Title: Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act
This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to designate an official to: (1) coordinate human trafficking prevention efforts across DOT modal administrations and with other federal agencies, and (2) take into account the unique challenges of combating human trafficking within different transportation modes.
The bill expands the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's outreach and education program and DOT's commercial driver's license financial assistance program to include activities for the recognition, prevention, and reporting of human trafficking.
DOT shall establish an advisory committee on human trafficking. The committee shall: (1) make recommendations on actions DOT can take to help combat human trafficking, and (2) develop recommended best practices for states and state and local transportation stakeholders in combating human trafficking.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3813 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3813

 To designate a human trafficking prevention coordinator and to expand 
  the scope of activities authorized under the Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration's outreach and education program to include human 
       trafficking prevention activities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 21, 2017

  Ms. Esty of Connecticut (for herself and Mr. Katko) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
                           and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To designate a human trafficking prevention coordinator and to expand 
  the scope of activities authorized under the Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration's outreach and education program to include human 
       trafficking prevention activities, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Human Trafficking in 
Commercial Vehicles Act''.

SEC. 2. HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION COORDINATOR.

    The Secretary of Transportation shall designate an official within 
the Department of Transportation who shall--
            (1) coordinate human trafficking prevention efforts across 
        modal administrations in the Department of Transportation and 
        with other departments and agencies of the Federal Government; 
        and
            (2) in coordinating such efforts, take into account the 
        unique challenges of combating human trafficking within 
        different transportation modes.

SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM.

    Section 31110(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following: ``The program authorized under this 
subsection may support, in addition to funds otherwise available for 
such purposes, the recognition, prevention, and reporting of human 
trafficking, while deferring to existing resources, as practicable.''.

SEC. 4. EXPANSION OF COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 
              PROGRAM.

    Section 31313(a)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (F); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:
                    ``(E) support, in addition to funds otherwise 
                available for such purposes, the recognition, 
                prevention, and reporting of human trafficking; or''.

SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY 
              COMMITTEE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish an advisory 
committee on human trafficking.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Composition.--The Committee shall be composed of not 
        more than 15 external stakeholder members whose diverse 
        experience and background enable them to provide balanced 
        points of view with regard to carrying out the duties of the 
        Committee.
            (2) Selection.--The Secretary shall appoint the external 
        stakeholder members to the Committee, including representatives 
        from--
                    (A) trafficking advocacy organizations;
                    (B) law enforcement; and
                    (C) trucking, bus, rail, aviation, maritime, and 
                port sectors, including industry and labor.
            (3) Periods of appointment.--Members shall be appointed for 
        the life of the Committee.
            (4) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Committee shall be filled 
        in the manner in which the original appointment was made and 
        shall not affect the powers or duties of the Committee.
            (5) Compensation.--Committee members shall serve without 
        compensation.
    (c) Authority.--Not later than 9 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and appoint all members of 
the Committee.
    (d) Duties.--
            (1) Recommendations for the department of transportation.--
        Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this 
        Act, the Committee shall make recommendations to the Secretary 
        on actions the Department can take to help combat human 
        trafficking, including the development and implementation of--
                    (A) successful strategies for identifying and 
                reporting instances of human trafficking; and
                    (B) recommendations for administrative or 
                legislative changes necessary to use programs, 
                properties, or other resources owned, operated, or 
                funded by the Department to combat human trafficking.
            (2) Best practices and recommendations.--
                    (A) In general.--The Committee shall develop 
                recommended best practices for States and State and 
                local transportation stakeholders to follow in 
                combating human trafficking.
                    (B) Development.--The best practices shall be based 
                on multidisciplinary research and promising, evidence-
                based models and programs.
                    (C) Content.--The best practices shall be user-
                friendly, incorporate the most up-to-date technology, 
                and include the following:
                            (i) Sample training materials.
                            (ii) Strategies to identify victims.
                            (iii) Sample protocols and recommendations, 
                        including--
                                    (I) strategies to collect, 
                                document, and share data across systems 
                                and agencies;
                                    (II) strategies to help agencies 
                                better understand the types of 
                                trafficking involved, the scope of the 
                                problem, and the degree of victim 
                                interaction with multiple systems; and
                                    (III) strategies to identify 
                                effective pathways for State agencies 
                                to utilize their position in educating 
                                critical stakeholder groups and 
                                assisting victims.
                    (D) Informing states of best practices.--The 
                Secretary shall ensure that State Governors and State 
                departments of transportation are notified of the best 
                practices and recommendations.
    (e) Reports.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall--
            (1) submit a report on the actions of the Committee 
        described in subsection (d) to--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and
            (2) make the report under paragraph (1) publicly available 
        both physically and online.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Committee.--The term ``Committee'' means the Department 
        of Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking 
        established under subsection (a).
            (2) Human trafficking.--The term ``human trafficking'' 
        means an act or practice described in paragraph (9) or 
        paragraph (10) of section 103 of the Trafficking Victims 
        Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
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