Bill introduced to fight human trafficking

Published On: Mar 04 2013 04:16:36 PM CST   Updated On: Mar 04 2013 06:26:49 PM CST

On Thursday, Feb. 28, U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), along with U.S. Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and John Carter (R-TX), introduced the Human Trafficking Reporting Act to fight human trafficking.

"We must work together, at every level of government, to equip law enforcement with the tools they need to crack down on human traffickers. Our bill will aid Texas and other state and local governments as they battle organized criminal syndicates and violent gangs that traffic humans for labor and sex," said Sen. Cornyn.

The Human Trafficking Reporting Act of 2013 will help shine a light on the scourge of modern-day slavery by labeling human trafficking offenses as "Part I violent crimes" for purposes of the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports.

Part I violent crimes are currently defined to include murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

Because grant funding is often tied to the number of Part I violent crimes in a given jurisdiction, this change will encourage law enforcement agencies nationwide to train their officials to detect and deter human trafficking, while helping the public to gain a better understanding of the size and scope of the human trafficking epidemic.

Most importantly, the Human Trafficking Reporting Act of 2013 will help identify victims of this terrible crime so that they can receive the justice they deserve.

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