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Washington, D.C. – Today,  Lead Republican Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement on the introduction of the Leveraging Information on Foreign Traffickers (LIFT) Act, legislation to combat human trafficking.

“The human trafficking industry has grown into a billion-dollar global enterprise, enslaving an estimated 25 million people worldwide, including 300,000 in Texas. As human traffickers continue to use sophisticated tactics to recruit and exploit innocent victims, we must remain vigilant in our efforts eradicate this heinous crime. In order to meaningfully move the needle on human trafficking, we need an approach that emphasizes effective communication and collaboration between government, local law enforcement, survivors, and community officials. The LIFT Act facilitates information sharing between U.S. anti-trafficking officials and law enforcement so that those tasked with monitoring and targeting trafficking have all relevant data at their disposal. This ensures officials across various agencies and law enforcement networks can work together to help detect and prevent trafficking operations,” said Lead Republican McCaul. “Additionally, this legislation ensures that the voices of trafficking victims continue to inform policy decisions by extending the Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. I am grateful to have worked closely with survivors of human trafficking and their perspectives have been invaluable to the policy process. It is crucial that these survivors remain at the center of the conversation. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this important legislation so that we can end the scourge of human trafficking and keep our communities safe.”

“We need to do all we can to end the scourge of human trafficking,” said Chairman Engel. “The LIFT Act enhances the State Department’s ability to gather information on this heinous crime and engages survivors into the U.S. policy-making process. We must continue to fight modern day slavery and work to enact legislation that brings us to a brighter future, free of this horrific injustice.”

The LIFT Act:

  • Ensures that U.S. anti-trafficking and law enforcement officials receive timely information about foreigners denied entry into the United States for reasons related to human trafficking.
  • Standardizes the State Department’s deadline to submit the annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.
  • Extends the survivor-led Advisory Council on Human Trafficking through 2025, so that survivors remain central to the U.S. policy discussion.

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