only to support those who have already fallen
victim but also to prevent further trafficking and bring perpetrators
to justice. We must swiftly pass this bipartisan measure to protect
those who are the most vulnerable among us. It is our duty to stop this
heinous crime whenever and wherever it is discovered, whether it be
here in the United States or abroad.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Judiciary,

Washington, DC, June 14, 2022.
Hon. Gregory Meeks,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Meeks: This letter is to advise you that the
Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to
review the provisions in H.R. 6552, the ``Frederick Douglass
Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization
Act of 2022,'' that fall within our Rule X jurisdiction. I
appreciate your consulting with us on those provisions. The
Judiciary Committee has no objection to your including them
in the bill for consideration on the House floor, and to
expedite that consideration is willing to forgo action on
H.R. 6552, with the understanding that we do not thereby
waive any future jurisdictional claim over those provisions
or their subject matters.
In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar
legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the
right to request an appropriate number of conferees to
address any concerns with these or similar provisions that
may arise in conference.
Please place this letter into the Congressional Record
during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank
you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked
regarding this matter and others between our committees.
Sincerely,
Jerrold Nadler,
Chairman.
____

House of Representatives,

Committee on Foreign Affairs,

Washington, DC, July 21, 2022.
Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Nadler: I am writing to you concerning H.R.
6552, Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and
Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022, as amended. I
appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this
legislation.
I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the
jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary under House
Rule X, and that your Committee will forgo action on H.R.
6552 to expedite floor consideration. I further acknowledge
that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill
does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the
matters contained in the bill that fall within your
jurisdiction.
I also acknowledge that your Committee will be
appropriately consulted and involved as this or similar
legislation moves forward, and will support the appointment
of Committee on the Judiciary conferees during any House-
Senate conference convened on this legislation. Lastly, I
will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in the
Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill.
Thank you again for your cooperation regarding the
legislation. I look forward to continuing to work with you as
the measure moves through the legislative process.
Sincerely,
Gregory W. Meeks,
Chairman.
____

House of Representatives,

Committee on Ways and Means,

Washington, DC, July 25, 2022.
Hon. Gregory Meeks,
Chair, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chair Meeks: In recognition of the desire to expedite
consideration of H.R. 6552, Frederick Douglass Trafficking
Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of
2022, the Committee on Ways and Means agrees to waive formal
consideration of the bill as to provisions that fall within
the rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means.
The Committee on Ways and Means takes this action with the
mutual understanding that we do not waive any jurisdiction
over the subject matter contained in this or similar
legislation, and the Committee will be appropriately
consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation
moves forward so that we may address any remaining issues
within our jurisdiction. The Committee also reserves the
right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of
conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or
similar legislation.
Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter
confirming this understanding and would ask that a copy of
our exchange of letter on this matter be included in the
Congressional Record during floor consideration of H.R. 6552.
Sincerely,
Richard E. Neal,
Chair.
____

House of Representatives,

Committee on Foreign Affairs,

Washington, DC, July 25, 2022.
Hon. Richard E. Neal,
Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Neal: I am writing to you concerning H.R.
6552, Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and
Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022, as amended. I
appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this
legislation.
I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the
jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means under House
Rule X, and that your Committee will forgo action on H.R.
6552 to expedite floor consideration. I further acknowledge
that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill
does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the
matters contained in the bill that fall within your
jurisdiction.
I also acknowledge that your Committee will be
appropriately consulted and involved as this or similar
legislation moves forward and will support the appointment of
Committee on Ways and Means conferees during any House-Senate
conference convened on this legislation.
Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is
included in the Congressional Record during floor
consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your
cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to
continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the
legislative process.
Sincerely,
Gregory W. Meeks,
Chairman.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the
bill, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I want to convey my special thanks to Chairwoman Karen
Bass for her exceptional leadership, partnership, and friendship.
For years, we have worked together to combat the unspeakable crime
and abject cruelty of sex and labor trafficking.

{time} 1415

The Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection
Act is just the latest bold initiative in our mutual commitment to end
modern-day slavery.
I want to thank Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Minority
Leader Kevin McCarthy, and especially Chairman Meeks and Ranking Member
McCaul for having favorably reported the bill from the Foreign Affairs
Committee on February 9.
Majority Leader Hoyer was especially helpful and has ensured timely
consideration during this month of July, just in time to commemorate
the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
As my colleagues know--we have all been through this--but in this
case there were five full committee referrals for this bill. It can be
very challenging getting the committee chairmen and ranking members to
agree, and I am grateful to them for their good faith in coming
together for this important human rights cause and making sure that
this legislation was brought to the floor.
Madam Speaker, I have been working on human trafficking since 1995. I
have chaired more than 35 hearings and written five anti-trafficking
laws including the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.
Many in the United States--and I'm grateful that this is so
bipartisan--and many around the world have rallied to stop

[[Page H7087]]

this hideous abuse, yet it couldn't be clearer that much more needs to
be done.
Traffickers never take a holiday, nor can we. Because traffickers and
the nefarious networks that they lead always find new ways to exploit
the vulnerable, we must aggressively strengthen our laws, and we must
be equally aggressive in the implementation of those laws.
The Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection
Act is a bipartisan, survivor-informed bill. Karen and I first
introduced the bill nearly 11 months ago on Frederick Douglass' 183rd
anniversary of his self-emancipation, and we were joined at the
introduction by Kenneth Morris--Frederick Douglass' great-great-great-
grandson. Ken has been a tremendous friend and ally in this human
rights struggle and helped us write the bill.
Born a slave--as I think many people know--back in 1818, Frederick
Douglass disguised himself as a sailor and traveled from Baltimore to
New York. A renowned abolitionist and statesman--and a Republican--he
continued to lead the fight to end slavery, Jim Crow laws, and advance
respect and equality.
The Frederick Douglass TVPRA honors this great man by significantly
enhancing programs, strengthening our laws and adding new ones, and
adding accountability for programs at the Departments of Justice,
Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and State to combat human
trafficking and to offer sustainable solutions, solutions that work.
This bill ensures robust prevention through trafficking prevention
education--situational awareness for our children, their teachers, and
parents--stabilization of survivors once they are no longer in the
hands of traffickers, and long-term solutions that facilitate healing
and survivor empowerment.
Frederick Douglass once said: ``It is easier to build strong children
than to repair broken men.''
We want to prevent trafficking from occurring in the first place.
That is why we have authored this legislation. We create an age-
appropriate, scalable program to train the trainers, use proven and
tested best practices, and include training parents and guardians in
trafficking prevention education. This bill also properly designates
these grants as the Frederick Douglass Prevention Education Grants.
I know all of my colleagues are aware of Megan's Law which protects
children domestically. In 2008 I introduced International Megan's Law.
It passed the House three times and almost died in the Senate until the
third iteration of it. It was signed into law in 2016, and now it is
being reauthorized in this bill as well.
Megan Kanka was from my former hometown of Hamilton. She was just 7
years old when she was kidnapped, raped, and brutally murdered in 1994.
Her assailant lived right across the street. Unbeknownst to her family
and other residents in the neighborhood, he was a convicted, repeat
child sex offender. Her parents, Maureen and Richard Kanka, are
heartbroken to this day. They have been amazingly effective,
courageous, and heroic in successfully pushing every State in the Union
to enact Megan's Law.
So why International Megan's Law?
We know from law enforcement, academia, and media documentation that
Americans on the U.S. sex offender registries are frequently caught
abusing children all over the world: Asia, Central and South America,
and Europe--as I said, everywhere.
Under International Megan's Law, convicted child sex offenders who
travel abroad must provide notice to the U.S. Government through the
Angel Watch Center prior to departure of all planned destinations.
Failure to do so carries a significant jail term. Upon receipt of the
travel itinerary, the U.S. Government informs the destination country
or countries of those plans.
In just a few years of working--and that is with people not traveling
as much during Covid-19, the pandemic--the U.S. Government has notified
foreign governments of the planned travel of 19,000 covered child sex
offenders, and more than 7,000 individuals who were convicted of crimes
against children were denied entry to these nations.
The Douglass bill, Madam Speaker, also requires international
programs to focus on best practices in their integration of counter-
trafficking efforts into their development portfolios. This way we can
make the best use of our foreign assistance at the Department of State
and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
The bill realigns efforts to meet fundamental needs of survivors
through wrap-around social services with case management, including
assistance with obtaining housing, life-skills training, and mental
health care, while also providing long-term solutions through
job coaching and training, and assistance with obtaining employment and
higher education. This approach is fundamental to meeting survivors'
needs on their continuum of healing.

As Frederick Douglass, again, once said: ``Knowledge makes a man
unfit to be a slave.''
Rather than quick fixes that can leave survivors vulnerable to re-
trafficking, the Frederick Douglass bill invests wisely in systemic and
dignified solutions by providing survivors opportunities for the
education and jobs they need to become self-reliant and even leaders.
It provides, for the first-time, $35 million for Housing Assistance
Grants For Victims of Human Trafficking. The number of people without
housing in the U.S. continues to climb, while trafficking victims are
extraordinarily vulnerable if they don't have a place to live.
We cannot forget what is happening in Ukraine. There is good language
in the bill calling to our attention all of those who have been so
horribly mistreated and trafficked. I thank Chairwoman Bass for really
bringing a focus to foster care and the fact that so many of our foster
care children have been trafficked. It is a place of extreme
vulnerability. She has very good language that she has put into this
bill--we worked together--but it was her initiative on that issue.
The ILO says that there are nearly 25 million people in the world who
are enslaved and that most are women and children. That is
unconscionable. Every human life is of infinite value. We as lawmakers
have a duty to protect the weakest and most vulnerable from harm.
I yield such time as he may consume to gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Roy).
Mr. ROY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I just want to speak up in favor of, not necessarily
the bill because I need to review the bill, but the legislation's
purpose and the intent of the authors to approach this issue of human
trafficking because it is so critically important. I am glad that we
are working on a bipartisan basis to do that.
I am going to demand the yeas and nays in a minute because of other
issues involving the floor I am not going to get into right now, about
time to review bills and other things we are discussing with the
majority, and that is why we are making decisions on the floor to force
votes.
But on the substance, human trafficking is absolutely devastating. It
is devastating to the people of Texas, it is devastating to the people
of the district I represent, it is devastating to young children,
people whom I have met when I have gone to various centers in Texas
where they are dealing with these, mainly children, but also adults in
trafficking.
Also trafficking goes well beyond, obviously, the sex trafficking
trade and goes to the slave labor that exists in the United States of
America today and that is absolutely unconscionable.
I appreciate the bipartisan work on this topic. I am certainly
delighted to work with both Members on it. I just didn't want the fact
that I am going to demand the yeas and nays to be an indication of not
supporting the purpose of this bill. There are other factors that are
in play involving the floor and spending and other stuff. I appreciate
it.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close.
Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from Texas for his very fine
statement, and I look forward to a recorded vote.
I also want to say very clearly that we have a very, very broad
bipartisan group of stakeholders who are for this, including, as I
mentioned a moment ago, Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, the
Douglass Leadership Institute, Frederick Douglass Foundation,

[[Page H7088]]

along with 300 anti-trafficking and human trafficking organizations,
over 500 advocates and survivors, and they have worked tirelessly with
us over the last 18 months, with both Karen Bass and me in crafting
this legislation. We even had more. Some of them did drop out, but we
will come back some day in the future to get some of that. But it is a
good solid bill.
Survivor leaders like Bella Hanoukey and Robert Lung provided
valuable insights and expertise for this bill. As I said, Kenneth
Morris was outstanding in the work that he provided for us.
As a matter of fact, as the special representative for human
trafficking for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, a couple of years ago,
I brought him into one of our big parliamentary assembly meetings, and
there were at least 100-plus lawmakers from the European space that
heard him speak about the importance of prevention. If young people
know what is out there and what is waiting--particularly run-aways--
they will be forearmed and forewarned and, hopefully, can mitigate the
possibility of being trafficked themselves. He hit it out of the park,
and he has been a great friend on this.

We also have 3Strands Global Foundation; the Safe House Project;
America First Policy Institute; End Child Prostitution and Trafficking
USA; ECPAT, with whom we work very closely; the American Hotel and
Lodging Association; the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking, that
is known as ATEST. They have a great group and consortium of groups.
We have the International Justice Mission, IJM; World Vision; United
States Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking; Shared Hope
International; Hope for Justice; National Child Protection Task Force;
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, also known as RAINN; the
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, who also worked
with us closely on it; the National Center on Sexual Exploitation; and
the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women.
They all provided valuable insights, as I mentioned a moment ago.
I want to thank Mark Iozzi and Jamie Jackson from the majority
leader's office for working closely with Chairwoman Bass and me and who
helped bring this to the floor today; Chris Bien and Will Dunham from
the minority leader's office; Janice Kaguyutan--I want to thank her for
her help as she has done before on trafficking and legislation; and
Doug Anderson.
I want to thank Mary Vigil who is sitting right behind me. For the
last 18 months she has been meeting with all the groups working and
drafting this legislation. She has done an amazing job. I want to thank
her for her leadership. She used to work at USAID. She has got a heart
for vulnerable people, and I can't thank her enough for that.
I thank Piero Tozzi, our chief counsel for the Lantos Commission on
the Republican side and Mary Noonan, my Chief of Staff, Tomekah Burl
and Meghann Galloway, Karen Bass' staff who were also outstanding.
It was a full court press and a great deal of collaboration. I thank
them and my distinguished staff and all the Members who got together
behind this.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for
the purpose of closing.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 6552, the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims
Protection and Reauthorization Act, as amended, should be supported by
every Member participating in today's vote. This overdue
reauthorization strengthens laws that not only support those who have
already fallen victim but also prevents the future risk of trafficking
both at home here in the U.S. and abroad.
We must supply housing for victims so that they can have a safe place
to go when they leave their abusers. We also must ensure that child
welfare and foster children are prioritized, particularly young women,
girls, and those in the LGBTQ community are protected and aided with
resources. Without housing these children often have no choice but to
return to their pimps, their traffickers.
Our departments must have the funding they need so they can offer the
best training and personnel to respond to this crisis. It is our duty
as public servants to protect the vulnerable and stop this heinous
crime when and where it is discovered. Human trafficking is a heinous
violation of human rights, and we must do everything in our power to
combat it, and that includes passing this bill.
Again, I thank the staff who have worked very hard on this. I
especially thank the ranking member, as we have worked together for 12
years. As my time in Congress draws to a close, I am very happy that
this is one of the last pieces of legislation that we can move forward
on together.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting
this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R.
6552, the ``Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and
Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022.
H.R. 6552 is a bipartisan initiative to bolster programs and provide
critical funding to combat human trafficking.
I would like to thank Congressman Chris Smith, for authoring today's
legislation, and Congresswoman Karen Bass, for co-leading this
initiative to take important steps in preventing trafficking and
protecting the most vulnerable among us.
This bill will effectively reauthorize the historic Trafficking
Victims Protection Act of 2000.
H.R. 6552 will provide more than $1 billion over five years to
support education, restorative care, and other programs that protect
victims of human trafficking.
This includes strengthening the Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking
Prevention Education Grants created in the Frederick Douglass Act of
2018.
Frederick Douglass Prevention Education grants work to prevent online
grooming and trafficking of children through trauma-informed approaches
and programs.
H.R. 6552 will also authorize the Secretary of Health and Human
Services to carry out a Human Trafficking Survivors Employment and
Education Program to prevent the re-exploitation of eligible
individuals who have been victims of trafficking.
The program will provide job-related skills training, life-skill
training programs, assistance with enrollment in college or technical
school, and other programs and services to help individuals achieve
selfsufficiency.
H.R. 6552 commits to fighting human trafficking both domestically and
internationally.
Today's bill will also reauthorize ``International Megan's Law'' to
track convicted sex offenders living abroad and returning to the U.S.
after living in foreign countries. It goes further by adding
accountability for U.S. Federal and foreign governments, hotels, and
airlines with anti-trafficking training and codes of conduct.
My record in Congress reflects my longstanding, deep commitment to
fighting human trafficking.
While drafting the major update of the Violence Against Women's Act
(VAWA), I added human trafficking provisions that address more
resources and tools to aid local law enforcement and advocacy groups to
assist victims and seek justice for them.
I also introduced H.R. 128, the RAISE Act, which directs the Attorney
General to create a pilot youth diversion program for youth that have
been the victims of abuse, sex or drug trafficking, or other violent
conduct, and for whom the criminal conduct is due in whole or in part
to that victimization.
Texas has the second-highest number of reported cases of human
trafficking in the nation. In 2020, the National Human Trafficking
Hotline reported a total of 987 human trafficking cases in Texas.
This statistic is only a fraction of the actual number of cases since
human trafficking is difficult to detect and measure. Researchers from
the University of Texas have found that more than 300,000 people are
victims of some sort of human trafficking each year in Texas.
The Department of Justice declared Houston as one of the largest hubs
in the nation for human trafficking.
Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and a global problem.
Today's legislation provides the necessary additional support to
victims of human trafficking. It goes further by enforcing preventative
measures to help ensure victims are not trafficked again.
H.R. 6552 programs are dedicated to education and offer innovative
practices to help survivors navigate the pathway to self-sufficiency
and recovery.
Too often women and girls who are victims of trafficking are arrested
for crimes associated with their victimization, but they are treated as
criminals and not victims in need of services.
I find these practices to be heinous, disgusting, and unconscionable.
A victim who has just been forced into the most vile, vicious, and
vulnerable reality of being trafficked must not be treated as a
criminal, just like the person who trafficked her.

[[Page H7089]]

It is almost inconceivable that this continues to occur in modern-day
America. Yet, it is the actual reality for millions of trafficked
women.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R.
6552.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Bass) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 6552, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ROY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

____________________