WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today gave the following opening remarks at a full committee hearing on examining U.S. and global commitments to combatting human trafficking. Witnesses included The Honorable Cynthia Dyer, ambassador at large for the State Department’s office to Monitor and Combat Human Trafficking, and Mr. Johnny Walsh, deputy assistant administrator for Democracy, Human Rights and Governance at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Ranking Member Risch gave the following remarks:
“Well, thank you Mr. Chairman. I’m hopeful that our bill will get completely through the process as there’s absolutely no reason it shouldn’t.
“As we all know, millions of people are trafficked every year. Traffickers prey on the most vulnerable, trapping them in a horrific cycle of abuse that often goes overlooked.
“The children, young adults, women, and men that are coerced into forced labor and sex trafficking have their autonomy stripped and livelihoods damaged. Addressing this global scourge requires an international commitment.
“The United States is the leading global voice on combatting human trafficking and has been for decades. We provide training, consultations, and aid to civil society and government actors around the world to better prosecute traffickers, prevent further trafficking, and protect victims.
“It is a shame, however, that some governments participate in state-sponsored patterns of trafficking and further victimize the most vulnerable. Other governments become indifferent to trafficking and offer no permanent solutions to ending the pattern in their countries.
“Thankfully, there are some countries that have put significant investment to combatting trafficking and protecting victims. We recognize their efforts and thank them for this enduring pledge.
“I look forward today to hearing about what the Department sees as its biggest challenges and biggest opportunities.
“I equally look forward to learning more about USAID’s important role in combatting trafficking and what more can be done.
“Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”
These remarks have been lightly edited for clarity. Witness testimony is available on foreign.senate.gov.
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