Senators Durbin and Coburn Introduce Human Trafficking Bill

June 27, 2007 -- [WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law, and Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK), who serves as Ranking Member of the subcommittee, today introduced legislation that will close a legal loophole that currently prevents the U.S. Justice Department from prosecuting people in the United States who have committed the crime of human trafficking in other countries.

“We cannot allow our country to continue providing a safe haven for those trafficking in human misery,” said Durbin. “For the third year in a row, the number of countries who are not doing enough to combat human trafficking has increased. If these countries won’t prosecute those who engage in human trafficking, the United States should be empowered to bring justice to those traffickers who are in the United States."

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Under current law, federal prosecutors can only pursue human trafficking crimes if they are committed within the United States or by a U.S. citizen abroad. In contrast, other violations of fundamental human rights – such as torture, terrorism, and hostage taking – may be prosecuted even when committed outside the United States by non-U.S. citizens. The Trafficking in Persons Accountability Act would close the current loophole by amending the Peonage, Slavery, and Trafficking in Persons chapter of the federal criminal code to allow prosecution of non-U.S. citizens for human trafficking committed outside the United States.

“This bill gives our country the option to prosecute those who engage in human trafficking when they are found on our soil. It is contrary to our system of justice to allow perpetrators of these reprehensible crimes to go free without fear of prosecution,” Dr. Coburn said.

On June 12, the U.S. State Department released its annual Trafficking in Persons Report. For the third year in a row, the number of countries who are not doing enough to combat human trafficking increased. This year, there are 48 countries on Tier 3 and the Tier 2 Watch List- those who are not fully complying with the minimum anti-trafficking standards. Last year, there were 44 and the year before that there were 41.

The Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law was officially established at the Senate Judiciary Committee’s first business meeting of the 110th Congress. The subcommittee has jurisdiction over all human rights laws and policies and focuses on issues such as human trafficking, genocide, child soldiers, war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture, and arbitrary detention. In March, the subcommittee held a hearing entitled “Legal Options to Stop Human Trafficking,” to discuss new ways in which the U.S. government could continue the fight against human trafficking.

Source: Senator Dick Durbin