President Clinton issued a directive on March 11, 1998 that set forth a U.S. anti-trafficking strategy to prevent human trafficking, protect and support victims of trafficking, and prosecute human trafficking violators. For the prevention of human trafficking, programs need to be designed to improve the economic and social opportunities of individuals who are most vulnerable to trafficking. Methods should be devised to increase human trafficking research funding and individual awareness of the dangers, realities, and consequences of human trade.

The Clinton Administration fought to protect and support victims through policies and legislation that would provide shelter and support to victims residing here illegally. Support was petitioned for the aid and protection of victims during the prosecution of violators and the victim’s reintegration into their society.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) demanded that prosecutors be authorized to target people who profit from human trafficking as well as those directly involved in the trafficking. The Clinton Administration also pushed for laws to increase the punishment of violators to sufficiently reflect the severity of the crime. A Workers’ Exploitation Task Force was created to investigate and prosecute individuals charged with trafficking and exploitation.2 1 On October 28, 2000, President Clinton signed into law the Trafficking Victims ProtectionAct of 2000. It was the first federal law to target human trafficking. This legislation is designed to protect victims of trafficking. Under this law, convicted traffickers can receive up to life in prison as the penalty for dealing in human trade.

In 2000, President William Jefferson Clinton called this modern day slavery – otherwise known as “human trafficking” - the third most successful criminal enterprise. 2001, President George W. Bush implemented the bill and the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons was established at the US State Department. Because the ramifications of slavery are so horrific, President Bush elevated the head of that office to Ambassadorship. Today, Ambassador Mark Logan heads this office. Under Secretary for Global Affairs, Paula Dobriansky, oversees it. With growing coverage of human trafficking, more and more people are becoming aware that slavery is alive and well in the 21st Century and flourishing in numbers far higher today than ever before in modern history.

TVPRA 05 Signed Into Law

On January 10, 2006, President Bush signed the “Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005” (TVPRA 05), enacting measures of designed to address both issues of intra-country trafficking and U.S. demand for commercial sex.

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Congressonal Leaders in the background with President Bush (Right. Honorable Deborah Price, behind Honorable Chris Smith, N.J. and left Honorable Congresswomen Carolyn Maloney, N.Y.)