WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation that would help train Foreign Service officers working overseas at US embassies to stem the demand for human trafficking and spot victims before they are trafficked into the United States.
The bill was sponsored by Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney (D, NY18).
“This disgusting practice of modern day slavery is happening in our own backyard; we must do everything we can to stop human trafficking,” he said. “This critical legislation combats trafficking at its source by giving our frontline public servants the tools they need to spot potential victims and take action.”
Maloney said although the federal government has a zero tolerance policy on human trafficking, Foreign Service officers, who often have face-to-face contact with victims obtaining US visas, undergo minimal training to define, identify and recognize indicators of human trafficking or smuggling.
