The Senate advanced the Countering Human Trafficking Act last week, raising the possibility of a permanent Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT) to oversee federal counter-human trafficking efforts and a crackdown on goods made with forced labor.
Currently, the CCHT – a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – was officially created on Sept. 8, 2020. Though supporters seek it to be staffed with its special agents, victim support specialists, intelligence research specialists, and others focused on tackling the crime of human trafficking and helping its victims, the agency was nevertheless a limited creation. This bill, authored by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH), would correct that and allow the agency to build out its permanent staff, modernize its systems and join worldwide investigations.
A major part of the bill would also include expanded education, bolstering national public awareness and law enforcement training initiatives focused on trafficking.
“The horrific crime of human trafficking continues to cause tremendous harm to communities and families in Michigan and across the nation,” Peters said. “That is why the work of the Center for Countering Human Trafficking, which disrupts human trafficking organizations, is so critical. This bipartisan bill will provide this critical DHS component with additional tools, resources, and authorities to ensure our nation can a protect victims and survivors of human trafficking with a coordinated and comprehensive approach. I’ll continue working with my colleagues in the House to ensure this critical legislation is quickly signed into law.”
It is estimated that millions of people are trafficked worldwide each year, and the U.S. is no exception. The National Human Trafficking Line and the Polaris Project determined that in 2019 at least 14,597 sex trafficking victims and survivors reached out, and the actual number of victims is likely significantly higher, given how often such crimes go unreported.
The legislation now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.
“I applaud the Senate for passing our bipartisan Countering Human Trafficking Act because this bill gives the Department of Homeland Security the tools and resources needed to combat human trafficking and hold traffickers accountable for their actions,” Portman said. “As founder and co-chair of the Senate Caucus to End Human Trafficking, I have led efforts in the Senate to combat human trafficking, and I will continue to work to ensure that no more women or children become victims of this terrible crime.”