Sponsors (8)
The bill strengthens U.S. efforts to prevent and expose trafficking—improving protections, oversight, and continuity of anti‑trafficking programs—at the cost of added compliance burdens, possible reductions or delays in some international aid, diplomatic leverage tradeoffs, and funding/administrative uncertainty for grantees and agencies.
People in vulnerable communities (including migrants and low-income groups) in countries receiving U.S. international assistance will face lower risks of forced labor and exploitation because multilateral projects and U.S. disaster aid must include trafficking risk assessments and mitigation measures.
Americans (via Congress and taxpayers) will get better oversight and transparency of U.S. anti‑trafficking policy through required GAO/Treasury/State briefings, reporting on TIP tier changes, explanations for presidential waivers, and public or classified disclosures tied to grant programs.
Nonprofit service providers and local/state partners will be able to continue delivering anti‑trafficking services because authorizations and grant authorities are renewed and reauthorized for the coming years, reducing the risk of program lapses.
People in low‑income countries and beneficiaries of development projects may receive less or slower aid because the bill authorizes withholding non‑humanitarian/non‑trade assistance and directing U.S. votes against loans, which can reduce financing for some development projects.
U.S. diplomacy and bilateral cooperation could be constrained because tighter automatic withholding, voting directions, and greater public scrutiny of waiver explanations can reduce U.S. leverage and complicate relations with partner governments.
Anti‑trafficking nonprofits and state/local partners face funding risk and uncertainty because the $37.5 million annual cap could limit program capacity if demand exceeds it, and authorized levels still require appropriations so funding may not be provided.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Requires MDB projects in high‑risk countries to include counter‑trafficking risk mitigation, tightens U.S. assistance rules, increases briefings and GAO review, and updates program authorizations with a $37.5M cap for modern slavery programs.
Introduced August 1, 2025 by James Risch · Last progress August 1, 2025
Directs U.S. officials to push multilateral development banks to build anti‑trafficking risk assessment and mitigation into projects in countries flagged for serious trafficking concerns, and requires the Treasury Secretary to coordinate with State on that effort. It tightens U.S. policy to avoid assistance that increases trafficking during disasters, expands congressional briefings and GAO review of U.S. anti‑trafficking work at multilateral banks, and updates and extends authorization amounts and timeframes for several anti‑trafficking grant programs while capping funds for “programs to end modern slavery.” Also mandates faster State Department briefings after each annual Trafficking in Persons report and after any waiver decisions, increasing congressional oversight of country designations and waiver justifications.