Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, human trafficking is one of the greatest human rights tragedies of our time. The passage of this legislation will bring thousands of victims of slavery out of the shadows and prosecute those that would take advantage of voiceless souls for a marginal profit. One of the key provisions in this legislation is the prevention and punishment of diplomats who abuse their servants. As many as 50,000 women and children, according to the Department of State, are trafficked into the United States annually and are trapped in slavery-like situations, including forced prostitution. Currently, no government agency tracks instances of forced domestic labor at the hands of diplomats. Last year, the State Department issued about 2,000 domestic worker visas. In the plush residences of diplomats, servants' passports can be withheld. Many are paid as little $1 a day and suffer emotional and physical abuse. While the Department of State has indicated that some diplomats are asked to leave because of domestic abuse, it is unclear how many are prosecuted. We are redefining our policies on human trafficking, and I would hope that with these new provisions we are able to crack down on this loophole that makes it too easy for diplomats to abuse their domestic servants. Diplomats currently hide behind diplomatic immunity. This should not be the case when it comes to serious crimes such as human trafficking.”