Political Quotes

“today I wish to congratulate this body on its passage of two important antitrafficking bills: the Abolish Human Trafficking Act and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. I am proud to have worked with Senators Grassley, Cornyn, and Klobuchar on these comprehensive bills and commend them and their staffs for the thoughtful and bipartisan manner in which they were drafted. I would also like to thank the numerous law enforcement and antitrafficking organizations and, most importantly, the survivors, who have provided feedback and support throughout this process. It is my hope that the legislation passed last night will assist the tremendous work these groups do in the fight against human trafficking. Both bills reauthorize a number of important programs that help victims and strengthen efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to human trafficking crimes. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which I authored with Senator Grassley, promotes victim-centered training for school resource officers, judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement. It ensures that trafficking victims are properly screened and that more comprehensive data about trafficking crimes are collected. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act also includes one of my top priorities, which is to prevent the proliferation of trafficking offenses over the internet. I want to take a moment to discuss why I believe this to be a deeply important step in curtailing the criminal enterprise of trafficking.…”