108th Congress > House > Vote 605
Clerk session vote number: 607
Description: Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003
Bill summary: (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on September 5, 2003. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) to direct the President to establish programs of border interdiction by providing grants to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that provide for transit shelters operating at key border crossings, and help train survivors of
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trafficking in persons to educate and train border guards, officials, and other law enforcement officials to: (1) identify traffickers and victims of severe forms of trafficking; (2) treat such victims appropriately; and (3) monitor the implementation of border interdiction programs, including helping in the identification of such victims to stop the cross-border transit of victims.
Requires the President to establish programs supporting the production of television and radio programs to: (1) inform vulnerable populations overseas of the dangers of trafficking; and (2) increase awareness of the public in countries of destination regarding the slave-like practices and other human rights abuses involved in trafficking.
Directs the President to: (1) require airlines to develop and disseminate materials alerting travelers that sex tourism is illegal, will be prosecuted, and presents dangers to those involved, (2) encourage such airlines to work with NGOs in developing these materials; and (3) monitor compliance with these requirements.
Directs the President to ensure that any Federal grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under which certain assistance funds relating to international affairs are to be provided to a private entity, in whole or in part, shall include a condition that authorizes the Federal department or agency involved to terminate the grant, contract, or agreement, without penalty, if the grantee or any subgrantee, or the contractor or any subcontractor: (1) engages in specified severe forms of trafficking in persons or has procured a commercial sex act during the period of time that the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement is in effect; or (2) uses forced labor in the performance of the grant, contract, or agreement.
(Sec. 4) Requires certain State Department programs in foreign countries to facilitate contact and cooperation between relevant foreign government agencies and NGOs providing services to trafficked individuals, particularly those in detention.
Extends to nonimmigrant alien family members the same benefits and services available to a trafficking victim.
Revises the benefits and services eligibility criteria for trafficking victims to consider a victim's willingness to assist with a State or local investigation as well as with a Federal investigation. (Current law limits the criterion to assistance with a Federal investigation.)
Allows a victim of criminal trafficking offenses to bring a civil action in any appropriate U.S. district court for actual damages, punitive damages, reasonable attorneys' fees, and other litigation costs reasonably incurred.
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act regarding eligibility for a nonimmigrant "T" visa for trafficking victims to authorize State and local (as well as Federal) law enforcement agencies to certify that a trafficking victim has complied with any reasonable request for assistance in the investigation or prosecution of acts of trafficking.
Increases from 15 to 18 the minimum age at which a trafficking victim is required to assist in investigations and prosecutions to be eligible for a "T" visa.
Adds unmarried siblings under age 18 to the family members of a trafficking victim eligible for a "T" visa.
Makes the public charge ground for inadmissibility under a "T" visa inapplicable to trafficking victims.
Prohibits the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or any other official or employee of the Department of State or the Department of Homeland Security from permitting use by, or disclosure to, anyone, other than a sworn officer or employee of one of such Departments for legitimate Department purposes, of any information that relates to an alien who has properly filed a bona fide application for, or been granted, a "T" visa or nonimmigrant status as a trafficking victim. Terminates such prohibition when a "T" visa application is denied and all opportunities for appeal of the denial have been exhausted. Allows the Secretaries, in their discretion, to disclose such information in the same manner and circumstances as census information may be disclosed by the Secretary of Commerce, and to law enforcement officials solely for a legitimate law enforcement purpose, such as: (1) data exchange under the Immigration and Nationality Act with the Directors of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency and internal security officers; (2) interface of the integrated entry and exit data system under the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 with law enforcement databases for use by Federal law enforcement to identify and detain individuals who pose a threat to U.S. national security; and (3) the interoperable electronic data system under the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002.
Establishes administrative and civil money penalties for violation of such disclosure prohibition.
(Sec. 5) Amends the Federal criminal code to extend jurisdiction of sex trafficking offenses to acts of trafficking in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
Includes among racketeering offenses specified offenses relating to: (1) forced labor; (2) trafficking with respect to peonage, slavery, involuntary servitude, or forced labor; and (3) sex trafficking of children or by force, fraud, or coercion.
(Sec. 6) Amends the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (VTVPA) to require the Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking, acting through the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking (OMCT) of the Department of State, to report in 2004 and 2005 to specified congressional committees on Federal agencies implementing such Act, including among other statistics for the preceding year: (1) the number of persons who received benefits or other services under the Act; (2) the number of persons granted continued presence in the United States; (3) the number of persons who have applied for, been granted, or been denied a "T" visa or otherwise provided status under the Immigration and Nationality Act; (4) the number of persons charged or convicted of trafficking related criminal offenses; (5) the amount, recipient, and purpose of each grant issued under this Act (and related provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961); and (6) activities undertaken by the Senior Policy Operating Group to carry out its responsibilities.
Declares that the Director of OMCT shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, with the rank of Ambassador-at-Large.
Establishes within the Task Force a Senior Policy Operating Group to coordinate activities of Federal departments and agencies regarding policies (including grants and grant policies) involving the international trafficking in persons and the implementation of this division.
Requires that evidence of convictions and sentences for acts of trafficking and official complicity in acts of trafficking (as well as evidence of investigations and prosecutions) be considered in the evaluation of a foreign country's efforts to eliminate trafficking.
Declares that, after reasonable requests from the Department of State for data regarding investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and sentences, a government which does not provide such data consistent with its resources shall be presumed not to have vigorously investigated, prosecuted, convicted or sentenced acts of trafficking.
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize assistance for foreign police training.
Amends the VTVPA to direct the President, acting through the Council of Economic Advisors, the National Research Council of the National Academies, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, and the Director of Central Intelligence, to carry out research, including by grants to NGOs, that addresses among other things: (1) the economic causes and consequences of domestic and international trafficking in persons; (2) the effectiveness of programs and initiatives funded or administered by Federal agencies to prevent trafficking in persons and to protect and assist victims of trafficking; and (3) the interrelationship between trafficking in persons and global health risks.
(Sec. 7) Amends the TVPA to authorize appropriations for FY 2004 and 2005 to: (1) the Task Force, especially the operations and staffing requirements of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking and the Senior Policy Operating Group; (2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services; (3) the Secretary of State for bilateral assistance to combat trafficking; (4) the Attorney General, including an additional amount to the President, acting through the Attorney General, for training activities for law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and members of the judiciary at the International Law Enforcement Academies; (5) the President for foreign victims assistance, specialized research, and assistance to foreign countries to meet minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; and (6) the Secretary of Labor.
Prohibits the use of funds under this Act to: (1) promote, support, or advocate the legalization or practice of prostitution; or (2) implement any program that targets victims of severe forms of trafficking in persons through any organization that has not stated in either a grant application, a grant agreement, or both, that it does not promote, support, or advocate the legalization or practice of prostitution.
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Bill titles: To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2004 and 2005 for the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, and for other purposes.
Links for more info on the vote: congress.gov
