Title: A resolution supporting the observation of "National Trafficking and Modern Slavery Prevention Month" during the period beginning on January 1, 2018, and ending on February 1, 2018, to raise awareness of, and opposition to, human trafficking and modern slavery.
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Expresses support for observing National Trafficking and Modern Slavery Prevention Month during the period of January 1-February 1, 2018.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 385 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 385

Supporting the observation of ``National Trafficking and Modern Slavery 
Prevention Month'' during the period beginning on January 1, 2018, and 
 ending on February 1, 2018, to raise awareness of, and opposition to, 
                 human trafficking and modern slavery.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 29, 2018

 Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. 
   Klobuchar, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Markey, Mr. Toomey, Ms. Heitkamp, Mr. 
Rubio, and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted the following resolution; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Supporting the observation of ``National Trafficking and Modern Slavery 
Prevention Month'' during the period beginning on January 1, 2018, and 
 ending on February 1, 2018, to raise awareness of, and opposition to, 
                 human trafficking and modern slavery.

Whereas the United States abolished the transatlantic slave trade in 1808 and 
        abolished chattel slavery and prohibited involuntary servitude in 1865;
Whereas, because the people of the United States remain committed to protecting 
        individual freedom, there is a national imperative to eliminate human 
        trafficking and modern slavery, which is commonly considered to mean--

    (1) the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining 
of an individual through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the 
purpose of subjecting that individual to involuntary servitude, peonage, 
debt bondage, or slavery; or

    (2) the inducement of a commercial sex act by force, fraud, or 
coercion, or in which the individual induced to perform that act is younger 
than 18 years of age;

Whereas the Department of Justice has reported that human trafficking and modern 
        slavery has been reported and investigated in each of the 50 States and 
        the District of Columbia;
Whereas, to help businesses in the United States combat child labor and forced 
        labor in global supply chains, the Department of Labor has identified 
        139 goods from 75 countries that are made by child labor and forced 
        labor;
Whereas the Department of State has reported that the top 3 countries of origin 
        of federally identified trafficking victims in 2016 were the United 
        States, Mexico, and the Philippines;
Whereas, to combat human trafficking and modern slavery in the United States and 
        globally, the people of the United States, the Federal Government, and 
        State and local governments must be--

    (1) aware of the realities of human trafficking and modern slavery; and

    (2) dedicated to stopping the horrific enterprise of human trafficking 
and modern slavery;

Whereas the United States should hold accountable all individuals, groups, 
        organizations, and countries that support, advance, or commit acts of 
        human trafficking and modern slavery;
Whereas, through education, the United States must also work to end human 
        trafficking and modern slavery in all forms in the United States and 
        around the world;
Whereas victims of human trafficking and modern slavery should receive the 
        necessary resources and social services to escape, and recover from, the 
        physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual trauma associated with their 
        victimization;
Whereas human traffickers use many physical and psychological techniques to 
        control a victim, including--

    (1) the use of violence or threats of violence against the victim or 
the family of the victim;

    (2) isolation of the victim from the public;

    (3) isolation of the victim from the family and religious or ethnic 
community of the victim;

    (4) exploitation of language and cultural barriers;

    (5) shame;

    (6) control of the possessions of the victim;

    (7) confiscation of the passport and other identification documents of 
the victim; and

    (8) threats of arrest, deportation, or imprisonment if the victim 
attempts to reach out for assistance or to escape;

Whereas, although laws to prosecute perpetrators of human trafficking and to 
        assist and protect victims of human trafficking and modern slavery, such 
        as the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7101 et 
        seq.), title XII of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 
        2013 (Public Law 113-4; 127 Stat. 136), the Trade Facilitation and Trade 
        Enforcement Act of 2015 (19 U.S.C. 4301 et seq.), the Justice for 
        Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-22; 129 Stat. 227), 
        and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public 
        Law 114-328; 130 Stat. 2000), have been enacted in the United States, it 
        is essential to increase public awareness, particularly amongst 
        individuals who are most likely to come into contact with victims of 
        human trafficking and modern slavery, regarding conditions and dynamics 
        of human trafficking and modern slavery precisely because traffickers 
        use techniques that are designed to severely limit self-reporting and 
        evade law enforcement;
Whereas January 1 is the anniversary of the effective date of the Emancipation 
        Proclamation;
Whereas February 1 is--

    (1) the anniversary of the date on which President Abraham Lincoln 
signed the joint resolution sending the 13th Amendment to the Constitution 
of the United States to the States for ratification to forever declare that 
``Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude . . . shall exist within the 
United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction''; and

    (2) a date that has long been celebrated as ``National Freedom Day'', 
as described in section 124 of title 36, United States Code; and

Whereas, under the authority of Congress to enforce the 13th Amendment to the 
        Constitution of the United States ``by appropriate legislation'', 
        Congress, through the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 
        U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), updated the post-Civil War involuntary servitude 
        and slavery statutes and adopted an approach of victim protection, 
        vigorous prosecution, and prevention of human trafficking, commonly 
        known as the ``3P approach'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate supports--
            (1) observing ``National Trafficking and Modern Slavery 
        Prevention Month'' during the period beginning on January 1, 
        2018, and ending on February 1, 2018, to recognize the vital 
        role that the people of the United States have in ending human 
        trafficking and modern slavery;
            (2) marking the observation of ``National Trafficking and 
        Modern Slavery Prevention Month'' with appropriate programs and 
        activities, culminating in the observance on February 1, 2018, 
        of ``National Freedom Day'', as described in section 124 of 
        title 36, United States Code; and
            (3) all other efforts to prevent, eradicate, and raise 
        awareness of, and opposition to, human trafficking and modern 
        slavery.
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