Congressman Chris Smith Acknowledges Hotels That Fight Human Trafficking

Representatives of the Junior Leagues of NJ State Public Affairs Committee meet with Rep Chris Smith during the NJ Chamber’s Congressional Dinner. Click on photo for info on JL-NJSPAC’s anti-human trafficking efforts

During his remarks to the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce’s 82nd Walk to Washington Congressional Dinner, Congressman Chris Smith acknowledged five hotel chains for their leadership in fighting human trafficking; Hilton, Carlson, Radisson, Wyndham and Marriott.

Smith introduced legislation yesterday, H.R.1427, which will require that hotels that fight human trafficking be preferred vendors for federal government travel.

Smith remarks to the Chamber, as prepared for delivery, follow:

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Smith’s new legislation will fight human trafficking in the hotel industry

Congressman Smith addressed the 9th annual NJ Human Trafficking and Awareness Event on January 25, 2019 in Trenton

Legislation introduced by Congressman Chris Smith on Thursday will require that U.S. government travel business be prioritized to hotels that have strong anti-human trafficking policies in place.

“U.S. government travelers should be staying at hotels that are part of the solution to human trafficking, not part of the problem,” Smith said. “Six of the 10 major hotels chains in the world have taken the initiative to train their staff to recognize and report when human traffickers use their hotels for crime.  These are the hotels that deserve U.S. government business.”

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President Trump Signs Rep Smith’s Anti-Human Trafficking Bill

President Donald J. Trump signed Congressman Chris Smith’s latest Anti-Human Trafficking bill, “the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2018,” this evening before his national address from the Oval Office.

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Congressman Smith To Lead Dialogue With Russian Lawmakers

Congressman Chris Smith (R,NJ-4) is leading a congressional delegation in a bilateral meeting with Russian lawmakers, including  Pyotr Tolstoi, the Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma (parliament) during a four day conference which starts on Saturday, July 7, in Berlin.

The meeting is part of the 27th Annual Session of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Parliamentary Assembly.

The bilateral meeting with Russian lawmakers comes nine days before President Donald J. Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland.

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Congressman Smith’s Anti-Trafficking Law Used In Two Recent High-Profile Prosecutions

Congressman Chris Smith

Allison Mack of the TV series “Smallville,” and former Middletown Police Officer  James Keenan  are facing justice for their alleged human trafficking crimes thanks to a law conceived, championed and passed into law through the leadership and tenacity of Congressman Chris Smith.

Smith’s landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (PL 106-386) is the law being enforced in the recent high-profile indictment of a trafficking ring in New York that involved Mack and the indictment of Keenan on child sex trafficking charges.

“This law, the TVPA, sends a message to traffickers of the gravity of their offense,” Rep. Smith, co-chair of the Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus, stated.

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Feds take down Backpage.com, an online haven for sex ads

WASHINGTON — After a fight that pitted foes of sex trafficking against advocates of free internet speech, the Justice Department Friday seized the Backpage.com website and raided the home of its co-founder. The site, long a haven for sex ads, began shutting down Friday morning, as FBI agents began taking down a network of web pages… Read the rest of this entry »

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President Trump declares January National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

In case you missed it from mainstream media sources, President Donald J. Trump called on the country to combat slavery and human trafficking last week with his declaration that January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

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Trump backs Congressman Smith’s fight to end human trafficking

WASHINGTON — Rep. Chris Smith’s legislation to fight human trafficking was one of three bills on the subject passed Wednesday by the U.S. House. Smith’s bill would earmark $568 million over four years training hotel and airline employees on how to recognize when someone traveling is being held against their will to be used as a… Read the rest of this entry »

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Congressman Smith’s bill to protect minorities fleeing ISIS passes House

WASHINGTON — Legislation sponsored by a New Jersey GOP congressman to protect minorities in the Middle East from attacks by the Islamic State passed the U.S. House by voice vote Tuesday. The Iraq and Syria Relief and Accountability Act was sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.) in response to mass killings of minorities, including Christians… Read the rest of this entry »

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29 pimps, prostitutes in N.J. arrested in FBI child sex trafficking bust

NEWARK — More than two dozens pimps and prostitutes were arrested in New Jersey as part of an international sweep led by the FBI to crackdown on human trafficking, authorities said. In addition to the 29 arrests, a 17-year-old in New Jersey was rescued in what authorities called “Operation Cross Country X.” The FBI’s Philadelphia division… Read the rest of this entry »

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