Legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to combat human trafficking cleared a major hurdle today, winning strong support from the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a vote to send the bill to the House Floor for consideration and passage.
Named in honor of Frederick Douglass, the renowned abolitionist, Smith’s legislation—the Frederick Douglass Trafficking survivors Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act (HR 5856)—would provide approximately $1 billion over five years to strengthen and expand successful programs and laws to combat modern-day slavery.