WASHINGTON – ‎Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced legislation to deter human trafficking in the United States.  The Combatting Human Trafficking Act, which includes the text of three bills passed by the House of Representatives, would:

  • clarify that federal grant resources can be used to meet the housing needs of trafficking victims and offer training on the effects of sex trafficking to those who serve runaway, homeless and at-risk youth; 
  • update the federal statute that authorizes the cyber tip line of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, to ensure that child trafficking is specifically mentioned as a form of Internet-related child exploitation; and
  • require the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking to identify best practices to prevent human trafficking.

“Human trafficking is a serious, yet often overlooked crisis in our nation.  All forms of human trafficking inflict lasting scars on the victims.  This legislation will improve our ability as a nation to combat the sex trade of children and help all victims of labor or sex trafficking heal from the lasting effects of this terrible crime,” Grassley said.

Grassley’s legislation combines into one package the following three bills:   H.R. 468, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Heck of Nevada; H.R. 246, sponsored by Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio; and H.R. 350, sponsored by Rep. Kristi Noem of North Dakota.  Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois is an original cosponsor of Grassley’s legislation.

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