Senate unanimously approves law to strengthen prevention of child trafficking

The Senate unanimously passed the Child Trafficking Prevention Act a bipartisan initiative aimed at strengthening coordination between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to combat the exploitation and trafficking of children.

The bill was pushed by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Republican Chuck Grassley, along with Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, and takes up an initiative that had already received unanimous support in the previous Congress.

The legislation obligates both federal agencies to implement the recommendations issued in 2023 by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which point to shortcomings in interagency communication and propose concrete steps to improve detection, prevention and response to child trafficking cases.

"Safeguard vulnerable children"

During floor debate, Grassley stressed that the centerpiece of the bill is to improve information sharing among federal agencies. "Our bill aims to more effectively prevent future instances of trafficking, prosecute criminals and safeguard vulnerable children," the senator stated.

With the approval in the Senate, the initiative now passes to the House of Representatives, where it will be evaluated. If it gets the green light there, the bill will be sent to President Donald Trump for enactment.

The unanimous vote reflects an unusual bipartisan consensus on the need to strengthen federal policies against child trafficking, a crime that authorities consider a persistent threat to the safety and well-being of children and adolescents in the United States.