Marsha Blackburn Calls for Lawmakers to End Modern-Day Slavery at CPAC's 3rd Annual International Summit Against Human Trafficking

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) described human trafficking as "modern-day slavery," a $270 billion global industry affecting every community in the United States at CPAC’s 3rd Annual International Summit Against Human Trafficking. Blackburn estimated that 1 million individuals are victims of human trafficking nationwide, stating, “It is in every state, it is in every town, it is in every single community.” Blackburn praised South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem for her work addressing the cyber aspects of trafficking and emphasized the urgency of legislative and community action to combat this crisis, noting that over 10,000 children have been rescued, but 300,000 remain unaccounted for under the Biden administration.

Blackburn highlighted recent legislative achievements, including the Report Act, signed into law last year, which mandates social media platforms to report child sexual abuse material and trafficking to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). She also discussed the End Child Trafficking Now Act, included in broader legislation, which requires DNA testing for unaccompanied minors at U.S. ports of entry to prevent re-trafficking, a procedure the Biden administration discontinued because it took “too much time.” Additionally, the Prince Act aims to use fingerprinting to track children at ports, while the Gracie Act seeks to mandate the recording of Child Protective Services interviews to spare victims from repeatedly reliving trauma. Blackburn called for a national trafficking repository to analyze patterns and locate missing children, criticizing the absence of such a system.

To further combat human trafficking, Blackburn introduced the Trafficking and Transportation Act, which places signs with resource phone numbers in truck stops, ports, and public areas, and the Save the Girls Act, which provides grants to local law enforcement for rescue operations. She stressed the role of social media in connecting children with drug dealers, pedophiles, and traffickers, urging greater accountability for platforms. “Let’s end the practice of human trafficking!” Blackburn declared, rallying support for continued legislative and community efforts to protect vulnerable populations and dismantle trafficking networks.