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WASHINGTON – Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., today praised the passage of 12 bills designed to fight the growing problem of human trafficking in the United States.

“Human trafficking is modern day slavery that preys on vulnerable individuals, and this epidemic is not isolated to far-off places on the other side of the world. It is happening every day in the places we call home,” said Foxx. “These bipartisan bills will provide necessary support and services to the victims of trafficking crimes as well as boost resources for law enforcement.”  

According to the FBI, sex trafficking is the fastest-growing business of organized crime and the third-largest criminal enterprise in the world. More than 300,000 American children are at risk of becoming victims of sex trafficking annually, and it’s estimated that child sex trafficking in the United States is a $9.8 billion industry.

The bills that passed the House include: 

• H.R. 159, Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act; 
• H.R. 181, Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act; 
• H.R. 246, To improve the response to victims of child sex trafficking;
• H.R. 285, Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation Act;
• H.R. 350, Human Trafficking Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Act;
• H.R. 357, Human Trafficking Prevention Act;
• H.R. 398, Trafficking Awareness Training for Health Care Act; 
• H.R. 460, Human Trafficking Detection Act;
• H.R. 468, Enhancing Services for Runaway and Homeless Victims for Youth Trafficking Act;
• H.R. 469, Strengthening Child Welfare Response to Trafficking Act;
• H.R. 514, Human Trafficking Prioritization Act; and
• H.R. 515, International Megan’s Law to Prevent Demand for Child Sex Trafficking.

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U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx is currently serving her sixth term as the representative of North Carolina’s 5th Congressional District and is the elected Republican Conference Secretary. Dr. Foxx is the chair of the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and serves as Vice Chair of the House Rules Committee.