Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign Authorization Act

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House passed version is repeated here.)

Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign Authorization Act

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a program to be known as the Blue Campaign, the purpose of which shall be to unify and coordinate DHS efforts to address human trafficking.

The campaign director shall issue DHS-wide guidance to and develop training programs for appropriate DHS personnel, coordinate departmental efforts, and provide guidance and training on trauma-informed practices to ensure that human trafficking victims are afforded prompt access to victim support service providers and assistance to address their immediate and long-term needs.

Such campaign shall provide guidance and training to DHS personnel and other federal, state, tribal, and law enforcement personnel regarding:

• programs to help identify instances of human trafficking;
• the types of information that should be collected and recorded in DHS information technology systems to identify individuals suspected or convicted of human trafficking;
• systematic and routine information sharing within DHS and among federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies regarding such individuals and patterns and practices of human trafficking;
• techniques to identify suspected victims of trafficking along the U.S. border and at airport security checkpoints;
• methods to be used by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and personnel from other appropriate agencies to train TSA employees to identify suspected trafficking victims and to serve as a liaison and resource regarding human trafficking prevention to appropriate state, local, and private sector aviation workers and the traveling public;
• utilizing resources to educate partners and stakeholders and increase public awareness of human trafficking; and
• leveraging partnerships with state and local governmental, non-governmental, and private sector organizations to raise public awareness of human trafficking.

(Sec. 3) DHS shall: (1) ensure the integration of information technology systems utilized within DHS to record and track information regarding individuals suspected or convicted of human trafficking; and (2) report to Congress on the status and effectiveness of, and providing a recommendation regarding the appropriate office within DHS for, the Blue Campaign.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov