§7103b Survivors of Human Trafficking Empowerment Act

Summary

Creates a U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking made up of trafficking survivors to give advice to the Senior Policy Operating Group and the President’s Interagency Task Force. The council must have between 8 and 14 members who are survivors. Members should reflect different survivor backgrounds, including survivors of sex and labor trafficking and survivors who are U.S. citizens or lawful immigrants. The President must appoint members within 180 days after May 29, 2015. Each member serves a 2-year term and may be reappointed once for another 2 years. The council is a nongovernmental advisory body. It must meet at least once a year to review federal policies and programs on trafficking and victim services, act as a contact for federal agencies seeking survivor input, and make recommendations based on best practices. It must meet with the Group at least annually and, when presenting to the Task Force, meet the Group no later than 45 days before the Task Force meeting. Starting no later than 1 year after May 29, 2015 and each year after until the date in subsection (h), the council must send an annual report to the Task Force chair, the Group members, and the House and Senate committees on foreign affairs, homeland security, appropriations, and the judiciary. Council members are not federal employees. They may get travel pay, per diem, and may be paid for days they work for the council. The council is not covered by the Federal Advisory Committee Act.