With his final term as President coming to a close, President George Bush has signed into law H.R. 7311, historic legislation that will strengthen efforts to combat human trafficking in the United States and around the world.   The law is better known as the “William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Re-Authorization Act,” after the the British abolitionist whose leadership convinced Parliament to abolish slavery throughout the British Empire in 1833.

President Bush Signs New Anti-Trafficking Law

The Oval Office signing ceremony was attended by leading modern abolitionists, including Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), who serves as co-chair of the Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus.  “Thousands of human trafficking victims are being held in often deplorable conditions in cities and towns throughout America. Let there be no mistake: human trafficking is modern-day slavery,” Rep. Maloney said. “The bipartisan Wilberforce Act will dramatically strengthen our efforts to fight human trafficking, giving prosecutors the tools they need to hold traffickers accountable and providing a helping hand to victims, as well.”

H.R. 7311 increases penalties against traffickers; expands protections for trafficking victims and their families; requires the Department of Justice to develop a new model state-level law focusing on a more comprehensive approach to investigating and prosecuting human trafficking; authorizes increased assistance for all victims of trafficking, including U.S. citizens; ensures that countries do not “park” on the State Department’s Tier II Watch List; and establishes a presidential award for extraordinary anti-trafficking efforts.

Tags: Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus, H.R. 7311, Rep. Carolyn Mahoney, TVPA Re-Authorization, William Wilberforce

Posted on Wednesday, December 24th, 2008 at 2:04 pm in News.
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