Sam Brownback: “when our Nation recently celebrated the life of Rosa Parks, we were reminded that the walk to justice is a long one. Her…”

“when our Nation recently celebrated the life of Rosa Parks, we were reminded that the walk to justice is a long one. Her life reminded us that justice starts with individuals standing up for what is right; but also that the struggle does not quickly end until we faithfully finish the task. Likewise, while we have made a good start in our efforts to address the global crime of human trafficking, the millions of victims who still suffer in slavery today are urgently looking to see if we will finish as well as we have started. I am pleased to say that the passage of the Trafficking Victims' Protection Reauthorization Act is one more step in that direction. Each year, it is estimated that at least 800,000 human beings are trafficked across national borders. They are bought and sold in the sex industry as prostitutes, or forced into domestic servitude. Recent estimates on the number of victims trafficked into the United States range from 20,000 to 40,000 per year. Most of these victims are women and young children who languish in brothels, being raped and abused by the traffickers and their clients. An estimated 27 million human beings worldwide suffer from some form of slavery and forced labor. The late Senator Paul Wellstone and his wife Sheila were passionately devoted to the issue of trafficking and to assisting countless victims. I will always remember their courageous fight in addressing modern-day slavery.…”