Washington, D.C.– Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-04) reintroduced legislation that would protect victims of sex trafficking by encouraging states to adopt ‘Safe Harbor’ laws that classify minors involved in sex trafficking as victims, not criminals. The bill, H.R. 159, the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking (SETT) Act builds on the work that a number of states – including Minnesota – have done to combat sex trafficking. Similar legislation passed the House last Congress unanimously, but Senate leadership failed to bring the bill up for a vote.Studies have estimated that more than 100,000 children in the United State are exploited every year through sex trafficking. SETT is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police.

Congressman Paulsen also sent a letter to President Obama asking him to discuss human trafficking in this year’s State of the Union address. Paulsen’s guest for the State of the Union address will be Minneapolis Police Sergeant Grant Snyder, a leader in Minnesota’s law enforcement community on the issue who is now working almost exclusively on building relationships between local law enforcement and at-risk youth to prevent them from becoming involved in sex trafficking.

“Best practices prove that safe harbor laws work by empowering victims and providing tools for law enforcement to bring traffickers to justice,” said Paulsen. “By bringing these young children out of the shadows, we can get them the services they need and better combat this crime that infiltrates our communities.”  

“Sex trafficking knows no borders or geographic distinctions,” said Moore. “This is a pressing issue that impacts the lives of women, girls, and their families in communities around the world. Although we have made the first step in identifying this problem in the United States, we have yet to adequately develop the infrastructure necessary to effectively support these victims and expose the criminals who force them into what can only be described as modern-day slavery. Our legislation not only addresses these gaps, but also provides a valuable platform for victims to escape this tragic fate.”

Last year, Paulsen and Moore authored an article in Roll Call that explains the importance of passing the SETT Act. In addition, Paulsen had another piece of anti-sex trafficking legislation signed into law last year that reforms the child welfare and foster care systems – a common place traffickers look for victims.

Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus.

For more information on Congressman Paulsen’s work in Congress visit paulsen.house.gov. 

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