Human Trafficking Legislation

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, just hours ago, 100 percent of Senate Democrats followed the lead of Republicans and Democrats in the House, including Nancy Pelosi and the pro-choice caucus, in voting to endorse the bipartisan principle that Federal funds leaving the government should be subject to bipartisan Hyde language. Given that Americans overwhelmingly support what Hyde does, it is no wonder this principle has been applied by both parties--both parties--to appropriations and authorizing legislation for as long as anyone could remember.

We hope the Democrats' statement of support for Hyde in last night's Medicare vote will finally clear the way for passage of antislavery legislation they have been filibustering over the very same Hyde principle. It was never a morally tenable position. Never. Considering what we saw just 12 hours ago, it is no longer politically tenable either. Democrats couldn't possibly justify voting for Hyde language in order to keep doctors--as they did just hours ago--but then look an abused victim in the eye and tell her she is not worth it. OK to vote for Hyde to help doctors, but then not OK when it comes to victims of sexual trafficking.

Human trafficking is a serious problem in our country. It is hard for a lot of people to believe, but it occurs in every single State. I recently saw a news report about a local nonprofit that is worried about trafficking at big events such as the Kentucky Derby. ``They'll take a girl to one city for one to two weeks,'' an official with that group said, ``then they'll go to another city, and they just follow these circuits ..... it's really hard to get them out of it .....''

Look, it is unconscionable for anyone to continue filibustering this human rights bill over a principle that has been a fixture--a fixture--in Federal law for decades, that was in the bill when Democrats endorsed it, cosponsored it, and voted unanimously to support it in committee, and that was endorsed again by Democrats just last night.

But just to ensure there are no possible excuses left to continue this filibuster, Senator Cornyn offered another compromise last night to eliminate any remaining pretext. His compromise ensures that, by supporting this bill, Senate Democrats would only be endorsing the same Hyde language that 100 percent of them just voted to support last night, less than 24 hours ago. Remember, this is essentially language endorsed by Nancy Pelosi and the pro-choice caucus.

It is actually the third compromise we have offered on the Senate floor to our friends across the aisle. First, we offered our colleagues a simple up-or-down vote last month to strike the language that they once were for before they decided to be against it. Then, before the recess, Senator Cornyn offered to make the monies in the fund subject to the appropriations process, something our Democratic colleagues had said was important to them.

So this is now the third compromise we have offered on the floor. It is time for our Democratic friends to show a little courage to finally bring their party's filibuster of antislavery legislation to an end. A large bipartisan majority of the Senate has already demonstrated its commitment to doing so, and all that is needed now are a couple more Democrats to join us. That is all that is needed now, a couple more Democrats willing to show the same level of compassion to enslaved victims they offered to doctors--to doctors--just a few hours ago.

As an official with the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women put it: ``Our Democratic colleagues should stop choosing a phantom problem .....''--a phantom problem--``..... over real victims.''

Because as the Los Angeles Times said:

The Hyde Amendment has been the law for many years. A fight over whether a fraction of the projected millions of dollars in aid to victims of trafficking and hunters of traffickers can be used on abortion services seems fruitless, and the bill should not be derailed by such a fight.

This has gone on long enough. It is time for Senators of conscience to stand up and end this filibuster now.

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