§7103b Survivors of Human Trafficking Empowerment Act

Summary

Creates the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking to give advice to the Senior Policy Operating Group and the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking. The Council will have between 8 and 14 members who are survivors of human trafficking. Members should, when possible, reflect different survivor experiences, including sex and labor trafficking, and include U.S. citizens and people lawfully in the United States. The President must appoint the members within 180 days after May 29, 2015. Each member serves for 2 years and may be reappointed once for another 2-year term. The Council is a non-governmental advisory body that must meet at least once a year and review federal policies and programs, including victim services. It will be a point of contact for agencies that want survivor input, make recommendations based on best practices, and meet with the Senior Policy Operating Group at least yearly, presenting its findings to the Group no later than 45 days before a meeting with the Task Force. The Council must send a report within 1 year after May 29, 2015 and every year after until the date in subsection (h) to the Task Force chair, Group members, and specific House and Senate committees (House: Foreign Affairs; Homeland Security; Appropriations; Judiciary. Senate: Foreign Relations; Appropriations; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; Judiciary). Council members are not federal employees, but they may get travel expenses and per diem under federal travel rules and may be paid for days they actually work for the Council. The Council is not covered by the Federal Advisory Committee Act.