U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) today announced that he has been selected to serve on the Congressional Human Trafficking Task Force.
“Human trafficking is a $9 billion a year industry that affects more than 20 million victims, primarily young women and girls, around the world,” said Davis. “Our task force is incredibly important because it will allow us to raise awareness to this issue and offer concrete solutions to put an end to this abhorrent practice in America. As a father and a husband, this issue is deeply personal to me, so I'm honored to have the opportunity to be a part of this group as we work to combat sexual enslavement.”
The Congressional Human Trafficking Task Force was formed by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor to bring Members together to produce legislation with the goal of combating international and domestic trafficking, while protecting and helping victims.
“I'm pleased Congressman Rodney Davis is closely involved in our efforts to combat a growing scourge in our neighborhoods and communities - the trafficking of children and teenagers to force them into modern day sex and labor slavery," said Majority Leader Cantor. “As a member of our Trafficking Task Force, Rodney Davis is working to help develop important legislation to stop trafficking both domestically and internationally and help those who have already become victims.”
“Beyond our close friendship, Rodney and I share a sacred bond as parents of teenage daughters,” said U.S. Rep. Ann Wager (R-Mo.), a member of the task force. “As a result, we have been leaders on legislative efforts to combat human trafficking. Through our work on the Human Trafficking Task Force, we have succeeded in making human trafficking a major legislative priority in the House of Representatives in 2014. As House Republicans, we are committed to ensuring that law enforcement, prosecutors and social services have the tools and resources they need to fight the evils of modern-day slavery.”
Last month, Davis co-sponsored H.R. 4225, the SAVE Act, legislation to combat human trafficking and help protect Americans by closing Internet marketplaces that host advertisements for the commercial exploitation of women and minors.
Specifically, this bill will make it unlawful to sell or commercially promote an advertisement that facilitates kidnapping; trafficking or exploitation of children; sexual abuse or illegal sex; pimping, prostitution, child sex abuse and trafficking.
The offense created by the SAVE Act would apply to any form of advertisement; online postings, newspaper classifieds, even billboards would be considered unlawful if the advertiser knew it would lead to sex trafficking.
H.R. 4225 was introduced by U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) and serves as a companion bill to legislation introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.).
