With the creation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) in 2000, the United States positioned itself as a leader in the global fight against human trafficking. This groundbreaking legislation made human trafficking a federal crime, created agencies and task forces to address both its domestic and international elements, defined the strict penalties traffickers face, established the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, and initiated a host of measures to prevent trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute traffickers. Since its original passage, the bill has been reauthorized three times, each time reaffirming our nation’s commitment to eliminating modern slavery and strengthening our ability to fight it. 

This year, the TVPA is once again up for reauthorization.  The Senate version of the Trafficking Victims Protection and Reauthorization Act, S. 1301, was introduced by by Senators Leahy (D-VT), Brown (R-MA), Kerry (D-MA), Boxer (D-CA), Cardin (D-MD), and Wyden (D-OR) on June 29, 2011. Additional co-sponsors are:

Sen Cochran, Thad [R-MS] - 7/19/2011
Sen Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] - 7/7/2011
Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] - 7/20/2011
Sen Kerry, John F. [D-MA] - 6/29/2011 *
Sen Rubio, Marco [R-FL] - 7/14/2011

Representative Chris Smith [R-NJ] introduced the House version, H.R. 2830 on August 30, 2011. 

Reauthorizing the TVPA is crucial to sustaining the essential programs the TVPA provides, from protecting victims to bringing traffickers to justice. Please urge your senators and representatives to support the reauthorization of the America’s strongest tool against human trafficking.

To view the Polaris Project action alert please click here.