U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) joined President George W. Bush and other lawmakers in a bill signing ceremony at the White House during which the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (HR 972 or TVPRA) became law. Smith authored the legislation to strengthen the nation’s current trafficking law (which he also authored in 2000), authorize new funds for investigation and prosecution of domestic trafficking within the United States and to help the young women and children who are most often the victims of human trafficking operations. Trafficking is a $9 billion industry, the third largest source of income for organized crime and the second fastest growing criminal activity in the world, equal with illegal arms sales. 

    The TVPRA is now the third human trafficking law to be authored by Rep. Smith, who began investigating and working to end the human trafficking epidemic in the mid-1990’s. According to estimates by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill will provide $361 million over the next two years to combat trafficking. 

    “The 2005 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act provides law enforcement with the necessary tools to continue the liberation of the unfortunate women and children who are forced into horrific, abusive conditions,” said Smith, who was the author of that landmark trafficking law (Public Law 106-386). “Make no mistake, this law will protect women and young girls at home and abroad and is a victory for victims of this abhorrent crime.” 

    Each year, an estimated 600,000-800,000 people are trafficked across international borders. It is estimated that millions more are trafficked internally within the borders of countries. In the past four years, twice as many people in the United States have been prosecuted and convicted for trafficking than in the prior four-year period. Worldwide, more than 3,000 traffickers were convicted last year – an increase from the previous year. These numbers reflect an increasing number of countries acquiring the laws necessary to combat trafficking and having the political will to implement those laws.

    Smith’s bill reauthorizes and expands appropriations for anti-trafficking programs in the United States and abroad and offers solutions to specific scenarios where additional initiatives are needed to combat trafficking problems, such as in peacekeeping missions. For the first time, programs geared toward reducing the demand for commercial sex in the United States and preventing human trafficking of US citizens within our own borders are authorized, and new funding will be provided to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to combat both domestic and international trafficking. 

    Smith worked with Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-OH) and Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) to craft an amendment creating a $25 million grant program for local law enforcement to investigate and prosecute human trafficking (and related offenses) including initiatives to attack the demand for prostitution, which fuels sex trafficking. 

    “We thought it was essential to target the criminals – slaveholders – who force these young children and women into unimaginable horrors,” said Smith, whose original law was recently the focus of a Lifetime miniseries starring Mira Sorvino entitled ‘Human Trafficking.’ 

    The TVPRA, in its entirety, enables prosecution in the United States of trafficking offenses committed by federal employees and contractors and amends the United States Code to strengthen the use of money laundering, racketeering and civil and criminal forfeiture statutes against traffickers. In addition, the Department of Justice is directed to conduct a biennial analysis of trafficking and commercial sex acts statistics inside the United States.

    “Contrary to common belief, human trafficking is not a criminal activity exclusive to foreign countries – it happens within our own borders, within our own communities,” said Smith, who noted that US Attorney Christopher Christie in New Jersey has been a vigorous prosecutor of criminals involved in human trafficking. “It is essential that the United States takes the lead and that includes within our own borders, particularly with a crime as abhorrent as human trafficking.”

    Smith’s bill also addressed the American and foreign victims of human trafficking and includes provisions to help reintegrate them to a normal life. It authorizes a grants program for non-governmental organization victim service providers, establishes programs for residential rehabilitation facilities and promotes access to information about federally funded services for victims. 

    “The 2005 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act strengthens and expands our efforts and allows law enforcement to continue to liberate the women and children who are forced and coerced into slavery and provide them with hope,” said Smith, who has fought for human and victims rights since coming to Congress. “With this new law, the victims of this terrible crime know they are not forgotten.”

HR 972 – Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act:

Prevention of International Trafficking In Persons

• Requires US assistance programs for post-conflict and humanitarian emergencies to include anti-trafficking measures.

• Provides US courts jurisdiction over federal government employees and contractors for trafficking offenses committed abroad.

• Expands the ability to prosecute traffickers for violations of money laundering, racketeering and civil and criminal forfeiture statutes.

• Requires that the State Department include in the annual Trafficking in Persons Report information on the steps taken by international organizations (UN, OSCE, NATO) to prevent involvement of personnel with trafficking.

• Requires US assistance programs for post-conflict and humanitarian emergencies to include anti-trafficking measures.

Prevention of Domestic Trafficking In Persons

• Requires the Attorney General to study and report to Congress on the prevalence of severe forms of trafficking and sex trafficking in the United States and the approach to combating these crimes by law enforcement.

• Terminates all government grants, contracts and cooperative agreements with contractors that engage in trafficking in persons or procure commercial sex acts during the period during which in the grant is in effect.

• Establishes a grants program through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to assist American citizens and nationals who are victims of human trafficking and directs HHS to establish a program to create residential treatment facilities for juveniles subjected to trafficking.

• Establishes a grant program for states and local law enforcement totaling $50 million in 2006 and 2007 to investigate and prosecute acts of trafficking in persons and criminals that purchase commercial sex acts within the United States.