Washington D.C., Sep 17, 2010 / 00:50 am
Testifying before a House of Representatives subcommittee yesterday, Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) called for a harsher enforcement of laws against domestic trafficking of minors, which he referred to as a current “crisis” in the U.S.
The New Jersey congressman, who serves as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Human Trafficking, gave his remarks before the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security on Sept. 15.
“Driven by demand and fueled by the ease and secrecy of the internet,” he observed in his opening comments, “we are facing a crisis of child exploitation in this nation.”
The hearing occurred as Congress reviews legislation introduced in June by Rep. Smith and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), titled the Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2010 (H.R. 5575).