WASHINGTON, D.C. – On December 23, 2008, President George W. Bush signed the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act into law. President Bush was joined in the Oval Office by anti-trafficking leaders including IJM President and CEO Gary Haugen; Congressman Bobby Scott; Congressman Chris Smith; Attorney General Michael Mukasey; Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff; Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte; Dr. Kevin Bales, President of Free the Slaves; and Bradley Myles, Deputy Director, Polaris Project.

The William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, which increased funding for the U.S. Department of State’s Global Trafficking in Persons office (G/TIP) and established several critical policy reforms, was unanimously reauthorized by Congress on December 10, International Human Rights Day. Learn more about the bill.

Above, IJM founder Gary Haugen (center left) joins President Bush, executive officials, congressmen and other NGO leaders as the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act is signed into law. Image: White House Photo