The State Department Trafficking in Persons Office is the nerve center of U.S. anti-trafficking efforts worldwide. A bill under consideration by the Senate—S. 1249—would elevate the TIP Office to the status of a Bureau—giving its leaders more authority within the State Department and elevating the issue of slavery to the status of other important diplomatic concerns. 

In July, the House of Representatives passed the House version of this bill, H.R.2283.  Now, we need the Senate to take up the bill before this legislation can be enacted. Please urge Wisconsin Senators Baldwin and Johnson to co-sponsor this important legislation.

Dear Senators Johnson and Baldwin,

The State Department’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Office is leading the U.S. fight against slavery internationally. The TIP Office administers a small grants program to support anti-slavery initiatives around the world, and also issues our government’s annual TIP Report, which ranks 188 countries on their efforts to combat slavery. This critical tool allows the U.S. to leverage its diplomatic power to encourage other countries to improve their anti-slavery efforts.

This office speaks up for the most marginalized people on the planet—their voice needs to be as powerful as it can possibly be. Please support upgrading the TIP Office to a State Department Bureau by co-sponsoring S.1249, the Human Trafficking Prioritization Act. This cost-free change will not create additional bureaucracy but will contribute significantly to the U.S. fight against modern-day slavery. HR 2283, the companion bill in the House, passed without a dissenting voice or vote in July, and the Senate bill carries the support of 35 Senators from across the political spectrum.

The American people’s passion to end slavery in our lifetime grows exponentially every year; your Wisconsin constituents are no exception. We are sure that you share our conviction that human trafficking is one of the most urgent human rights challenges of our time. Please lend your support to sharpen America’s tools to combat it.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]