IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 524
Supporting the goals and ideals of Anti-Slavery Day. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 11, 2004
Mr. ENGEL (for himself and Mr. BURTON of Indiana) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
RESOLUTION 
Supporting the goals and ideals of Anti-Slavery Day.
Whereas Free the Slaves, the American sister organization to 
Anti-Slavery International in the United Kingdom, the 
oldest human rights organization in the world founded in 
1839, has declared February 27, 2004 as Anti-Slavery 
Day; 
Whereas Anti-Slavery Day is a day on which all peoples ob-
serve and bring to attention the existence of slavery in 
the world today; 
Whereas in 2004 approximately 27,000,000 people are 
enslaved around the world. 
Whereas the Declaration of Independence recognizes the in-
herent dignity and worth of all people and states that all 
people are ‘‘created equal’’ and ‘‘endowed by their creator
•HRES 524 IH 
with certain inalienable rights,’’ which includes the right 
to be free from slavery and involuntary servitude; 
Whereas the United States outlawed slavery and involuntary 
servitude in 1865, recognizing them, in the 13th amend-
ment to the Constitution, as inherently evil institutions 
that must be abolished; 
Whereas the United States and the international community 
have repeatedly condemned slavery, involuntary servitude, 
and human trafficking through declarations, treaties and 
United Nations resolutions and reports, including the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 1926 Slav-
ery Convention, the 1956 Supplementary Convention on 
the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institu-
tions and Practices Similar to Slavery, the 1948 Amer-
ican Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man, the 
1957 Abolition of Forced Labor Convention, the Inter-
national Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the 
Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman 
or Degrading Treatment or Punishing; 
Whereas the prohibition against slavery has achieved the level 
of customary international law and has attained jus 
cogens status and the practice of slavery has been univer-
sally accepted as a crime against humanity; 
Whereas slavery is characterized by the complete control of 
one person by another using violence or its threat and 
economic exploitation; 
Whereas slavery has dramatically increased worldwide in the 
past 50 years due, in part, to the world’s population tri-
pling in that period, resulting in large numbers of poor 
and vulnerable people; and also the economic trans-
formation of the developing world has increased the vul-
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nerability of the poor to enslavement; and also corruption 
of government and police that allows violence to be used 
with impunity even where slavery is nominally illegal; 
Whereas slavery thrives in situations of conflict, social disrup-
tion, political chaos, and economic crisis; 
Whereas the traffic in human beings is third only to the traf-
fic in drugs and weapons in generating profits for orga-
nized crime worldwide; 
Whereas 800,000–900,000 of the world’s slaves are estimated 
to be trafficked across international borders each year 
and 18,000–20,000 slaves are trafficked into the United 
States each year; 
Whereas Free the Slaves’ research indicates that slavery is 
present in most countries and slavery affects those who 
are most vulnerable and have less social and economic 
power in their communities—especially women and chil-
dren; 
Whereas slaves in the world are exploited in many economic 
sectors, and many women and children are trafficked into 
situations of sexual exploitation; 
Whereas education and economic empowerment, especially 
that of women and girls, have proven to be the most pow-
erful preventative measures to combat slavery; 
Whereas slavery is a global crime and is integrated into the 
global economy and requires a global approach for its 
eradication, and increased public education for all citi-
zens; 
Whereas slave-made goods feed into the global economy and 
enter the markets of the United States in violation of 
United States laws;
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Whereas the Free the Slaves, American Labor Organizations, 
and American Industry working with Members of Con-
gress have developed a multisectorial approach to eradi-
cate slavery from the product chains of goods which pre-
vents slavery from entering our homes; 
Whereas in September 2003 the United States levied sanc-
tions on Burma, North Korea and Cuba for failing to 
meet the minimum standards for combating human traf-
ficking as outlined in the Trafficking Victims Protection 
Act of 2000; 
Whereas President George W. Bush stated in his address to 
the United Nations on September 23, 2003, ‘‘Nearly two 
centuries after the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave 
trade, and more than a century after slavery was offi-
cially ended in its last strongholds, the trade in human 
beings for any purpose must not be allowed to thrive in 
our time.’’; 
Whereas Americans recognize the intrinsic values of self-de-
termination and freedom for the individual, and that an 
abomination such as slavery shall not be permitted to vio-
late human dignity; 
Whereas the United States must continue to take an active 
and effective role in confronting slavery worldwide; and 
Whereas more and more teachers across the United States 
are including modern slavery and human rights education 
in their social studies, citizenship, and history curricula: 
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House—
(1) supports the goals and ideals of Anti-Slav-
ery Day;