The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 is an amazing bill, originally supported by lawmakers from both parties. It would do much to help recovering girls and women forced into prostitution against their will.
But Senate Republicans are now suggesting that if they don't get their way on abortion rights language, they might not let the anti-human trafficking bill pass, ignoring these suffering women.
Think Progress reports that the bipartisan trafficking bill would "establish a fund to raise money for victims from the fees charged to traffickers," helping thousands of girls and women. But it turns out the bill's primary author, Texas Republican John Cornyn, hid a provision to expand what's known as "the Hyde Amendment," which bans support for women's reproductive health coverage.
Holding must-pass legislation and other popular bills hostage to pet amendments has become a common tactic for extremist Congressional Republicans. They shut down our federal government when they couldn't repeal the Affordable Care Act. They almost shut down the Department of Homeland Security when they couldn't get their way on immigration. And now they're saying it's their way on abortion or no new help for the victims of human trafficking.
Enough is enough. Tell Senate Republicans to stop subjecting the survivors of human trafficking to their pet demands and extremist gridlock! These women deserve better!
The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 is an amazing bill, originally supported by lawmakers from both parties. It would do much to help recovering girls and women forced into prostitution against their will.
But Senate Republicans are now suggesting that if you don't get their way on abortion rights language, you might not let the anti-human trafficking bill pass, ignoring these suffering women.
Don't let the thousands of women and girls who have survived human trafficking continue to suffer because of your failures. No more Congressional gridlock. I demand that you remove the Hyde Amendment language from this bill so that it will have a clear path to becoming a law!
[YOUR COMMENT HERE]
This is no ordinary use of the "Hyde Amendment". It expands the amendment's scope from taxes to fees and fines, and would apply for many years, not the amendment's typical year-long scope. Holding must-pass legislation and other popular bills hostage to pet amendments has become a common tactic for Congressional Republicans. Please don't use those tactics to hold up a human trafficking bill over abortion, too - the survivors deserve better.
A human trafficking bill is the wrong place to expand the abortion fight! Pass the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act without the Hyde Amendment!
Mettre À Jour #2il y a 9 ans
Great news - the anti-human-trafficking bill passed the Senate today, 99-0! Senators reached a deal where the bill still includes the anti-abortion "Hyde" restrictions most bills have, but those restrictions won't expand the way GOP wanted them too.
Thank you for signing and taking part in this important victory for the survivors of trafficking. Let's keep the momentum going - please add your name in support of the International Violence Against Women Act! http://bit.ly/1DCnOKE
Mettre À Jour #1il y a 9 ans
Jon Stewart devoted a third of Tuesday night's Daily Show to Congress' failure to pass the critical human trafficking bill. Now that a much wider audience knows about this important issue, it's the perfect time to give them something they can do about it - please email this petition to your friends and family today, and post it on Facebook!
You can also watch the Daily Show clip here (warning, foul language): http://on.cc.com/1MKziD3
