Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) cosponsored H.R.2268 – the Empowering Educators to Prevent Trafficking Act. This bipartisan legislation would make school districts and local education groups eligible to receive grant funding to train their teachers, administrators, school nurses, campus security, and other staff to recognize signs that a student is a victim or potential victim of trafficking.
“The heinous crime of human trafficking is far too prevalent and we must continue to aggressively combat this epidemic,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “Each year, hundreds of thousands are trafficked in the United States and roughly half of them are children. This important legislation would give our educators the necessary resources to recognize the signs of trafficking so that victims can get the help they need.”
The Empower Educators to Prevent Trafficking Act has been endorsed by the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, Polaris Project, the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking, the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking, and ECPAT-USA (Ending Child Slavery at the Source).
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