S. 1311: Abolish Human Trafficking Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-06-07 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Became Public Law No: 115-392.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-06-07 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 115-392. (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

Abolish Human Trafficking Act of 2017

Plain summary

Abolish Human Trafficking Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the Domestic Trafficking Victims' Fund is intended to supplement—not supplant—any other funding for domestic trafficking victims and has achieved that objective. It reauthorizes the Domestic Trafficking Victims' Fund through FY2023. The bill reauthorizes through FY2021 the requirement for federal courts to impose an additional assessment on a non-indigent person or entity convicted of a specified offense related to human trafficking, sexual abuse or exploitation, or smuggling. (Sec. 3) It requires a court to order mandatory restitution, in addition to other criminal or civil penalties, for an offense involving transportation for illegal sexual activity. (Sec. 4) The Department of Justice (DOJ) Assets Forfeiture Fund may be used for payments of awards for information or assistance related to sexual exploitation offenses. The Department of the Treasury Assets Forfeiture Fund may be used to purchase evidence or information related to offenses human trafficking, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or transportation for prostitution or illegal sexual activity. (Sec. 5) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must issue a directive to law enforcement officials and task force members who investigate human trafficking offenses. The directive must provide instructions on how to investigate individuals who solicit human trafficking victims and how to limit arrests or prosecutions of trafficking victims for crimes committed as a direct result of their victimization. Additionally, DHS must establish a victim screening protocol for use during anti-trafficking law enforcement operations. (Sec. 6) This section authorizes DOJ's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to make grants to provide direct services to minor victims of severe forms of trafficking. (Sec. 7) Human trafficking training programs for law enforcement officers and prosecutors must do the following: emphasize that a commercial sex act with a minor constitutes a human trafficking offense, and develop curricula for investigating, arresting, and prosecuting individuals who engage in a commercial sex act or profit from human trafficking. (Sec. 8) DOJ must issue guidance that does the following: emphasizes that a commercial sex act with a minor constitutes a human trafficking offense; implements best practices for collecting additional assessments for offenses related to human trafficking, sexual abuse or exploitation, or smuggling; and clarifies that commercial sex exploitation is a form of gender-based violence. (Sec. 9) The National Strategy for Combatting Human Trafficking must include a national strategy to prevent human trafficking and reduce demand for human trafficking victims. (Sec. 10) This bill revises an existing grant program to authorize grants for additional purposes—to improve services for trafficking survivors and to improve partnerships between victim service providers and law enforcement agencies and other entities. (Sec. 11) This section increases the maximum prison terms for certain offenses related to peonage, slavery, involuntary servitude, forced labor, and trafficking. (Sec. 12) This section imposes an enhanced 10-year prison term on a member of a street gang who commits (or conspires to commit) an offense involving human trafficking, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or transportation for prostitution or illegal sexual activity. (Sec. 13) This bill expands DOJ's authority to intercept wire, oral, or electronic communications in investigations of offenses related to peonage, slavery, and trafficking in persons. (Sec. 14) The bill revises the specific intent element for certain offenses involving interstate or foreign travel to engage in or facilitate illicit sexual conduct. Specifically, the government must prove that engaging in illicit sexual conduct was a motivating purpose (currently, a purpose) of the interstate or foreign travel. (Sec. 15) This section directs the Department of Justice to designate at least one Human Trafficking Coordinator in each federal judicial district to implement the National Strategy for Combatting Human Trafficking and to prosecute cases, conduct outreach, and enforce relevant laws; and a National Human Trafficking Coordinator within DOJ to coordinate, promote, and support DOJ's work related to human trafficking. (Sec. 16) DOJ must include, in its annual human trafficking report, data on the number of convictions for human trafficking offenses. (Sec. 17) The Federal Bureau of Investigation must revise the Uniform Crime Reports and the National Incident-Based Reporting System to make additional distinctions in its data on reports of human trafficking offenses. Currently, it distinguishes between reports of incidents of prostitution, assisting or promoting prostitution, and purchasing prostitution. Now it must also include distinctions for incidents of assisting or promoting prostitution of a minor and purchasing prostitution of a minor. (Sec. 18) The Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking must report annually on the number of referrals from the national human trafficking hotline by federal departments and agencies. Additionally, the national human trafficking hotline number must be posted in a visible place in all federal buildings. (Sec. 19) This section prohibits the use of federal funds for any program that funds or supports an organization that provides adult entertainment and profits from the commercial sex trade. (Sec. 20) The bill directs the National Institute of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to jointly study the physical and psychological effects of severe forms of trafficking in persons. (Sec. 21) It reauthorizes for FY2018-FY2021 grants (1) for victims services providers and (2) for investigating severe forms of trafficking in persons. (Sec. 22) It subjects grants authorized in this bill to various accountability measures. (Sec. 23) This section provides statutory authority for the Human Exploitation Rescue Operation (HERO) Child-Rescue Corps Program within the Cyber Crimes Center of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The HERO Child-Rescue Corps Program, operated in partnership with the Department of Defense and the National Association to Protect Children, must recruit, train, equip, and employ wounded, ill, and injured veterans and other members of the military to combat and prevent child exploitation.

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

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Abolish Human Trafficking Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] · 31 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), John Thune (R-SD), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), James Lankford (R-OK), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Boozman (R-AR), John Kennedy (R-LA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] reported raising $8.6 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (4)

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.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

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-115s1311.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s1311 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115