Get Involved Justice Campaigns News From Washington - August 2009 Justice Campaigns mobilizes people around the country in support of US policies that will lead to the abolition of sex trafficking and modern-day slavery and the creation of public justice systems abroad that protect the poor.
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| News From Washington - August 2009 | |
| PRINT | |
| Thursday, 06 August 2009 | |
Please Thank Senate and House Appropriations Leaders for their Commitment to Fight TraffickingBy Holly Burkhalter, Vice President for Government Relations I’ve been keeping a close watch on the progress of foreign assistance appropriations legislation as it moves through House and Senate Committees. The first, and arguably most important, stage of the process was completed last week with good outcomes for programs that IJM is particularly interested in – foreign assistance to confront trafficking and modern-day slavery. The State Department Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP) was created in the 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Since then, G/TIP has provided tens of millions of dollars worth of grants to organizations around the world, including funding IJM’s anti-trafficking work in India and the Philippines. In addition, the G/TIP office publishes the annual “Trafficking in Persons” report, which provides detailed and unvarnished information about the efforts (or lack thereof) to combat trafficking in more than 100 countries around the world. (View the 2009 TIP report.) To victims of slavery and trafficking in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, these additions can make the difference between life and death. They will fund such things as increased aftercare, shelter and education for little girls taken out of brothels; police training for anti-trafficking units, and travel for dedicated G/TIP staff who investigate slavery and trafficking and bring these crimes to the world’s attention.Raising the TIP Office’s budget is one of IJM’s top legislative priorities. More than 7,400 IJM friends around the U.S. added their names to a letter to President Obama, asking that resources for G/TIP be increased, which we delivered to his office in March. Unfortunately, the President’s budget did not increase this funding; the President requested approximately the same amount as did President Bush for 2008. Happily, the United States Congress is familiar with the good work of the G/TIP Office, and both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees that deal with foreign assistance appropriations added funds to President Obama’s request, which totaled $21.4 million for operations and grant-making. The House Appropriations Committee added a total of $4.8 million, and the Senate added $11.8 million. As we say in Washington, those amounts are so small they’re “pencil shavings” compared to most other government-funded accounts. But to victims of slavery and trafficking in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, these additions can make the difference between life and death. They will fund such things as increased aftercare, shelter and education for little girls taken out of brothels; police training for anti-trafficking units, and travel for dedicated G/TIP staff who investigate slavery and trafficking and bring these crimes to the world’s attention. As you know, Appropriations Committee staff members are bombarded with requests every year. And when their budgets are released, they receive plenty of complaints and criticism. What they don’t hear near enough of is “thank you” for work well done. For those of us who care about foreign assistance to combat slavery and trafficking, the staff and Members of both House and Senate Appropriations Committees deserve our gratitude and thanks. The heaviest lifting is done by the Chair and Ranking Minority member of the House and Senate Subcommittees on Foreign Operations. In the House, that is Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Representative Kay Granger (R-TX). In the Senate, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) chairs the Subcommittee; Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is the ranking Republican. The legislative process is by no means complete, but these public servants have started things off very well for one small office at the State Department that saves people’s lives. Please join me in sending a quick thank you note to the Democratic Chair and ranking Republican Member of the Appropriations Subcommittees on Foreign Operations. HOUSE
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