II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2744 

To provide grants to transit operators and airports for human trafficking 

awareness, education, and prevention efforts, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 7, 2023 

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO (for herself and Mr. CORNYN) introduced the following 

bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 

Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To provide grants to transit operators and airports for 

human trafficking awareness, education, and prevention 

efforts, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Reduce Human Traf5 ficking through Transportation Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HUMAN TRAF7 FICKING PREVENTION GRANTS. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation 

9 (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall estabVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:19 Sep 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2744.IS S2744

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1 lish within the Office of the Secretary a grant program 

2 to provide grants to transit operators and airports to ad3 dress human trafficking awareness, education, and pre4 vention efforts. 

5 (b) TRANSIT OPERATOR GRANTS.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Of the amounts made avail7 able for each fiscal year under subsection (d), the 

8 Secretary shall set aside $10,000,000 to provide 

9 grants to entities described in paragraph (2)(A) to 

10 address human trafficking awareness, education, and 

11 prevention efforts, including by— 

12 (A) coordinating human trafficking preven13 tion efforts across multimodal transportation 

14 operations within a community; and 

15 (B) accomplishing the best practices and 

16 recommendations provided by the Department 

17 of Transportation Advisory Committee on 

18 Human Trafficking. 

19 (2) DISTRIBUTION.— 

20 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 

21 distribute amounts set aside under paragraph 

22 (1) to— 

23 (i) the 75 transit operators in the 

24 United States with the highest annual ridVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:19 Sep 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2744.IS S2744

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1 ership, based on the most recent data 

2 available; and 

3 (ii) as the Secretary determines to be 

4 appropriate, a transit operator not de5 scribed in clause (i) that serves an area 

6 with a high prevalence of human traf7 ficking, on application of the transit oper8 ator. 

9 (B) PRIORITY; CONSIDERATIONS.—In dis10 tributing the amounts set aside under para11 graph (1), the Secretary shall— 

12 (i) give priority in grant amounts to 

13 entities referred to in subparagraph (A) 

14 that serve regions with a higher prevalence 

15 of human trafficking; and 

16 (ii) take into consideration the effect 

17 the amounts would have on surrounding 

18 areas. 

19 (C) CONSULTATION.—In distributing the 

20 amounts set aside under paragraph (1), the 

21 Secretary shall consult with the Department of 

22 Transportation Advisory Committee on Human 

23 Trafficking in determining the amounts to be 

24 distributed to each recipient to ensure the best 

25 use of the funds. 


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1 (c) AIRPORT GRANTS.— 

2 (1) IN GENERAL.—Of the amounts made avail3 able for each fiscal year under subsection (d), the 

4 Secretary shall set aside $10,000,000 to provide 

5 grants to entities described in paragraph (2)(A) to 

6 address human trafficking awareness, education, and 

7 prevention efforts, including by— 

8 (A) coordinating human trafficking preven9 tion efforts across multimodal transportation 

10 operations within a community; and 

11 (B) accomplishing the best practices and 

12 recommendations provided by the Department 

13 of Transportation Advisory Committee on 

14 Human Trafficking. 

15 (2) DISTRIBUTION.— 

16 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 

17 distribute amounts set aside under paragraph 

18 (1) to— 

19 (i) the 75 airports in the United 

20 States with the highest number of pas21 senger enplanements annually, based on 

22 the most recent data available; and 

23 (ii) as the Secretary determines to be 

24 appropriate, an airport not described in 

25 clause (i) that serves an area with a high 


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1 prevalence of human trafficking, on appli2 cation of the airport. 

3 (B) PRIORITY; CONSIDERATIONS.—In dis4 tributing the amounts set aside under para5 graph (1), the Secretary shall— 

6 (i) give priority in grant amounts to 

7 entities referred to in subparagraph (A) 

8 that serve regions with a higher prevalence 

9 of human trafficking; and 

10 (ii) take into consideration the effect 

11 the amounts would have on surrounding 

12 areas. 

13 (C) CONSULTATION.—In distributing the 

14 amounts set aside under paragraph (1), the 

15 Secretary shall consult with the Department of 

16 Transportation Advisory Committee on Human 

17 Trafficking in determining the amounts to be 

18 distributed to each recipient to ensure the best 

19 use of the funds. 

20 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

21 authorized to be appropriated to the Office of the Sec22 retary to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of 

23 fiscal years 2024 through 2028. 

Æ 


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