William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act 2008 (S. 3061)

The Action Group to End Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery strongly supports S. 3061 the Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, authored by Senators Joseph Biden and Sam Brownback.  This bill continues the bipartisan cooperation surrounding this important issue since enactment of the cornerstone Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA).
S. 3061 strengthens the provisions of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act by extending greater protections to human trafficking victims in the U.S. and abroad and providing US officials additional tools to help ensure that traffickers are brought to justice.   Just a few of the key provisions which the Action Group strongly favors include:

1. A three-year limit on the amount of time a country may be on the Tier II Watch List, after which the country is demoted to Tier III and subject to sanctions.

2. Specific measures to protect domestic workers of foreign diplomats deployed in the US, including educational programs and, where necessary, withholding of visas. 

3. A new program to provide case management services for U.S. citizen victims of trafficking who need help obtaining the same kinds of assistance, including trauma counseling and shelter, that foreign trafficking victims receive.

4. Enabling foreign trafficking victims, who may be willing but afraid to cooperate with law enforcement in prosecuting their trafficker due to psychological or physical trauma, to obtain a T visa and much needed services. 

5. Requiring the Defense Contract Audit Agency to conduct an audit of all Department of Defense contractors and subcontractors where there is substantial evidence to suggest trafficking in persons.

While the Action Group to End Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery applauds and supports the provisions in S. 3061, we also encourage including key provisions related to the regulation of foreign labor contractors and labor recruiters that were passed under Title II of H.R. 3887.  While the legislative language of Title II under the House passed bill does need clarification regarding the scope of coverage and enforcement mechanisms for foreign labor contractors, these provisions are vital for the protection of immigrant and migrant workers, who are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking.  The foreign labor contractors, labor recruiters, and employers who rely on the workers, currently operate with a high degree of impunity for their role in trafficking for labor exploitation. Clear and specific legislative recognition of their role in human trafficking is essential.

The Action Group to End Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery is comprised of a diverse group of organizations whose complimentary areas of leadership and specialization have brought them together to develop a specific and time-bound policy agenda for abolishing slavery and human trafficking.