In observance of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) appealed to Congressional leadership on January 11th to put partisan politics aside and reauthorize the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), which expired on September 30, 2011.

Enacted in 2000, the TVPA serves as our nation's law to protect survivors of trafficking and prosecute their traffickers. It has been successfully renewed three times by overwhelming bipartisan majorities. Yet despite efforts by the House and Senate to favorably move forward their versions of the 2011 reauthorization bill, we face an impasse for the first time since the law's inception.

ATEST's letter highlights the need for leadership to uphold its legacy of collaboration on this critical effort to end modern-day slavery, including support for programs that have made significant contributions to the fight against this heinous crime. This political development is not an outcome in the best interest of preventing trafficking, protecting survivors, and punishing traffickers.

Please contact Cory Smith, Senior Policy Advisor for ATEST, for additional information.