Impactt Human Trafficking Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. BENTZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 670) to improve services for trafficking victims by establishing, in Homeland Security Investigations, the Investigators Maintain Purposeful Awareness to Combat Trafficking Trauma Program and the Victim Assistance Program.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: S. 670

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``IMPACTT Human Trafficking Act''. SEC. 2. INVESTIGATORS MAINTAIN PURPOSEFUL AWARENESS TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING TRAUMA PROGRAM.

(a) Establishment.--There is established, in Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Investigators Maintain Purposeful Awareness to Combat Trafficking Trauma Program (referred to in this Act as the ``IMPACTT Program'').

(b) Functions.--The IMPACTT Program shall--

(1) provide outreach and training to Homeland Security Investigations employees who have been exposed to various forms of trauma in working with victims of human trafficking, including--

(A) self-awareness training for the relevant employees on recognizing the signs of burnout, compassion fatigue, critical incident stress, traumatic stress, posttraumatic stress, secondary traumatic stress, and vicarious trauma;

(B) training material that--

(i) provides mechanisms for self-care and resilience and notification of resources that are available through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, such as the Employee Assistance Program, the Peer Support Program, the Chaplain Program, and other relevant accredited programs that are available; and

(ii) provides examples of potential resources that are available outside of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which may include, faith-based and community- based resources; and

(C) provide additional training to first line supervisors of relevant employees on recognizing the signs referred to in subparagraph (A) and the appropriate responses to employees exhibiting such signs;

(2) include training modules that are carried out by--

(A) licensed and accredited clinicians who--

(i) have been trained on the exposure of various forms of trauma and other stressors experienced in working with victims; and

(ii) may have experience working with faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, counseling programs, or other social service programs; and

(B) additional subject matter experts who are available; and

(3) be overseen and coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security Center for Countering Human Trafficking to ensure that--

(A) appropriate program materials are distributed;

(B) training is offered to all relevant employees; and

(C) any needed travel and equipment is provided. SEC. 3. HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--Subtitle D of title IV of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 251 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``SEC. 447. HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

``(a) Definitions.--In this section:

``(1) Forensic interview specialist.--The term `forensic interview specialist' is an interview professional who has specialized experience and training in conducting trauma- informed forensic interviews with victims of crime.

``(2) Victim.--The term `victim' has the meaning given such term in section 503(e)(2) of the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 (34 U.S.C. 20141(e)(2)).

``(3) Victim assistance specialist.--The term `victim assistance specialist' is a victim assistance professional who--

``(A) has experience working with victims of crime in a service capacity;

``(B) has been trained on the exposure of various forms of trauma and other stressors experienced in working with victims; and

``(C) may have experience working with local government and community-based organizations, including victim advocacy centers, child advocacy centers, child welfare agencies, faith-based organizations, and other social service programs.

``(b) In General.--There is established, in Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Victim Assistance Program.

``(c) Functions.--The Victim Assistance Program shall--

``(1) provide oversight, guidance, training, travel, equipment, and coordination to Homeland Security Investigations victim assistance personnel throughout the United States;

``(2) recruit not fewer than--

``(A) 1 forensic interview specialist and 1 victim assistance specialist for each Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge office;

``(B) 1 victim assistance specialist for--

``(i) every Homeland Security Investigations office participating in a human trafficking task force; and

``(ii) every Homeland Security Investigations office participating in a child sexual exploitation task force;

``(3) support Homeland Security Investigations regional attache offices, to the extent necessary;

``(4) provide training regarding victims' rights, victim- related policies, roles of forensic interviewers and victim assistance specialists, and an approach that is--

``(A) victim-centered;

``(B) trauma-informed; and

``(C) linguistically appropriate, to the extent feasible; and

``(5) purchase emergency items that are needed to assist identified victims in Homeland Security Investigations criminal investigations, including food, clothing, hygiene products, transportation, and temporary shelter that is not otherwise provided by a nongovernmental organization.''.

(b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-296) is amended--

(1) in section 1(b) (6 U.S.C. 101 note)--

(A) by striking the item relating to section 442 and inserting the following: ``Sec. 442. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.''; and

(B) by inserting after the item relating to section 446 the following: ``Sec. 447. Homeland Security Investigations Victim Assistance Program.'';

(2) in section 442--

(A) by amending the section heading to read as follows: ``u.s. immigration and customs enforcement'';

(B) by striking ``bureau'' each place such term appears (except in subsection (a)(1)) and inserting ``agency'';

(C) by striking ``the Bureau of Border Security'' each place such term appears and inserting ``U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement'';

(D) in subsection (a)--

(i) in the subsection heading, by striking ``of Bureau'';

(ii) in paragraph (3)(C), by striking ``affecting the Bureau of'' and inserting ``affecting U.S.''; and

(iii) in paragraph (4), by striking ``the Bureau.'' and inserting ``the agency.''; and

(E) in subsection (b)(2)--

(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ``Bureau of Border Security'' and inserting ``U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement''; and

(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``the Bureau of'' before ``Citizenship and Immigration Services'' and inserting ``U.S.''; and

(3) in section 443(2), by striking ``such bureau'' and inserting ``such agency''. SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORT.

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report to Congress that identifies, with respect to the reporting period--

(1) the number of trainings that were provided through the IMPACTT Program and the number of personnel who received such training; and

(2) the number of human trafficking victims who were assisted by the Homeland Security Investigations Victim Assistance Program. SEC. 5. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS.

No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this Act. SEC. 6. SUNSET.

This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall cease to have force or effect beginning on October 1, 2030.

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Mr. BENTZ. 670.

Mr. Speaker, the Investigators Maintain Purposeful Awareness to Combat Trafficking Trauma Program and the Victim Assistance Program, IMPACTT Human Trafficking Act, provides for outreach and training to Homeland Security Investigations employees who have been exposed to various forms of trauma while working with victims of human trafficking.

Thousands of men, women, and children are exploited through sex or labor in the United States. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, and false promises of jobs or even romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations. We have heard about these issues extensively in two victim-focused hearings in the House Judiciary Committee in this Congress.

Human trafficking not only leaves victims and survivors with lasting trauma, but it also affects the dedicated professionals who are responsible for investigating these crimes. Homeland Security Investigations is a component of and the main investigative body within the Department of Homeland Security.

HSI investigates all types of transnational crimes, but they serve as the leading Federal agency combating the evils of human trafficking, human smuggling, and child exploitation.

HSI works with more than 120 Federal, State, and local law enforcement human trafficking task forces across the United States. Through these task forces, HSI agents work with victim services organizations, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and others to raise awareness of human trafficking and generate investigative leads.

While we all have a role in putting a stop to human trafficking, HSI stands on the front lines to identify and capture traffickers and predators, and then to hold these criminals accountable.

We cannot thank these brave men and women enough for all they do to protect victims, both in the United States and abroad. This bill would make permanent the Investigators Maintain Purposeful Awareness to Combat Trafficking Trauma, IMPACTT, program within HSI that provides outreach and training to investigators, interviewers, victim assistance specialists, and other partners who have been exposed to trauma while working with victims of human trafficking.

These trainings would include the available resources to help cope with burnout, stress, compassion fatigue, and trauma.

The bill also makes the HSI victim assistance program permanent, which provides important guidance on victim assistance and monitors compliance with Federal crime victim statutes.

Lastly, this legislation increases the number of victim assistance specialists to ensure that every office participating in a human trafficking or child exploitation task force will have an assigned victim assistance specialist.

This legislation already passed the Senate under unanimous consent.
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Mr. BENTZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this necessary bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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