Congressman Burgess Owens of Utah’s 4th District and Congressman Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island’s 2nd District have introduced the Preventing Child Trafficking Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at improving federal coordination in combating child trafficking. The legislation directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to implement anti-trafficking recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in its December 2023 report on public awareness and survivor support for child trafficking victims.
The proposed bill requires DOJ’s Office for Victims of Crime and HHS’s Office on Trafficking in Persons to act on all GAO recommendations within 180 days. It also creates a formal mechanism for collaboration between these offices, sets performance goals for prevention and survivor support programs, and mandates a congressional report within 60 days detailing progress.
“Child trafficking and exploitation is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable, and the government has a responsibility to use every tool available to fight back,” said Rep. Owens. “Right now, federal efforts remain fragmented and unacceptably slow, and that failure allows pure evil to retain its foothold. Our bill requires the DOJ and HHS to close those gaps, work together, and strengthen our response to protect children, support survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Protecting innocent children from trafficking and exploitation must be a top priority. Our bipartisan Preventing Child Trafficking Act takes important steps to strengthen federal coordination, hold traffickers accountable, and support the young people who survive these horrific crimes,” said Rep. Magaziner. “I am proud to join this bipartisan effort to ensure every child is safe and every victim gets the justice and care they deserve.”
Ashlie Bryant, CEO and Co-Founder of 3Strands Global Foundation—which supports the bill along with several other organizations—said: “3Strands Global Foundation is proud to endorse the Preventing Child Trafficking Act. For more than a decade, our mission has been to prevent human trafficking before it begins, and this legislation represents a vital step toward safeguarding children from exploitation. We are grateful to Rep. Owens, Rep. Magaziner, Senator Ossoff, and Senator Grassley for their bipartisan leadership and commitment to protecting young people. We urge Congress to advance and swiftly pass this essential legislation.”
According to data from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children cited by lawmakers behind this bill, reports of suspected child trafficking have increased each year; GAO’s review found that insufficient coordination among federal agencies reduces public awareness efforts as well as long-term support for survivors.
Burgess Owens has represented Utah’s 4th District in Congress since 2021 after replacing Ben McAdams [link]. He was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1951 but now lives in Salt Lake City; he graduated from University of Miami with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1974.
