### §7109a. Research on domestic and international trafficking in persons

#### (a) In general

The President, acting through the Council of Economic Advisors, the National Research Council of the National Academies, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, and the Director of National Intelligence, shall carry out research, including by providing grants to nongovernmental organizations, as well as relevant United States Government agencies and international organizations, which furthers the purposes of this chapter and provides data to address the problems identified in the findings of this chapter. Such research initiatives shall, to the maximum extent practicable, include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) The economic causes and consequences of trafficking in persons.

(2) The effectiveness of programs and initiatives funded or administered by Federal agencies to prevent trafficking in persons and to protect and assist victims of trafficking.

(3) The interrelationship between trafficking in persons and global health risks, particularly HIV/AIDS.

(4) Subject to subsection (b), the interrelationship between trafficking in persons and terrorism, including the use of profits from trafficking in persons to finance terrorism.

(5) An effective mechanism for quantifying the number of victims of trafficking on a national, regional, and international basis, which shall include, not later than 2 years after December 23, 2008, the establishment and maintenance of an integrated database within the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center.

(6) The abduction and enslavement of children for use as soldiers, including steps taken to eliminate the abduction and enslavement of children for use as soldiers and recommendations for such further steps as may be necessary to rapidly end the abduction and enslavement of children for use as soldiers.

#### (b) Role of Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center

#### (1) In general

The research initiatives described in paragraphs (4) and (5) of subsection (a) shall be carried out by the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center, established under section 1777 of title 8.

#### (2) Database

The database described in subsection (a)(5) shall be established by combining all applicable data collected by each Federal department and agency represented on the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking, consistent with the protection of sources and methods, and, to the maximum extent practicable, applicable data from relevant international organizations, to—

(A) improve the coordination of the collection of data related to trafficking in persons by each agency of the United States Government that collects such data;

(B) promote uniformity of such data collection and standards and systems related to such collection;

(C) undertake a meta-analysis of patterns of trafficking in persons, slavery, and slave-like conditions to develop and analyze global trends in human trafficking;

(D) identify emerging issues in human trafficking and establishing integrated methods to combat them; and

(E) identify research priorities to respond to global patterns and emerging issues.

#### (3) Consultation

The database established in accordance with paragraph (2) shall be maintained in consultation with the Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons of the Department of State.

#### (4) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 to the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center for each of the fiscal years 2022 through 2027 to carry out the activities described in this subsection.

#### (c) Definitions

In this section:

#### (1) AIDS

The term "AIDS" means the acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

#### (2) HIV

The term "HIV" means the human immunodeficiency virus, the pathogen that causes AIDS.

#### (3) HIV/AIDS

The term "HIV/AIDS" means, with respect to an individual, an individual who is infected with HIV or living with AIDS.

(Pub. L. 106–386, div. A, §112A, as added Pub. L. 108–193, §6(g)(1), Dec. 19, 2003, 117 Stat. 2883; amended Pub. L. 109–164, title I, §104(c)(1), Jan. 10, 2006, 119 Stat. 3564; Pub. L. 110–457, title I, §108(a), Dec. 23, 2008, 122 Stat. 5050; Pub. L. 113–4, title XII, §1251(1), Mar. 7, 2013, 127 Stat. 155; Pub. L. 115–393, title III, §301(a)(1), Dec. 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 5271; Pub. L. 117–347, title I, §105(d)(1), Jan. 5, 2023, 136 Stat. 6204.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original "this division" meaning division A of Pub. L. 106–386, Oct. 28, 2000, 114 Stat. 1466, known as the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of division A to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 7101 of this title and Tables.

#### Amendments

2023—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 117–347 substituted "2022 through 2027" for "2018 through 2021".

2018—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 115–393 substituted "2018 through 2021" for "2014 through 2017".

2013—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 113–4 substituted "$1,000,000" for "$2,000,000" and "2014 through 2017" for "2008 through 2011".

2008—Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 110–457, §108(a)(1), amended par. (5) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "An effective mechanism for quantifying the number of victims of trafficking on a national, regional, and international basis."

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–457, §108(a)(2), amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "The research initiatives described in subsection (a)(4) of this section shall be carried out by the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center (established pursuant to section 1777 of title 8)."

2006—Pub. L. 109–164 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted subsec. heading, substituted "the Director of National Intelligence" for "the Director of Central Intelligence" in introductory provisions, inserted ", particularly HIV/AIDS" before period at end of par. (3), and added pars. (4) to (6) and subsecs. (b) and (c).

#### **Executive Documents**

#### Delegation of Functions

For delegation of functions of President under this section, see section 6 of Ex. Ord. No. 13257, Feb. 13, 2002, 67 F.R. 7259, as amended, set out as a note under section 7103 of this title.