Rep. Wagner Statement on the Passage of HR 285, the SAVE Act

Statement

Congresswoman Ann Wagner released the following statement on the passage of H.R. 285, the Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation (SAVE) Act:

"Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation (SAVE) Act, which I authored. For too long, the federal government hasn't done enough to combat the spread of sex trafficking. The Department of Justice reports that in sex trafficking cases involving underage girls, over 75% of transactions are conducted through the internet. The SAVE Act amends the federal criminal code to allow local law enforcement to prosecute those who knowingly profit from online advertisements that exploit the victims of sex trafficking.

"According to the U.S. Department of Justice, as many as 300,000 American youth are at risk of becoming victims of sex trafficking and the average age of these young women is between 12 and 14 years old. These statistics are unacceptable and today the House has acted to give law enforcement the tools they need to address this unthinkable crime. In working to pass this bill and strengthen our criminal code, I have had the opportunity to meet with dozens of survivors and learn more about their struggle against the horrors of modern day slavery. It has been a great privilege to meet with these survivors, hear their stories and fight on their behalf. I am confident that under the new Senate Leadership, this bill will finally be considered in the Senate and ultimately signed into law."

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