Combating Human Trafficking

Unfortunately, human trafficking is a growing criminal activity that occurs outside of the public’s eye and is too often ignored. An estimated 100,000 children are sold in the sex trade in the United States each year. No child should ever be subjected to this.

I believe that the pain caused by this modern form of slavery is unacceptable. That is why I am championing efforts to end trafficking.

Last Wednesday, I voted for a series of bipartisan anti-human trafficking bills to combat this growing epidemic in our country. I continue to support bills that will strengthen the existing laws and bring buyers and sellers involved in trafficking to justice.

The three anti-human trafficking bills passed last week were the result of work done in the House Judiciary Committee that I serve on. In working to create these bills, I know that they will help prevent suffering caused by human trafficking. This includes a measure to boost support and increase protections for the victims of domestic human trafficking.

I hope that the Senate and the President will join my efforts in combating human trafficking by passing these bipartisan bills.

Recently, I participated in a Homeland Security Committee field hearing in Houston to investigate solutions for the challenges our law enforcement community faces while battling trafficking. I heard from the victims on their experiences and ideas on battling human trafficking.

I can’t think of any priority that should prevent law enforcement from going after the criminals who force our children into modern-day slavery. Our society's failure to do so allowed this industry to thrive. The laws must be changed to make it easier to catch traffickers. Law enforcement must work to stop criminals who prey on our children. Human trafficking robs victims of their basic human rights and it occurs right under our noses.

We can no longer ignore that human trafficking is taking place in our own backyard. America must work together at the federal, state, and local levels to stop this abuse.

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