Excerpts of remarks by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) at the Shine the Light conference on human traffiWashington, DC—March 8, 2021
“Words are inadequate to convey my respect and gratitude for the amazing work you are doing to end modern-day slavery and to rescue victims of both sex and labor trafficking.
Like you, I believe we have a duty to act—to shine a bright light on these egregious human rights violations, and to eagerly accept Jesus’ challenge to “hunger and thirst” for righteousness and to recognize and help those, as we would the Lord Himself, who have been forced to be the “least”.
COVID-19 puts more children at risk of exploitation
By Rep. Chris Smith
Today—October 28th—marks
20th anniversary of the Trafficking
Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000—the
comprehensive, historic law that I authored to aggressively combat sex and
labor trafficking both within the United States and around the world.
The TVPA created a new,
well-funded whole-of-government
domestic and international strategy and established numerous new
programs to Protect victims, Prosecute traffickers and to
the extent possible,Prevent human trafficking in the first place.
Rep Smith, author of landmark law, recognised for years of fighting Human Trafficking
.@IvankaTrump delivered remarks at the release of the Trafficking in Persons Report and honored this year’s TIP Report Heroes. pic.twitter.com/JteR293UcW
China scores lowest possible rating, Ireland does poorly
WASHINGTON, DC—Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) joined Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Presidential Advisor Ivanka Trump, and U.S. anti-trafficking ambassador John Richmond today at the State Department for the release of the 20th annual “Trafficking in Persons” or TIP Report mandated by Smith’s groundbreaking human trafficking law enacted in 2000.
Washington (AFP) – The United States on Thursday warned that instability sparked by the global coronavirus pandemic has opened the door to increased human trafficking.
Washington also added Afghanistan, Algeria, Lesotho and Nicaragua to its blacklist on human trafficking in its annual report on the illegal practice.
“While urgency has always marked the fight against human trafficking, the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic have magnified the need for all stakeholders to work together in the fight more than ever,” Pompeo said in the report’s introduction.”We know that human traffickers prey up… Read the rest of this entry »
US @RepChrisSmith, the PA’s Special Rep. on #HumanTrafficking Issues, noted that despite the #COVIDpandemic, traffickers are continuing their crimes & victims still need to be rescued. “We must prioritize the fight against human trafficking, even during this crisis,” he said. pic.twitter.com/isUQuG45lV
Sexual predators and human traffickers have not taken a holiday during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Victims need to be rescued and survivors need assistance. Predators are online grooming vulnerable children and women.
photo courtesy of NJ Chamber of Commerce via facebook
In his keynote address to leaders of New Jersey’s business community and government at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce’s annual Congressional Diner in Washington, Congressman Chris Smith acknowledged his audience’s efforts in job creation and in combating the coronavirus outbreak before challenging the leaders to step up their efforts to combat human trafficking and to increase the civility of the political discourse in New Jersey and nationwide.
Smith’s remarks as prepared for delivery are below :
WASHINGTON, DC— Rep. Chris Smith joined President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump, Attorney General William Barr, and other congressional and State Department officials at the White House today to mark the 20th year since enactment of Smith’s landmark Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA, Public Law 106-386). Read the rest of this entry »
USDOT Secretary Elaine Chao announced a nationwide initiative to combat human trafficking in the transportation industry this week with an objective of training over 1 million employees in the transportation workforce to spot and report these heinous crimes.
Congressman Chris Smith spoke at the event in Washington this week to support the effort.
New Look Spa in Hazlet was busted in March of 2018
Legislation sponsored by Assemblywomen Serena DiMaso (R-Monmouth) and Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) strengthens the regulation of massage and bodywork establishment in order to combat prostitution and human trafficking was approved by the Assembly Homeland Security Committee today.
“The massage industry is a hotbed of human trafficking,” said DiMaso. “This bill reins in an out-of-control industry. Changing the rules will protect trafficking victims. We will shut down facilities profiting from illegal activities.”
