Govwatch

Introduced

In Committee

3

Passed One Chamber

4

Passed Both

5

Signed into Law

Sponsor

Christopher H. Smith

Republican · NJ · Representative

Votes with party: 96.5% (548 recorded votes)

Full profile: /officials/S000522

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

Cosponsors (23)

Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.

Latest Action

The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

2025-07-22

Source: Congress.gov

Committee Activity

Currently in

House Committee on Foreign AffairsMarkup By · 2025-07-22
House Committee on the JudiciaryReferred To · 2025-02-07
House Committee on Education and WorkforceReferred To · 2025-02-07

Previously

Foreign Affairs CommitteeMarkup By · 2025-07-22
Judiciary CommitteeReferred To · 2025-02-07
Foreign Affairs CommitteeReferred To · 2025-02-07
House Committee on Foreign AffairsReferred To · 2025-02-07
Education and Workforce CommitteeReferred To · 2025-02-07

Plain-English Summary

Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025 This bill reauthorizes programs and activities that combat international trafficking; establishes a new program to help victims of trafficking; and updates various elements of the federal framework to combat international trafficking. Specifically, this bill reauthorizes through FY2029 programs and activities at various federal departments and agencies to combat international trafficking and reduce the prevalence of modern slavery. The bill also reauthorizes International Megan’s Law through FY2029. Among its provisions, the law requires sex offenders to provide certain information about their intended travel outside of the United States. Additionally, the bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to carry out a new program to help victims of trafficking integrate or reintegrate into society. The bill requires the Department of State's Trafficking in Persons Report to include information about trafficking in persons for the purposes of organ removal. With respect to country rankings for anti-trafficking efforts, the bill narrows the types of countries that are listed on the Tier 2 Watch List and increases the length of time a country may remain on the Tier 2 Watch List after being downgraded to the lowest ranking and then reinstated to the watch list. (The Tier 2 Watch List refers to countries that are making efforts to meet international standards for combatting human trafficking but still have a significant number of severe trafficking cases.) Finally, the bill requires counter-trafficking strategies, activities, and efforts to be further incorporated into U.S. foreign assistance.

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

Subjects

Crime and Law Enforcement

Full bill text is not yet cached locally.

Open text view Read on Congress.gov

Related legislation

Bills by the same sponsor or covering overlapping subjects.

HR9085Tibet Atrocities Determination Act
Referred to Committee · 2026-06-02
HR4348To reauthorize the Kay Hagan Tick Act, and for other purposes.
Reported by Committee · 2026-05-21
HR5160Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2025
Referred to Committee · 2026-05-21
HRES1279Supporting the designation of the month of May as "Lyme and Tick-borne Disease Awareness Month".
Referred to Committee · 2026-05-13