Providing for Congressional Disapproval of a Rule Submitted by the National Labor Relations Board

Floor Speech

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Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I want to start by thanking Senator
Mikulski for her leadership on this issue as well as on so many other
important issues.

I rise today with many of my fellow women Senators from both parties
in drawing awareness to the terrible crime of human trafficking, and
not just drawing awareness, but to call upon all of us to take action
to stop this crime.

According to the International Labour Organization, there are an
estimated 21 million victims of trafficking globally, something that
Senator Mikulski has already mentioned. That is 21 million people. That
is more than the total population of 48 States, including Hawaii, who
are trafficked every single year. Only Texas and California have more
than 21 million people.

The most recent estimates available show that between 14,500 and
17,500 people were trafficked into the United States in 2005. That is
why I am working to enhance our ability to protect human trafficking
victims seeking refuge in our country. Right now, many families are
torn apart at the border because current law requires adult men to be
transferred to a border location hundreds of miles away from where they
were intercepted.

Meanwhile, their families, who are often with them, are sent back
across the border at the place where they were intercepted with no
money and no idea of where their husbands or fathers were taken. The
situation leaves women and children vulnerable to trafficking, sexual
violence, and other dangers.

I have also sought to place independent child welfare professionals
at Border Patrol stations to provide basic humanitarian assistance to
unaccompanied children held in our border stations. This would ensure
appropriate screening of children to identify victims of persecution or
trafficking. It also would ensure that children are not held for longer
than necessary in U.S. Custom and Border Protection facilities.

At the peak of our attention to the crisis of unaccompanied minors
last year, nearly 50,000 children arrived at our Nation's southern
border. Much of our attention in this body was paid to dealing with
these children once they reached our border. These children from
noncontiguous border countries not only deserve protection but are
required by U.S. law to receive certain protections.

But what about the children who might not have reached the relative
safety of our border stations? Who knows how many fell victim to
traffickers? How many were diverted to other places with even less
protection than what they might have received in the United States?
Throughout the past year, we have heard stories about children and
young women who never made it to the Texas border. We know that
criminals have taken advantage of this crisis in Central America by
enticing families and children who are looking for a way to escape
extreme violence.

When I visited the Rio Grande Valley last year, I heard heartbreaking
stories from advocates who all too often saw children and young women
fall victim to trafficking. Advocates even saw instances where
vulnerable girls were preyed upon by criminal traffickers even after
they were released from U.S. Government custody. We must continue
working together to protect these young people who are seeking a better
life away from the violence of their country.

Domestic trafficking is also an issue. Last year I met with the
Hawaii Juvenile Justice State Advisory Council and learned of their
important work with police, prosecutors, and other personnel to better
identify minors who have been trafficked into prostitution rings. These
minors are victims. They are not criminals. Like Hawaii, other States
are turning their attention to stopping domestic trafficking.

There are a number of Senate bipartisan bills on domestic
trafficking, as mentioned. For example, I joined Senator Klobuchar on
her bill, the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act. I also joined
Senator Leahy in his Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking
Prevention Act to better assist these vulnerable youth in receiving the
services they need to return to some sense of normalcy in their lives.

We are working in both the international and domestic arenas to
better address, combat, and eliminate human trafficking. This is an
issue that crosses country borders. It is certainly an issue that
crosses partisan lines. We can find common ground to get something
meaningful done in Congress.

I see that I am joined by my colleague from North Dakota. I also saw
my colleague from New Hampshire.

I yield my time for the Senator from New Hampshire.

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