IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 258 
Calling for a Commission within the United Nations that will build a 21st 
century abolitionists movement to end slavery, human trafficking, and 
exploitation around the world. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 3, 2005 
Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD (for herself and Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN) submitted 
the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on International Relations 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Calling for a Commission within the United Nations that 
will build a 21st century abolitionists movement to end 
slavery, human trafficking, and exploitation around the 
world. 
Whereas trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable people is 
a problem that affects virtually every country in the 
world; 
Whereas the globalization of the world economy has increased 
the movement of people across borders, legally and ille-
gally, especially from poorer to wealthier countries; 
Whereas an overwhelming majority of those trafficked and 
exploited are women and children;
•HCON 258 IH 
Whereas trafficking in people, especially women and children, 
for prostitution and forced labor is one of the fastest 
growing areas of international criminal activity and one 
that is of increasing concern to the U.S. Administration, 
Congress, and the international community; 
Whereas the fear of infection with HIV and AIDS among 
customers has driven traffickers to recruit younger 
women and girls, some as young as 7, erroneously per-
ceived by customers to be too young to have been in-
fected; 
Whereas according to the most recent Department of State 
estimates, between 600,000 and 800,000 people are traf-
ficked across borders each year worldwide and combined 
with trafficking within countries, the total figure is esti-
mated at between 2,000,000 and 4,000,000; 
Whereas international organized crime has taken advantage 
of the freer flow of people, money, goods and services to 
extend its own international reach; 
Whereas there is no single victim stereotype, a majority of 
trafficked women are under the age of 25, with many in 
their mid to late teens; 
Whereas like global terrorism, and global catastrophes, 
human trafficking and exploitation is the responsibility of 
the global community and should be addressed by the 
United Nations through the establishment of a commis-
sion; 
Whereas the international community began meeting in 1999 
to draft a Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish 
Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children in 
conjunction with the United Nations Convention Against 
Transnational Organized Crime;
•HCON 258 IH 
Whereas the United States, along with Argentina, introduced 
the draft protocol in January 1999; negotiations were 
concluded in 2000 on a revised draft; 
Whereas on November 15, 2000, the United Nations General 
Assembly adopted the Convention on Transnational 
Crime, including the Protocol on Trafficking. The Con-
vention and Protocols formally signed in Palermo, Italy, 
in December 2000, were designed to enable countries to 
work together more closely against criminals engaged in 
cross-border crimes; 
Whereas the United States signed the United Nations pro-
tocol on Trafficking in December 2000, but has not yet 
ratified it; and 
Whereas the increased threat of global terrorism, on-going 
wars and natural catastrophes such as tsunamis, hurri-
canes, earthquakes, and the international community’s 
response to these occurrences has a direct impact on 
human trafficking, slavery and exploitation: Now, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the United Nations should create a Traf-
ficking, Slavery, and Exploitation Commission; and 
(2) this commission should work to develop rec-
ommendations regarding measures to be imple-
mented in carrying out humanitarian efforts to pre-
vent, and treat the adverse effects of, human traf-
ficking and exploitation in regions of war, terrorism, 
and natural disaster, and in regions subject to any
•HCON 258 IH 
other circumstance that renders susceptible popu-
lations vulnerable to human trafficking and exploi-
tation 
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