This week, the U.S. House of Representatives has the opportunity to create even stronger laws to combat human trafficking and protect the victims with the passage of eight anti-trafficking bills.
Five bills have already passed, including:
- H.R.4980 - Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act
- H.R.2283 - Human Trafficking Prioritization Act
- H.R.5135 - Human Trafficking Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Act of 2014
- H.R.5076 - Enhancing Services for Runaway and Homeless Victims of Youth Trafficking Act of 2014
- H.R.4449 - Human Trafficking Prevention Act
Three more important pieces of legislation await votes:
- H.R.5111 - To Improve the Response to Victims of Child Sex Trafficking
- H.R.5116 - Human Trafficking Detection Act of 2014
- H.R.5081 - Strengthening Child Welfare Response to Trafficking Act of 2014
Each of these bills contains important provisions to strengthen the overall framework of anti-trafficking laws. Several of the bills recognize the critical role child welfare agencies play in preventing, identifying and responding to trafficking of children in foster care. Others heighten the scrutiny on the agencies tasked with preventing and fighting trafficking in the U.S. and abroad. Members of Congress from across the nation, from South Dakota to Michigan, Nevada to New Jersey, and states in between are seeing the threat sex trafficking poses to people in their states and are taking action to stop it.
"Together, these eight bills work to provide trafficking victims with the greatest level of restoration and justice possible."-Congresswoman Linda Smith, President and Founder of Shared Hope International
Keep the advocacy strong! Shared Hope International made great progress but we're not done yet! Please visit our Legislative Action Center for a complete listing of bills that need your support. You can also track pending legislation in your state with our online bill tracking.
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