Date: 2015-01-27
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I indicated this afternoon was an important afternoon. I thank the gentleman for his legislation and his leadership. and I add my appreciation of the ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee. Mr. THOMPSON. and. as well. the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee. who previously did four bills. Mr. CONYERS. It seems that we are having bipartisan support on a very important crisis in our Nation and around the world. In 2014. President Obama said: At home. we are leading by example. My administration is cracking down on traffickers. charging a record number of perpetrators. We are deploying new technology in the fight against human trafficking. developing the Federal Governments firstever strategic action plan to strengthen victim services and strengthening protections against human trafficking in Federal contracts. During the past year. the White House has hosted events on combating human trafficking. bringing together leaders from every sector of society. Together. we came up with new ideas to fight trafficking at the national and grassroots levels. The present legislation before us. as I rise to strongly support it. H.R. 460. is the Human Trafficking Detection Act of 2015. This is a great partnership between Homeland Security. the committee which I am a senior member on. and Judiciary to fight against human trafficking. In particular. this bill has a very important purpose because our Homeland Security personnel are in our airports and ports. they are along our borders. they are the eyes and ears. they are the first responders. It is crucial that this bill is effectively working with personnel to train. to deter. detect. disrupt. and prevent human trafficking during the course of their primary roles and responsibilities and for other work. This is a very good idea. Human trafficking is not only a crime but also a horrible violation of human rights. Human trafficking is often a hidden crime. Victims of human trafficking may be afraid to come forward and get help because they may be forced or coerced. They may fear retribution or they might not have control over their documents. According to the most recent estimate from the Department of State. approximately 600.000 to 800.000 people are trafficked across global borders each year. According to the U.S. Department of Justice. Houston. Texas. is one of the Nations largest hubs in human trafficking. There are over 200 active brothels in Houston and more strip clubs and illicit spas than Las Vegas. These businesses serve as fronts for sex trafficking. Let me be very clear. This is not a condemnation of my city. This is a recognition that every single elected person. local. county. and State government. and our law enforcement are working every day and we are being successful. in essence. in shutting down strip clubs. illicit spas. and others. The main factors that contribute to high levels of trafficking throughout the Nation and in Texas are proximity. demographics. and a large migrant labor population. Houstons proximity to the Mexican border. I10. a highway running crosscountry through Houston. and the port make it a popular point. But that is not solely the site of human trafficking. As my colleague has mentioned. it is everywhere. It is a national problem. Therefore. our Homeland Security personnel. thank goodness. will now have the opportunity to have special training so that in the capacity of their work. their eyes and ears will be extra trained to detect those trying to move past the law. Houstons huge geographic size and large ethnic and culturally diverse population is seen in and around the Nation. which creates optimal conditions. It is not the only city with that. To combat human trafficking. the Department of Homeland Security. recognizing there needs to be a national campaign. launched the Blue Campaign in 2010. Through the Blue Campaign. DHS works in collaboration with law enforcement. government. nongovernment. and private organizations to protect the basic right of freedom and to bring those who exploit human lives to justice. This legislation will begin to institutionalize the training. Last year. this trainingthe Blue trainingwas credited when two men were arrested at Miami International Airport. TSA personnel who had received training to detect trafficking observed the interaction between the young men and young woman and noticed the signs. What we want to do today. again. is to institutionalize and codify this effort so that no human trafficker. no child being held by an adult but being trafficked can escape the eye of our trained Homeland Security personnel. and they can break that hand away from that adult that is trying to do that child harm because they will know that is not the friendly parent or wonderful grandparent or best aunt or uncle. They will know it is a dastardly act. I support the underlying bill. ask my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker. Human trafficking is not only a crime. but also a horrible violation of human rights. Human trafficking is often a hidden crime. Victims of human trafficking may be afraid to come forward and get help because they may be forced or coerced. they may fear retribution. or they might not have control over their documents. According to the most recent estimate from the Department of State. approximately 600.000 to 800.000 people are trafficked across global borders each year. According to the U.S. Department of Justice. Houston. Texas is one of the nations largest hubs for human trafficking. There are over 200 active brothels in Houston and more strip clubs and illicit spas than Las Vegas. these businesses serve as fronts for sex trafficking. The main factors that contribute to high levels of trafficking through Houston and the rest of Texas are proximity. demographics. and a large migrant labor force. Houstons proximity to the Mexican border. 110. a highway running across country through Houston. and the port of Houston make it a popular point of entry for international trafficking. Additionally. the presence of two large airports provides ways in and out of the city. Houstons huge geographic size and large ethnic and culturally diverse population create optimal conditions for trafficking because of the ability to blend in with the community. To combat human trafficking. the Department of Homeland Security launched the "Blue Campaign" in 2010. Through the "Blue Campaign." DHS works in collaboration with law enforcement. government. nongovernment and private organizations to protect the basic right of freedom and to bring those who exploit human lives to justice. In part. DHS does so by increasing awareness and training for its front line employees such as Transportation Security Officers. Customs and Border Protection Officers. and others. Last year. this training was credited when two men were arrested at Miami International Airport. TSA personnel. who received training to detect trafficking. observed the interaction between the men and a young woman and noticed the signs. The bill before us today seeks to codify in law the training of DHS personnel on how to deter. detect. and disrupt human trafficking and. where appropriate. interdict a suspected trafficker during the course of their primary roles and responsibilities. For CBP. this means Officers at our ports of entry will be trained on how to identify potential victims of trafficking. For TSA. it means that screening personnel. who screen approximately 1.8 million passengers a day. will be knowledgeable about signs of trafficking. Importantly. the bill requires that the training received be appropriate for a particular location or environment in which the personnel receiving the training perform their official duties. This will help tailor the training received so that it is relevant to the specific personnel receiving the training. Mr. Speaker. with this bill. we have the opportunity to call attention to the human rights crisis that is human trafficking. January is "National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month." To ensure that continued attention be paid to this often hidden crime. I urge passage of H.R. 460. Though the bill before us today will not eliminate human trafficking. it may help prevent it by ensuring that DHS frontline workforce is properly trained to fight it.