Sex Trafficking Demand Reduction Act

Bill Number

H.R. 9043

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

International Affairs

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-05-26: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Last Updated

2026-07-10T08:05:49Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose The legislation amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to strengthen U.S. evaluations of foreign countries' anti-trafficking efforts by adding explicit requirements to reduce demand for commercial sex acts.

Key Provisions

• Replaces the existing paragraph (12) in section 108(b) of the Act with new language requiring governments to make "serious and sustained efforts" in three areas:
• Prohibiting or implementing policies against the purchase of commercial sex acts, depending on whether the central government has authority.
• Educating buyers of commercial sex about how traffickers exploit individuals.
• Reducing demand for international sex tourism by the country's nationals.
• Applies the new standards to all trafficking determinations made on or after the date of enactment.

Significant Changes to Existing Law This bill updates the minimum standards used to assess foreign countries' compliance with anti-trafficking requirements. The prior version of paragraph (12) is replaced entirely, shifting emphasis toward demand reduction and buyer education rather than only general anti-trafficking measures.

Potential Impacts

• U.S. government agencies, particularly the Department of State, will apply stricter criteria when ranking countries on trafficking efforts, which can influence foreign aid decisions and diplomatic relations.
• Foreign governments may face pressure to enact or enforce laws targeting sex buyers and sex tourism.
• Citizens in affected countries could see new public education campaigns or policy changes related to commercial sex.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Foreign national governments subject to U.S. trafficking rankings.
• The U.S. Department of State and other federal agencies involved in trafficking assessments.
• Individuals involved in commercial sex markets abroad, including potential buyers and victims of trafficking.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The amendment focuses U.S. foreign policy on demand-side measures in human trafficking without altering domestic U.S. law. It may lead to more countries being placed on watch lists or facing aid restrictions if they do not address buyer behavior, potentially affecting international cooperation on trafficking issues.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Wagner, Ann [R-MO-2]

Cosponsors (7)

Rep. Foxx, Virginia [R-NC-5], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. James, John [R-MI-10], Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27], Rep. Timmons, William R. [R-SC-4], Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large], Rep. McDowell, Addison P. [R-NC-6]

Recent Actions

• 2026-05-26: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
• 2026-05-26: Introduced in House
• 2026-05-26: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Sex Trafficking Demand Reduction Act — issued 2026-05-26 — PDF (3 pages)