WASHINGTON, D.C.—Following the Senate passage of the Abolish Human Trafficking Act of 2017 (S. 1311) and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2017 (S. 1312) yesterday David Abramowitz, Managing Director at Humanity United Action, said,

“We applaud the Senate for passing these two bills, each of which reauthorized a portion of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). The TVPA is a critical tool for combatting modern slavery and serves as the cornerstone of the federal government’s response to this horrific crime. This legislation was originally passed in 2000 and provides a comprehensive response focusing on protecting trafficking survivors, prosecuting perpetrators, and preventing future exploitation.

“Humanity United Action greatly appreciates the leadership of Senators Chuck Grassley, John Cornyn, Dianne Feinstein, and Amy Klobuchar, along with the other numerous bipartisan cosponsors on each of the two bills. S. 1311 and S. 1312 contain strong provisions expanding services for trafficking survivors, providing critical training and support for federal law enforcement to combat this crime, and reauthorizing federal funding for a comprehensive federal response.

“Congress must continue to ensure that the TVPA is fully reauthorized, including programs at the Department of State and other key federal agencies.  We strongly urge all House and Senate champions on this issue to continue working together on a comprehensive package that reauthorizes all of the TVPA, including both domestic and international provisions, and we stand ready to assist in this effort.”