Ann Wagner: “I thank the gentleman very much for the opportunity to co-lead this Special Order with my dear colleague, Congressman…”

“I thank the gentleman very much for the opportunity to co-lead this Special Order with my dear colleague, Congressman Ted Poe, for Human Trafficking Awareness Week. I was thrilled, Mr. Speaker, that yesterday the House passed my legislation, the Put Trafficking Victims First Act. Together, we can get victims of trafficking out of dangerous and abusive situations and create better, more accessible trauma-informed services. Victims don't just need to be rescued. They need opportunities to rebuild and sort through trauma and to live well. My bill advances a survivor-centered approach to addressing human trafficking that ensures the safety, confidentiality, and the well- being of victims. It encourages stakeholders to recognize symptoms of trauma and coping mechanisms that may impact victims' interactions with law enforcement, the justice system, and service providers. One of the key ways we can address the upsetting realities of human trafficking in the U.S. justice system is by giving victims a pathway to vacate and expunge their criminal records for offenses that they were forced to commit. I have met with many survivors in my home State of Missouri and across our great country who struggle to rebuild their lives because they are trailed by criminal records. Traffickers and pimps intentionally push victims to commit crimes as a means of control. My heart breaks for these women who have suffered horrendous abuse and bear the mark of a record on top of it.…”