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HR 514 114th Congress House International Affairs Congressional oversight Department of State Executive agency funding and structure Federal officials Human trafficking

Human Trafficking Prioritization Act

Introduced: January 22, 2015 Introduced by: Smith, Christopher H. Republican · New Jersey See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 9 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jan 27, 2015
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Jan 26, 2015
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Jan 26, 2015
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H539-540)
Jan 26, 2015
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H539-540)
Jan 26, 2015
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 514.
Jan 26, 2015
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H539-542)
Jan 26, 2015
Mr. Royce moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Jan 22, 2015
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Jan 22, 2015
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Human Trafficking Prioritization Act

Expresses the sense of Congress that the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking of the Department of State will be more effective in carrying out duties mandated by Congress in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, and can do so without an increase in either personnel or budget, if: (1) the Office status is changed to that of a Bureau within the Department; and (2) the Office is headed by an Assistant Secretary with direct access to the Secretary of State, rather than an Ambassador-at-Large.

Amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to change the status of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking to that of the Bureau to Combat Trafficking in Persons.

Directs the Secretary to report to Congress:

  • detailing for each current Assistant Secretary of State position the exact title and length of designation as Assistant Secretary, and whether that designation was legislatively mandated or authorized and, if so, the relevant statutory citation; and
  • whether the Secretary intends to designate one of the Assistant Secretary of State positions as the Assistant Secretary of State to Combat Trafficking in Persons, and the reasons for that decision.

Amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to prohibit subsequent inclusion for more than one consecutive year on the special watch list of countries whose compliance with minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking is full, partial, or insignificant of any country that:

  • was included on the list for four consecutive years after enactment of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, and
  • was subsequently included on the exclusive Tier 3 list of countries not making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with such standards.

States that no additional funds are authorized to be appropriated for diplomatic and consular programs to carry out this Act.

What's happening now January 27, 2015

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 4
All 4 Democratic 3 Republican 1