H.R. 972: Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005

109th Congress · introduced 2005-02-17 · International Affairs · Latest: Became Public Law No: 109-164.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2005-02-17 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 632 (2005): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR972 (2005-12-14), Passed. See all
Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 109-164. (final step reached)
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on December 14, 2005. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 - Title I: Combatting International Trafficking in Persons - (Sec. 101) Amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (Act) to direct The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of State (Department), and the Department of Defense (DOD) to incorporate anti-trafficking and protection measures for vulnerable populations, particularly women and children, into their post-conflict and humanitarian emergency assistance and program activities. Directs the Secretary of State (Secretary) and the Administrator of USAID to conduct a study and report regarding the threat and practice of trafficking in persons (trafficking) generated by post-conflict and humanitarian emergencies in foreign countries. (Sec. 102) Provides, to the extent practicable, trafficking victims with access to information about federally funded or administered anti-trafficking programs that provide services to victims of severe forms of trafficking. Directs the Administrator to: (1) carry out a study to identify best practices for the rehabilitation of trafficking victims in group residential facilities in foreign countries; (2) carry out a pilot program to establish residential treatment facilities in foreign countries for trafficking victims based upon the best practices identified in the study; and (3) report to the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate on such pilot program's implementation. Authorizes FY2006-FY2007 appropriations. (Sec. 103) Amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to extend the sexually violent offender registration program to foreign offenses. (Sec. 104) Amends the Act to revise: (1) Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking (Task Force) membership; and (2) minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. Includes HIV/AIDS within the health risk research on the effects of trafficking. Requires the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center to report to the appropriate congressional committees respecting research initiatives on domestic and international trafficking. Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to require foreign service training to include instruction on international documents and U.S. policy on trafficking. Amends the Act to require that the Secretary's annual trafficking report include information on measures taken by the United Nations (U.N.), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and other multilateral organizations in which the United States participates to prevent the involvement of the organization's employees, contractor personnel, and peacekeeping forces in trafficking. Directs the Secretary, prior to voting for a peacekeeping mission, to notify the appropriate committees respecting measures taken to prevent peacekeeping personnel from involvement in trafficking or sexual exploitation. (Sec. 105) Expresses the sense of Congress that the Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking of the Department should intensify the Office's focus on forced labor: (1) in countries that do not comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; and (2) other countries in which forced labor continues to be a serious human rights concern. Directs the Secretary of Labor, through the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, to carry out additional activities to monitor and combat forced labor and child labor in foreign countries, including: (1) developing a public list of goods believed to be produced by forced labor or child labor in violation of international standards; and (2) ensuring that such products are not imported into the United States. Title II: Combatting Domestic Trafficking in Persons - (Sec. 201) Directs the Attorney General to: (1) use state, local, and research data to carry out a biennial research and statistical review and analysis of severe forms of trafficking and of sex trafficking and unlawful commercial sex acts in the United States; and (2) conduct an annual conference in each of FY2006-FY2008, and thereafter conduct a biennial conference, addressing severe forms of trafficking and commercial sex acts in the United States. Authorizes FY2006-FY2007 appropriations. (Sec. 202) Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants (75% maximum federal share) to states, Indian tribes, local government, and nonprofit, nongovernmental victims' service organizations to establish or expand assistance programs for U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens who are the subject of sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking that occurs in the United States. Authorizes FY2006-FY2007 appropriations. (Sec. 203) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) carry out a pilot program to establish residential treatment facilities in the United States for juveniles subjected to trafficking; and (2) submit an implementation report to Congress. Authorizes FY2006-FY2007 appropriations. (Sec. 204) Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants (75% maximum federal share) to states and local law enforcement agencies to establish or expand programs to combat trafficking. Authorizes FY2006-FY2007 appropriations. (Sec. 205) Requires reports respecting the amount, recipient, and purpose of each grant under sections 202 and 204 of this Act. (Sec. 206) Requires each federal department or agency involved in grant activities related to combatting trafficking or providing services to persons subjected to trafficking inside the United States to apprise the Senior Policy Operating Group of such activities in order to ensure consistency with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. (Sec. 207) Defines specified terms. Title III: Authorization of Appropriations - (Sec. 301) Authorizes appropriations through FY2007 for: (1) the Task Force, including amounts for official representation and reception expenses; (2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services for U.S. victims; (3) the Secretary for bilateral assistance to combat trafficking; (4) assistance to the Attorney General; (5) assistance to the President for foreign victims assistance, assistance to foreign countries to meet minimum standards, and research; and (6) assistance to the Secretary of Labor. Authorizes: (1) FY2006 appropriations for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate severe forms of trafficking; and (2) FY 2006-FY2007 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigations of severe forms of trafficking.

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] · 103 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 972, Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (2005-10-19); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 972, Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (2005-10-19); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 972, Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (2005-12-08); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 972, Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (2005-12-08); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 972, Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (2005-12-28); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 972, Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (2005-12-28)

Cosponsors on this site

John Boozman (R-AR), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA) and 43 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] reported raising $797,217 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

House roll call 632 (2005): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR972 (2005-12-14): Passed

Words on this page, explained (5)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Ballot initiative: A proposed law or constitutional amendment that citizens place on the ballot by gathering enough voter signatures, so voters decide it directly. About half the states allow some form of it.
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109hr972.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/hr>

Record fed-us-cong109-hr972 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109