John Cornyn: “I am happy to announce that soon I will be introducing legislation that reauthorizes several critical provisions to help…”

“I am happy to announce that soon I will be introducing legislation that reauthorizes several critical provisions to help fight human trafficking and bring us one step closer to ridding our country of this heinous crime. The Abolish Human Trafficking Act is chiefly a bill about getting human trafficking victims the help they need by focusing on ways to support them as they rebuild their lives. To me, one of the most shocking things about this terrible crime that victims of human trafficking need most is a safe place to live because without that, they will not be able to escape the people who have enslaved them, nor will they be able to begin the steps of the long road to recovery. This legislation reauthorizes the Justice Department's Domestic Trafficking Victims' Fund, which we established when we passed the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, a bill I authored that was signed into law last Congress. This fund--like a crime victims compensation fund--provides critical resources to help victims get the services they need to recover. Part of the fund is financed through fines collected on convicted traffickers. It is a clear way we can use these fines to do some good. Last year, the fund provided almost $5 million in victims services. By reauthorizing it, it can continue to serve more victims.…”