Members of the U.S. Senate are making a mockery of important legislation to help victims of human trafficking. If Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., doesn’t intervene, he risks much-deserved criticism his caucus is bandying women’s health issues around for political
Members of the U.S. Senate are making a mockery of important legislation to help victims of human trafficking. If Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., doesn’t intervene, he risks much-deserved criticism his caucus is bandying women’s health issues around for political gain.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, poisoned the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, a bill that had near universal support, by sneaking anti-abortion language into the measure.
The change would ban federal funds from being used to cover certain health care services for trafficking victims, mostly elective abortions. This new restriction provoked strong opposition from other senators. They rightly stopped the bill from advancing to a floor vote.
The abortion provision is an unnecessary intrusion into the rights and privacy of victims already struggling with the trauma of being forced to work against their will as laborers, including in the sex industry. In many cases, these people have suffered rape and other violence. An essential part of their recovery must include access to the full range of reproductive health services. A 2014 Loyola University Chicago law school study revealed that 75 percent of victims surveyed had gotten pregnant while being trafficked.
Tucking abortion restrictions into an anti-trafficking measure has nothing to do with saving people from slavery and everything to do with widening the political gulf between an already divided chamber.
Adding to the dysfunction, Senate Republicans say they will hold up the nomination of U.S. attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch until this anti-trafficking bill is passed. Doing so would only add fire to the caucus’ growing reputation as being anti-women.
Senate leadership should drop the abortion provision that threatens to derail the entire measure. Instead, they should pass the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which already has bipartisan support.
Remember the purpose is to punish traffickers and help their victims recover.
