One year ago (March 19th, 2014 to be exact), I wrote my blog on human trafficking – “The Horrors of Human Trafficking.” It was the most read blog I’ve written in the six years I’ve been doing this blog, and still has dozens of people reading it every week. (You can read it by clicking here.)
I guess that’s because human trafficking is such a terrible thing, and more and more people want to do something about it. After all, it’s estimated that there are 20 to 27 million human beings worldwide who have been forced, against their will, into involuntary servitude. A large portion of these exploited victims are women and young girls, and a shocking number of them are forced into the sex trade industry.
Fortunately, the United States House of Representatives earlier this year passed legislation which will enhance law enforcement efforts to combat human trafficking both in the United States and around the world. (I voted for it.)
Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking the anti-human trafficking legislation in the Senate. What, you may ask? I thought everybody was against human trafficking. Why would they do such a thing?
Well, here’s the deal. Most bills in Congress, which spend money, have contained somewhere in the bill, so-called Hyde Amendment language. In essence, this language says that no taxpayer dollars shall go to pay for abortions. The idea is that, even though because of the Roe v. Wade decision, if someone wants to have an abortion, they can have it, but that doesn’t mean you have to pay for it.
You might wonder, how did abortion become an issue with human trafficking? Well, since many of those being trafficked are forced into the sex trade industry, pregnancy is obviously a possibility. In addition, a crime victims’ fund is being set up to aid those who have been exploited, and the Hyde Amendment language would ensure that none of the money raised goes to pay for abortions. There are exceptions –rape, incest, or life of the mother.
You also might wonder how Democrats can stop passage of the human trafficking bill, since they are now in the minority. Well, that’s because there are only 54 Republicans in the Senate, and it takes 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. (Four pro-life Democrats have voted with Republicans, but several more are needed.)
Democrats have also interjected race into the debate. That’s because Republicans have said they won’t allow a vote on Loretta Lynch’s nomination for Attorney General to replace Eric Holder to come up until the Democrats allow a vote on the human trafficking bill. She would be the first female African American Attorney General.
Dick Durbin, the number three Democrat in the Senate, played the race card, saying that Lynch was “being asked to sit in the back of the bus, when it comes to the Senate calendar.” Senator John McCain lashed out at Durbin, saying “such inflammatory rhetoric has no place in this body and serves no purpose other than to further divide us. It was offensive and unnecessary and I think he owes this body, Ms. Lynch, and all Americans an apology.” McCain is right.
The bottom line is, we have an opportunity to pass meaningful, bipartisan legislation, which will begin to make inroads in combating a global scourge, human trafficking. Let’s not miss that opportunity.