03.16.15

Sullivan Introduces Amendment to Human Trafficking Bill

WASHINGTON, DC – On Thursday, Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) took to the Senate floor, to speak in support of S. 178, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, as well as offer his Mann Act Cooperation amendment.

Sen. Sullivan’s bipartisan amendment, co-sponsored by Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), would free up federal resources by allowing and encouraging state Attorneys General and local District Attorneys to prosecute cases under the Mann Act – the federal law that makes it a criminal offense to transport someone between states for the purpose of prostitution and human trafficking.

Additionally, the amendment preserves federal prosecutors’ ability to exercise prosecutorial discretion, while at the same time, increasing transparency in Mann Act cases by requiring the federal government to provide a detailed explanation when they deny the state’s attorney generals request to prosecute a Mann Act violation.  In human trafficking cases, it’s often local investigators and prosecutors who have the most information on these cases.

“The key goal of this amendment is to enable the resources and cooperation between state and federal prosecutors to ensure that ALL cases of human trafficking are pursued and victims have justice,” said Sen. Sullivan.  “That’s why it’s such a win-win approach to state-federal prosecutions with regards to human trafficking.”

(CLICK HERE to watch Sen. Sullivan’s complete floor speech)

Following his Senate floor speech, Sen. Sullivan said, “When I was Alaska’s Attorney General, there was a high-profile case that my department petitioned the federal government to prosecute under the Mann Act or cross designate state attorneys to do so, but it never happened.  Requiring better cooperation and transparency between states and the federal government on these cases is the best way to ensure that the victims of these heinous crimes receive the justice they deserve.”

###