Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Smith (NJ)
In Committee
Summary
Strengthens survivor services and tightens foreign‑assistance rules to fight human trafficking. It reauthorizes and expands prevention, survivor support, international tiering and reporting, and funding through FY2029.
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- Domestic survivors gain a new HHS employment and education program that funds scholarships, case management, expungement help, job training, and recovery services. Services are limited to a five‑year cumulative period per beneficiary.
- International policy changes tighten withholding of nonhumanitarian, nontrade‑related foreign assistance to central governments until they meet trafficking standards and add reporting on trafficking for organ removal. The law also requires the annual Trafficking in Persons report be available in printed hardcopy.
- Funding and grants are rebased and extended for FY2025–2029, raising the main TVPA annual baseline to $23.0 million. The bill also requires competitive awards and dedicates $5.0 million per year for the National Human Trafficking Hotline, cybersecurity, and public education.
*Authorizes higher annual federal funding for TVPA programs through FY2029, increasing authorized federal spending compared with prior baselines.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More funding for victim services and housing
The bill would authorize victim-service funding for FY2025–FY2029: $23 million (subsection a); $30.755 million (subsection b), including $5 million for the National Human Trafficking Hotline and cybersecurity and public education; $111 million (subsection c)(1); and $35 million for housing grants. No more than $37.5 million each year could go to programs to end modern slavery. These are authorizations and would need later appropriations. The authority would end September 30, 2029.
New job and school help for survivors
If enacted, HHS would start a Frederick Douglass program to help adult trafficking survivors get education and jobs. If you are 18 or older and eligible under TVPA section 107(b), you could enroll. Services could include literacy, ESL, job training, high school or certificates, college help and scholarships, case management, coaching, expungement help, and help getting mental health funds. You could receive services for up to 5 years total. HHS would run this through agreements with qualified organizations, if Congress funds it.
New trafficking report details and watch list
The bill would add organ-removal trafficking details to the annual Trafficking in Persons report. It would rename the “special watch list” to the “Tier 2 watch list,” update the criteria, and apply special rules to countries that stay on it for more than two years. A printed hardcopy of the report would have to be available to the public. These changes would start with the first full reporting period after enactment.
Stronger anti-trafficking rules for foreign aid
The bill would withhold some nonhumanitarian, nontrade U.S. aid from a country's central government until the first fiscal year after it meets minimum standards or shows strong efforts against trafficking. It would also block U.S. funding for officials from those governments to join some exchange programs during that time. Many exceptions would apply, including certain narcotics, disaster, health, migration, and NGO-delivered aid. Some arms sales would be covered, with limited exceptions and notice. The bill would also require U.S. aid planning to avoid raising trafficking risks for disaster-affected people and to add protections in program design.
Key anti-trafficking programs extended to 2029
The bill would extend the Program to End Modern Slavery through 2029. All grants would have to be competitive and follow normal congressional notice, with reports due by September 30, 2025 and September 30, 2029. It would also extend authorizations for International Megan’s Law for FY2025–FY2029, ending September 30, 2029.
School grants to prevent trafficking
The bill would refocus school prevention grants on areas with high child sex or labor trafficking. Districts that partner with nonprofits, law enforcement, and tech or social media companies could get extra priority. The program would require survivor input, trainer development, and data on at-risk students. A report would be due within 540 days and every year after.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Smith (NJ)
NJ • R
Cosponsors
Mfume
MD • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
McCaul
TX • R
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Salazar
FL • R
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Jack
GA • R
Sponsored 2/14/2025
Cuellar
TX • D
Sponsored 2/14/2025
Wilson (SC)
SC • R
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Del. Radewagen, Aumua Amata Coleman [R-AS-At Large]
AS • R
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Valadao
CA • R
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Wagner
MO • R
Sponsored 3/5/2025
Moore (UT)
UT • R
Sponsored 3/5/2025
Sherman
CA • D
Sponsored 7/22/2025
Vindman
VA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
McBride
DE • D
Sponsored 8/26/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 9/8/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Whitesides
CA • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Quigley
IL • D
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Doggett
TX • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Harrigan
NC • R
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Lynch
MA • D
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Johnson (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Mackenzie
PA • R
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Luna
FL • R
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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