Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015
Latest action · Feb 2, 2015 Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJan 13, 2015
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015
This bill amends the federal criminal code, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005, the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990, and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to enhance protections and increase restitution for victims of human trafficking.
The bill imposes an additional penalty of $5,000 on any non-indigent person or entity convicted of a crime involving: (1) peonage, slavery, and trafficking in persons; (2) sexual abuse; (3) sexual exploitation and other abuse of children; (4) transportation for illegal sexual activity; or (5) human smuggling in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Establishes the Domestic Trafficking Victims' Fund into which revenues from such penalty shall be deposited and used in FY2016-FY2020 to award grants or enhance victims' programming. Specified funding is alloted to provide services for victims of child pornography.
The Department of Health and Human Services is directed to issue a determination, based on credible evidence, that a U.S. citizen or permanent resident is a victim of a severe form of trafficking.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is authorized to award block grants to develop, improve, or expand domestic child human trafficking deterrence programs that assist law enforcement and other entities in rescuing and restoring the lives of trafficking victims, while investigating and prosecuting offenses involving child human trafficking.
The bill expands the definition of "child abuse" under the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 to include human trafficking and the production of child pornography and expands criminal sanctions to include persons who patronize or solicit children for commercial sex acts (buyers).
The bill increases compensation and restitution under the federal criminal code for victims of human trafficking and classifies producers of child pornography as engaged in illicit sexual conduct involving human trafficking.
Combat Human Trafficking Act of 2015
Under this Act, DOJ is required to ensure that each DOJ anti-human trafficking program includes technical training on investigating and prosecuting persons who obtain, patronize, or solicit commercial sex acts involving a person subject to severe forms of trafficking in persons. The Act also requires the Bureau of Justice Statistics of DOJ to prepare and submit annual reports on state enforcement of human trafficking prohibitions.
The bill directs DOJ to: (1) ensure that all task forces and working groups within the Innocence Lost National Initiative engage in activities, programs, or operations to increase the investigative capabilities of law enforcement personnel in investigating and prosecuting persons who patronize or solicit children for sex; and (2) audit grants awarded under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005.
Finally, the bill imposes restrictions and reporting requirements on DOJ conferences that use more than $20,000 in DOJ funds and prohibits grant recipients under this Act from lobbying any representative of DOJ or a state, local, or tribal government regarding the award of grant funding.
Cosponsors 2
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 22, 2015 to Mar 17, 2015.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-KS | Lynn Jenkins | Jan 22, 2015 | |
| R-ND | Kevin Cramer | Mar 17, 2015 |
Withdrew 1 Carolyn B. Maloney D-NY Mar 17, 2015
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Judiciary Committee | Referred Jan 13, 2015 |
| Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee | Referred Feb 2, 2015 |
Actions 4
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Feb 2, 2015Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
- Jan 27, 2015Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E123-124)
- Jan 13, 2015Introduced in House
- Jan 13, 2015Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 161, no. 6, January 13, 2015, page H359.
CRS reports 3
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
About this bill 1
Products that name it in their title: its number, its law number or one of its short titles.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R44064 | Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act: A Legal Analysis of the Criminal Provisions of P.L. 114-22 | Report | Jun 9, 2015 |
Also cite it 2
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R44007 | Sex Trafficking: Proposals in the 114th Congress to Amend Federal Criminal Law | Report | Jun 9, 2015 |
| R44006 | Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Legislation in the 114th Congress | Report | Apr 29, 2015 |
Related bills 3
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 140 | Combat Human Trafficking Act of 2015 | Related bill | Jan 8, 2015 |
| S 178 | Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 | Identical bill | May 29, 2015 |
| HR 1201 | Combat Human Trafficking Act of 2015 | Related bill | Mar 31, 2015 |
Titles 3
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To provide justice for the victims of trafficking.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015
- Short Titles as Introduced for portions of this bill
- Combat Human Trafficking Act of 2015
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement.
- Abortion
- Accounting and auditing
- Appropriations
- Child safety and welfare
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Crime victims
- Crimes against children
- Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
- Criminal justice information and records
- Criminal procedure and sentencing
- Evidence and witnesses
- Government trust funds
- Human trafficking
- Law enforcement administration and funding
- Law enforcement officers
- Pornography
- Public participation and lobbying
- Sex offenses
- Violent crime
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jan 13, 2015Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
