Walberg's Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act Advanced by Committee
Washington, D.C. -- Today, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce voted unanimously to advance H.R. 443, Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act. Introduced by Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-05), Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (MP-00), and Congresswoman Ann Wagner (MO-02), the bill would ensure that Department of Labor employees receive the proper training to recognize instances of human trafficking and refer these cases to law enforcement agencies.
“For nearly 15 years, the United States has recognized January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month,” said Rep. Walberg. “While much work has been done to address this scourge, recent events such as reports of thousands of migrant children being trafficked and forced to work illegally in the United States have demonstrated the need to do more. The Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act would ensure that Department of Labor employees have the necessary training to identify and respond to cases of human trafficking. I am pleased to see this bipartisan bill advanced by the Education and Workforce Committee and look forward to seeing it pass the House.”
Provisions of Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act include:
- Directing the Department of Labor to educate appropriate staff on how to effectively detect instances of human trafficking
- Ensuring personnel regularly receive information on current trends and best practices
- Allowing flexible education options, including in-class and virtual learning options
- Establishing a clear course of action for referring suspected instances of human trafficking to law enforcement
- Requiring a report to Congress on the implementation of the education and the processes used by the Department to measure and track the agencies' response to human trafficking