The publication is reproduced in full below:
DHS BLUE CAMPAIGN ENHANCEMENT ACT
Ms. BARRAGAN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2795) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance the Blue Campaign of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2795
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 ``DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act''.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BLUE CAMPAIGN
ENHANCEMENT.
Section 434 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 242) is amended--
(1) in subsection (e)(6), by striking ``utilizing resources,'' and inserting ``developing and utilizing, in consultation with the Advisory Board established pursuant to subsection (g), resources''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsections:
``(f)Web-Based Training Programs.--To enhance training opportunities, the Director of the Blue Campaign shall develop web-based interactive training videos that utilize a learning management system to provide online training opportunities that shall be made available to the following individuals:
``(1) Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers.
``(2) Non-Federal correction system personnel.
``(3) Such other individuals as the Director determines appropriate.
``(g)Blue Campaign Advisory Board.--
``(1)In general.--The Secretary shall establish within the Department a Blue Campaign Advisory Board and shall assign to such Board a representative from each of the following components:
``(A) The Transportation Security Administration.
``(B) U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
``(C) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
``(D) The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
``(E) The United States Secret Service.
``(F) The Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
``(G) The Privacy Office.
``(H) Any other components or offices the Secretary determines appropriate.
``(2)Charter.--The Secretary is authorized to issue a charter for the Board, and such charter shall specify the following:
``(A) The Board's mission, goals, and scope of its activities.
``(B) The duties of the Board's representatives.
``(C) The frequency of the Board's meetings.
``(3)Consultation.--The Director shall consult the Board established pursuant to paragraph (1) regarding the following:
``(A) Recruitment tactics used by human traffickers to inform the development of training and materials by the Blue Campaign.
``(B) The development of effective awareness tools for distribution to Federal and non-Federal officials to identify and prevent instances of human trafficking.
``(C) Identification of additional persons or entities that may be uniquely positioned to recognize signs of human trafficking and the development of materials for such persons.
``(4)Applicability.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) does not apply to--
``(A) the Board; or
``(B) consultations under paragraph (2).
``(h)Consultation.--With regard to the development of programs under the Blue Campaign and the implementation of such programs, the Director is authorized to consult with State, local, Tribal, and territorial agencies, non-governmental organizations, private sector organizations, and experts. Such consultation shall be exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Barragan) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Ms. BARRAGAN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. BARRAGAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, the Department of Homeland Security's Blue Campaign is dedicated to raising awareness about the often-concealed crime of human trafficking. Each year, there are thousands of victims of human trafficking in the U.S. with numbers steadily increasing over the last 20 years. Traffickers subject their victims to forced labor, debt bondage, or sexual exploitation by using violence, manipulation, or false promises.
The DHS Blue Campaign works to combat this crime by educating law enforcement and the public on how to recognize the signs of human trafficking. Through outreach to local communities, industry partners, and law enforcement authorities, the Blue Campaign seeks to build on a foundation of human trafficking prevention and protection.
The tactics and techniques that human traffickers use are evolving. It is crucial for the Federal Government to foster awareness in a sustained way and educate Americans on the indicators of human trafficking to identify victims.
H.R. 2795, the DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act, would build upon the existing Blue Campaign by focusing on enhancing human trafficking prevention training opportunities and improving the development of such trainings and material. Specifically, H.R. 2795 would create an advisory board which brings together representatives throughout DHS to provide guidance on recruitment tactics used by human traffickers and inform the development of awareness tools.
It would also require the Blue Campaign to create web-based training videos to reach the widest possible audience of law enforcement officers and correction system personnel, among others. H.R. 2795 has bipartisan support and was reported out of committee by unanimous consent.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC, May 18, 2021.Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Thompson: This letter is to advise you that the Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to review the provisions in H.R. 2795, the ``DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act,'' that fall within our Rule X jurisdiction. I appreciate your consulting with us on those provisions. The Judiciary Committee has no objection to your including them in the bill for consideration on the House floor, and to expedite that consideration is willing to forgo action on H.R. 2795, with the understanding that we do not thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over those provisions or their subject matters.
In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the right to request an appropriate number of conferees to address any concerns with these or similar provisions that may arise in conference.
Please place this letter into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our committees.
Sincerely,
Jerrold Nadler,Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Washington, DC, May 26, 2021.Hon. Jerrold Nadler,Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Nadler: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 2795, the ``DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act.'' I recognize that the Committee on the Judiciary has a jurisdictional interest in H.R. 2795, and I appreciate your effort to allow this bill to be considered on the House floor.
I concur with you that forgoing action on the bill does not in any way prejudice the Committee on the Judiciary with respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill or similar legislation in the future, and I would support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this legislation.
I will include our letters on H.R. 2795 in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of this bill. I look forward to working with you on this legislation and other matters of great importance to this Nation.
Sincerely,
Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman,
Committee on Homeland Security.
Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2795, the DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act. As vice-ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee, I know how important it is for us to approach protecting this great Nation in a comprehensive manner by tackling all types of threats, including: hackers, terrorists, violent criminals, and human traffickers.
Criminal organizations use human trafficking to fund their operations by defrauding, coercing, and exploiting both adults and children, forcing them into labor and commercial sex acts. The DHS Blue Campaign enables and empowers the DHS workforce and customer-facing industries they work with--industries such as airlines--to recognize the indicators of human trafficking and take the proper steps to alert authorities.
H.R. 2795 enhances the Department's existing training opportunities by developing internet-based training programs to train Federal, State, local, Tribal law enforcement officers, and others as part of the Department's Blue Campaign. This important piece of legislation also established the Blue Campaign Advisory Board within the Department to coordinate Blue Campaign efforts and work cohesively to combat human trafficking.
Empowering State and local law enforcement to recognize potential human trafficking is the first step in helping them assist these victims, many of whom have been told that they have broken the law and can't seek police assistance by their traffickers. H.R. 2795 does this and helps disrupt these criminal networks, which is an important component in dismantling criminals and the terrorists financing their acts around the world.
I want to thank Representative Meijer for his leadership, and Chairman Thompson for moving this legislation out of committee, and I urge my colleagues to support this important bill to further secure the homeland.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. BARRAGAN. Madam Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I am prepared to close after the gentleman from Mississippi closes. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Meijer).
Mr. MEIJER. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2795, the DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act. This bill, which I am proud to have introduced with my colleague, the chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability, Representative Correa, has one very specific goal, to combat human trafficking.
According to the Department of State's Trafficking in Persons Report, every year, around the world tens of thousands of men, women, and children are trafficked, including far too many right here in the United States. Human traffickers use fraud and coercion to compel people into situations of forced labor or sexual exploitation. False promises of well-paying jobs, romantic relationships, and violence are all methods used by human traffickers. Victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality and from any socioeconomic background.
To curb this horrific practice, we must use a multipronged approach, and a critical component to this strategy is ensuring that law enforcement personnel and employees in customer-facing industries are trained to identify a potential victim of human trafficking by recognizing key indicators and taking appropriate action.
DHS started the Blue Campaign in 2010 to do just that; to unify and coordinate Department efforts to address human trafficking. The Blue Campaign enables and empowers the DHS workforce and the industries they work with--including airlines and the public--to recognize the indicators of human trafficking and take steps to alert the appropriate authorities.
My bill, the DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act, bolsters these efforts by creating an advisory board to inform and coordinate training among the DHS components to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the training that DHS provides for its personnel, its industries, and State and local law enforcement partners.
This legislation also increases the online trainings that DHS will provide, enabling the Department to reach a broader audience more quickly.
I would like to thank my good friend from California (Mr. Correa) for joining me in this effort and supporting this important piece of legislation.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to approve this bill and help DHS do its part to combat human trafficking.
Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I urge Members to support this bill.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. BARRAGAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, DHS is uniquely positioned to address human trafficking through the Blue Campaign. H.R. 2795 seeks to build upon the success of the Blue Campaign, which was first established in August 2010, and to bolster human trafficking awareness by ensuring that public-facing materials remain as current and accessible as possible. This is a worthwhile endeavor.
Madam Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Barragan) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2795, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. MOORE of Alabama. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion are postponed.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 127
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