One year after enactment of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, Klobuchar discussed efforts to bring about greater restitution and justice for victims and called for further progress to be made in implementation

WASHINGTON, DC – During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar highlighted progress made in implementing her bipartisan trafficking legislation signed into law last year. One year after enactment of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, Klobuchar discussed the efforts to bring about greater restitution and justice for victims and called for further progress to be made in implementation of the legislation.

“I was proud to lead the passage of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act in the Senate last year with my Judiciary Committee colleague, Senator Cornyn,” Klobuchar said. “The new law has already helped the Department of Justice to crack down on trafficking in certain cases. The law has also helped to secure a number of indictments for trafficking and crimes against minors, but we still have progress to make to ensure that the law is being implemented swiftly.”

Last week, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Klobuchar wrote a letter to Attorney General Lynch requesting an update on the Department of Justice’s continuing efforts to combat human trafficking and implement the new law.

Klobuchar is a national leader in the fight to combat sex trafficking. Her bipartisan legislation modeled after Minnesota’s “Safe Harbor” law gives incentives for all states to have a safe harbor provision to help ensure minors who are sold for sex aren’t prosecuted as defendants, but are instead treated as victims. When a state passes a safe harbor law, it means that kids sold for sex should be steered towards child protection services, rather than being arrested, charged, or convicted under a state’s criminal laws.

For a broadcast-quality video excerpt of Klobuchar’s remarks, click here.

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