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HR 889 115th Congress House

Human Trafficking Fraud Enforcement Act of 2017

Official title: To provide for the establishment of an office within the Internal Revenue Service to focus on violations of the internal revenue laws by persons who are under … Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To provide for the establishment of an office within the Internal Revenue Service to focus on violations of the internal revenue laws by persons who are under investigation for conduct relating to the promotion of commercial sex acts and trafficking in persons crimes, and to increase the criminal monetary penalty limitations for the underpayment or overpayment of tax due to fraud.

Introduced: February 13, 2018 See on congress.gov
Taxation Crime victimsCrimes against childrenCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationDepartment of the Treasury
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Executive agency funding and structureFraud offenses and financial crimesHuman traffickingInternal Revenue Service (IRS)Law enforcement administration and fundingSex offensesTax administration and collection, taxpayers
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This bill died when the 115th Congress ended
It never became law before the 115th Congress (2017–2018) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 6, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Feb 6, 2017
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Feb 6, 2017
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E146)
Feb 6, 2017
Introduced in House
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 Latest action February 6, 2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Human Trafficking Fraud Enforcement Act of 2017

This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to establish within the Internal Revenue Service an office to investigate and prosecute violations of tax laws by persons that appear to be violating specified federal laws prohibiting forced labor, trafficking of individuals, and transportation of minors or aliens for immoral purposes or state or territorial laws prohibiting the promotion of prostitution or of any commercial sex act. The office must cooperate with the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice and the Innocence Lost National Initiative of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The bill allows victims of human trafficking crimes to claim awards allowed for whistle-blowing.

The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase civil and criminal penalties for tax evasion attributable to income derived from human trafficking and commercial sex acts, and (2) make it a felony to fail to file a tax return including income derived from human trafficking or commercial sex acts.

The bill appropriates to the Crime Victims Fund additional funds equal to the increase in receipts from increased civil and criminal penalties provided by this bill. The funds are provided for victim assistance grants under the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, including crisis intervention, emergency shelter and transportation, counseling, and criminal justice advocacy to victims of crime.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
 Cosponsors 3
All 3 Democratic 2
MacArthur, Thomas
· Apr 26, 2018
 D
Velázquez, Nydia M.
New York · Feb 26, 2018
 D
Gallego, Ruben
Arizona · Feb 13, 2018
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 889: Human Trafficking Fraud Enforcement Act of 2017. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-889/
MLA
"H.R. 889: Human Trafficking Fraud Enforcement Act of 2017." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-889/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 889, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-889/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 889: Human Trafficking Fraud Enforcement Act of 2017](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-889/)
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