Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 --- Continued
Floor Speech
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Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, we have commemorated National Crime
Victims' Rights Week every April since 1981. This year it takes place
from April 19 through April 25.
This week is dedicated to remembering victims of crime, building
awareness, and advocating for victims' rights. It is also an
opportunity to pay tribute to the millions of Americans and thousands
of Iowans who fall victim to senseless acts of crime each year.
On Monday I introduced a bipartisan resolution commemorating National
Crime Victims' Rights Week, and I am happy that my colleagues have
joined me by unanimously passing this resolution this morning.
The theme for this week, ``Engaging Communities. Empowering
Victims,'' recognizes the importance of offering the support necessary
to help crime survivors heal.
During this week we also remember the contributions of the countless
crisis hotline volunteers and staff, victims' rights attorneys, medical
professionals, and emergency responders who provide critical assistance
to survivors of crime every hour, every day in communities across the
United States.
The Judiciary Committee has worked to strengthen Federal laws and
direct resources to efforts to prevent crime from occurring in the
first place. And, although we still have a way to go to ensure that all
crime survivors are treated with appropriate fairness and respect in
the criminal justice system, I am proud that we have made important
strides toward this goal.
An important issue for many crime victims is restitution. It is an
issue that would be addressed by the ``Amy and Vicky Child Pornography
Victim Restitution Improvement Act,'' a bill introduced by Senator
Hatch that has my strong support.
The Judiciary Committee, of which I serve as chairman, reported this
bill on February 5. If enacted, the measure, which passed the full
Senate by a vote of 98-0 on February 11, would reverse a Supreme Court
decision that limits the amount of restitution that victims of child
pornography can recover from any one perpetrator.
It would ensure that victims can recover a minimum amount of damages
for certain child pornography offenses, and it also would make any
single perpetrator potentially responsible for the full damages that
result from an offense involving multiple perpetrators.
Americans also deserve to know that we are doing everything possible
to prevent sexual assault, especially in our most acclaimed
institutions of society, including college campuses and our Nation's
military. In fact, a zero tolerance standard needs to be set at the
highest levels of the Federal government.
Take, for example, the lack of accountability within some of our
Nation's Federal law enforcement entities. In the last few years, a
string of sex scandals involving prostitutes being solicited by public
servants working for the FBI, Secret Service and, most recently, the
Drug Enforcement Administration reflect an embarrassing lack of ethics
and moral code of conduct by Federal agents hired to flush out illicit
criminal activity at home and abroad.
It should go without saying that this type of conduct by Federal law
enforcement personnel--on or off the clock--cannot be tolerated. This
behavior telegraphs the wrong message about acceptable sexual conduct
to society and contributes to the demand for the human sex trade around
the world.
I supported the enactment of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act
of 2000, and earlier this year I chaired a Senate Judiciary Committee
hearing on human trafficking, where witnesses discussed the
consequences of sex trafficking for both child and adult victims.
The witnesses at this hearing, which took place on February 24, 2015,
also testified in support of several measures that would help us
further combat the various forms of human trafficking in the United
States.
One of these measures is the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act
which is now pending on the Senate floor, and of which I am a
cosponsor.
It is vitally important that we pass this legislation, which would
authorize much needed services to victims of child pornography as well
as labor and sex trafficking.
The bill also equips law enforcement with new tools for prosecuting
human trafficking offenses and recognizes that the production of child
pornography is a form of human trafficking.
Also, earlier this year, I introduced the Combating Human Trafficking
Act. Among other things, the bill would clarify that Federal grant
resources can be used to meet the housing needs of human trafficking
victims and offer training on the effects of sex trafficking to those
who offer services to runaway, homeless, and at-risk youth.
I led the Judiciary Committee in supporting the inclusion of this
legislation as an amendment to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking
Act during committee consideration of that bill.
The committee accepted the measure by voice vote on February 26. The
committee reported the bill to the Senate floor by a vote of 19-0.
I am grateful we have been able to reach an agreement that will
finally allow a vote on this very important legislation, and I look
forward to casting my vote in favor of this bill.
Our next challenge should be to address the two broken systems of
justice found on our college campuses and within our military
institutions. First, a flawed reporting system on college campuses
requires a stronger set of tools that would help survivors of sexual
assault as well as protect the rights of the accused. That is why I
have cosponsored the ``Campus Accountability and Safety Act'' with
Senator McCaskill.
It would establish new campus resources and support services for
students, including: a requirement that colleges designate a
confidential advisor for survivors of sexual violence; new transparency
and reporting requirements; coordination between colleges and local law
enforcement; and protections for due process rights of survivors and the accused.
It would also increase financial penalties for colleges found not in
compliance with the new standards.
Cases of sexual assault, which too often go unreported on college
campuses and in our own communities, require sustained, collective
attention by policymakers, law enforcement, advocates, and survivors.
Every student who heads off to a college campus in America deserves
to know that there is a system in place to secure justice and due
process for the victim and the accused.
Likewise, every young man and woman who serves his or her country in
uniform deserves to know that sexual assault is a crime and will be
treated and prosecuted as such.
In the last Congress, I cosponsored the bipartisan ``Military Justice
Improvement Act'' with Senator Gillibrand.
The bill would empower enlisted soldiers and sailors to come forward
and report a sexual crime.
It would create an independent system of justice within the ranks of
the military.
It would remove the chain of command from prosecutorial decisions
regarding sexual assault.
The fear of retaliation and retribution in the military has been a
reality for too many survivors of sexual assault. The current system
has created an environment that emboldens predators instead of
empowering victims.
Barring access to fair and impartial justice pours salt in the wounds
of those who have suffered immeasurable indignity and harm while
serving their country in uniform. I will continue working to advance
bipartisan measures through Congress to send a clear message. Sexual
assault is a crime.
The sooner our culture and systems of justice on college campuses and
in the Nation's military work together to deter, prosecute, and stop
sexual violence, the safer our society will be for America's sons and
daughters growing up in the 21st century.
In closing, crime victims and survivors in the United States deserve
our assistance in helping them cope with the often devastating
consequences of crime. That is why it is so important that we support
the mission and goals of National Crime Victims' Rights Week.
Mr. President, I thank my colleagues for joining me in supporting
passage of this resolution.
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