Blog February 20, 2024

House overwhelmingly passes Fredrick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act

Written By castla

In a landslide vote of 414-11, the House of Representatives passed comprehensive legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to reauthorize the Trafficking Victims Protection Act for five years and strengthen and expand successful anti-trafficking programs to bolster the fight against modern-day slavery.

“This critical legislation reauthorizes funding for FY2024 through 2028—a total of five years—to continue current year enacted appropriation and authorization levels to enhance programs, strengthen laws, and add accountability,” said Smith, who authored the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and four subsequent anti-trafficking laws.

Named in honor of the renowned abolitionist Frederick Douglass, Smith’s bill—the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act (HR 5856)—now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to garner broad consensus.

You can view the press release and video by clicking on the link provided here.

Related Posts

geometric pattern
May 22, 2026

What The New York Times Magazine Got Wrong About Human Trafficking — and Why Law Enforcement Are Not Survivors’ Saviors

Last fall, The New York Times Magazine published a story about the “Blade,” a stretch of Figueroa Street in Los Angeles where sex work and trafficking, including the exploitation of...

geometric pattern
May 20, 2026

Figueroa Street and the Ethical Duty of Care

Looking back at a New York Times magazine story to examine what responsible coverage of sex trafficking looks like—and what it doesn’t.

geometric pattern
May 4, 2026

Cast Receives Nearly $1 Million from The Douglas Foundation to Strengthen 24/7 Emergency Hotline and Response Services for Survivors of Human Trafficking

LOS ANGELES (May 4, 2026) —The Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (Cast), the largest direct service provider supporting survivors of human trafficking in the U.S., today announced it has...