End Human Trafficking in Government Contracts Act of 2022

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, the End Human Trafficking in Government Contracts Act ensures that Federal agencies are not paying for or participating in human trafficking or human sex trafficking through grants or contracts. This is a particular concern for overseas contracts in which some unscrupulous companies may take advantage of vulnerable third-country workers.

Congress has acted before to address this problem. Unfortunately, both the Government Accountability Office and the Department of Defense Inspector General have found that trafficking by contractors and grantees continues. This bill moves to send a clear message: Trafficking will not be tolerated.

Under current law, agencies are already required to refer allegations of human or sex trafficking to the Inspector General for investigation. If found to be true, that agency has a number of options to deal with the situation, but this bill requires all substantiated cases be reported to the agency's suspension and debarment official.

In the contracting world, this is serious business. After due process, a contractor could be prohibited from receiving future government contracts or other government benefits. This bill ensures all current or would-be grantees or contractors take all measures necessary to stop human or sex trafficking.

Finally, the bill directs the Office of Management and Budget to report on enforcement of the laws so we in Congress could conduct the necessary oversight.

I thank Senators James Lankford and Joni Ernst for sending this important bill to the House for final passage in Congress today.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill and for the President to sign S. 3470 into law.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York.

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Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Not a single dime of taxpayer money should ever flow to anyone engaged in human or sex trafficking activities. This bill is an important step toward ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer money.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, combating sex trafficking by any means, in this case with using the power of our contracting system, is truly a bipartisan effort in this committee.

Mr. Speaker, I support and urge passage of this bill, S. 3470.

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