Not a single prosecution with respect to this kind of human trafficking has yet been brought by the Department of Defense against any contractor or subcontractor.

But we are in this system that protects itself. Not the victims.

It needs to be rooted out, stamped out, and ended. That is as fundamental an American value and a human rights value as exists on this planet.

Human trafficking is unacceptable under any circumstances. War does not justify it; the mission doesn't justify it.

We cannot and will not turn a blind eye to this practice.

We have a zero tolerance policy. We have 19 laws, executive orders, and DOD memos making it very clear we frown on this practice.

The laws are all in place, the policies are all in place. We have zero tolerance. And what that system has produced is zero reporting.

It seems to me that the system you described in your 10-point sort of list, the weak link is the recruiting, potentially.

I am sure they would be mortified to know that some of the employees of their company in other countries working for American soldiers have the possibility of being in indentured servitude.

We are talking about human beings who are being forcibly recruited and lured into employment on our behalf, and you have not made it your business to go and kick the tires and check the dipstick to ascertain to your own satisfaction that…

the fact that we have five cure letters, no prosecutions, and one reference to the Justice Department, they declined to prosecute, might suggest to a layman, if not a Member of Congress, that we are not taking this subject seriously at all.

It is not okay to turn a blind eye to this practice. It is not okay to treat it as a bureaucratic requirement that we can check off a box because people have been trained or made more aware.

I would certainly, and I know the chairman and members of the committee would, welcome any additional thoughts you might have.

The object here is to cease the practice. It is a violation not only of human rights, but of everything America stands for.

I am deeply disturbed that we don't seem to be seized with a mission here, and until and unless we are, we are never going to solve the problem.

So you have reason, therefore, to doubt the narrative of The New Yorker with respect to these two women?

Taking away human autonomy is perhaps the most abhorrent crime imaginable, and it occurs with murder and it occurs with human trafficking.

Under the Constitution it does, yes, sir.