Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4113
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- International Affairs
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-06-24: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2025-07-24T16:14:33Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation reauthorizes and updates the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to strengthen U.S. efforts against human trafficking. It focuses on prevention, victim protection, and accountability for countries that fail to address severe forms of trafficking.
Key Provisions
- Extends the Program to End Modern Slavery grants through fiscal year 2029, requiring competitive awards and standard congressional notification.
- Renames the "special watch list" to the "Tier 2 watch list" and refines criteria for placing countries on it, including failure to show increased efforts on investigations, prosecutions, and victim assistance.
- Integrates counter-trafficking policies into U.S. development assistance and disaster relief under the Foreign Assistance Act, aiming to avoid worsening vulnerability to trafficking.
- Clarifies and expands the definition of nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related foreign assistance that can be withheld from noncompliant countries, with specific exclusions for certain programs like health, food aid, and humanitarian efforts.
- Requires the annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report to include information on trafficking for organ harvesting.
- Eliminates duplicative reporting requirements and ensures a printed version of the TIP report is publicly available.
- Directs the head of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking to report to the Secretary of State.
- Increases funding authorizations: $23.092 million annually for certain programs and up to $111 million overall, with a cap of $37.5 million for modern slavery programs, through fiscal year 2029.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill updates tier rating processes by replacing "special watch list" references and adjusting downgrade rules. It broadens the scope of assistance subject to withholding and adds new reporting mandates on organ harvesting. It also embeds anti-trafficking measures into disaster assistance planning and removes redundant trade-related reporting.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies like the Department of State and USAID may face expanded policy integration and reporting duties.
- Foreign governments could experience shifts in aid eligibility based on updated tier criteria and compliance.
- Citizens and victims may benefit from increased awareness, printed reports, and targeted programs.
- International relations could see heightened diplomatic engagement on trafficking, particularly with countries on the Tier 2 watch list.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Trafficking victims and survivors.
- U.S. executive branch agencies involved in foreign assistance and reporting.
- Foreign governments subject to tier rankings and aid restrictions.
- Nongovernmental organizations and international partners implementing anti-trafficking programs.
- Congress, through oversight and notification requirements.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill reinforces U.S. foreign policy on human rights without altering core constitutional structures. It promotes consistent application of anti-trafficking standards across agencies and aid decisions, with built-in flexibility for security and humanitarian needs.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Cosponsors (2)
Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7], Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27]
Recent Actions
- 2025-06-24: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- 2025-06-24: Introduced in House
- 2025-06-24: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025 — issued 2025-06-24 — PDF (15 pages)