Fighting Human Trafficking and Protecting Our Veterans

Human trafficking is the most common form of modern-day slavery, and it is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States. Worldwide, human trafficking is the fastest-growing business of organized crime, according to the FBI.

One of the chief responsibilities of government is to enforce the rule of law and protect human dignity through a functioning and fair justice system. This week, the House passed several bills to hold perpetrators accountable, protect exploited children, and provide victims the necessary services to recover and rebuild, including:

H.R. 3530, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act: boosts support and protection for domestic human trafficking victims by increasing and streamlining law enforcement resources, enhancing victims’ services, and strengthening our laws to ensure that both buyers and sellers engaged in sex trafficking are held accountable for their crimes.

H.R. 3610, the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act: provides incentives to states to adopt safe harbor laws that treat trafficked minors as victims, rather than as criminals or delinquents.

H.R. 4225, the Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation Act: criminalizes knowingly advertising or profiting from advertisements that offer the commercial exploitation of minors and trafficking victims.

In the last month, we have seen whistleblowers come forward with reports of gross mismanagement and falsified data records at the VA, resulting in delayed care and even deaths of veterans.  This misconduct, coupled with an utter lack of accountability at the agency, cannot persist.

This week, the House passed the VA Management Accountability Act. Concerned Veterans of American said, “This legislation will strengthen VA leadership’s ability to address systemic strengths and weaknesses in department managers, and in doing so forge a culture of accountability, rather than more bureaucratic malaise." Find out more about the legislation here.

I applaud Speaker Boehner for his decision to establish a select committee. Twenty months after the Benghazi attacks, there remain unresolved questions about why the security was inadequate, our response during the siege itself, and our government's interaction with the public after the attack. All of those lines of inquiry are legitimate and should be apolitical.  Facts are not political.  They are simply facts and the American people are entitled to them.   

Four of our fellow citizens were murdered, and a facility emblematic and representative of our country was attacked and burned on the anniversary of 9-11.  Our fellow citizens are full well capable of processing the truth about the attacks and aftermath, and most assuredly entitled to hear it. Find out more about Benghazi here.