Thune, Klobuchar, and Nelson Introduce Bills to Combat Human Trafficking

July 12, 2017

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) today introduced S. 1532, the No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act and S. 1536, the Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, of which all three senators introducing the legislation are members, also held a hearing today to explore the role of transportation providers in combating human trafficking.
 
S. 1532, the No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act would disqualify individuals from operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for their lifetime if they used a CMV to commit a felony involving human trafficking.
 
S. 1536, the Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act focuses on the prevention of human trafficking. The bill would designate a human trafficking prevention coordinator at the U.S. Department of Transportation and increase outreach, education, and reporting efforts at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
 
“Human trafficking must be fought on many fronts,” said Thune, the chairman of the Commerce Committee. “Our legislation is a starting point for prevention and enforcement against the use of a commercial driver’s license in human trafficking.”
 
“As our eyes and ears on the road, truckers and commercial drivers are often the first line of defense against human trafficking,” said Klobuchar. “By providing training to recognize and report trafficking, we can empower them to prevent this heinous crime across the country.”
 
“We must do more to stop human trafficking,” said Nelson, the committee’s ranking member. “These bills will provide us with more tools to help recognize and prevent this horrific crime.”
 
Click here for the text of S. 1532 and here for the text of S. 1536.