WHEREAS, human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery. Juveniles used for commercial sex acts and all persons used for labor and commercial sex acts by force, fraud, and coercion are victims of human trafficking; and

WHEREAS, approximately 600,000 to 800,000 victims annually are trafficked across international borders worldwide, and between 14,500 and 17,500 of those victims are trafficked into the United States according to the U.S. Department of State; and

WHEREAS, victims of human trafficking are young children, teenagers, women and men; and

WHEREAS, victims of human trafficking exist in towns and communities throughout the United States, in a $13 billion-per-year global industry, according to State Department estimates - including $7 billion in the illicit-sex industry; and

WHEREAS, in 2003, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) was signed into law; and

WHEREAS, Title II of the TVPRA which addresses the needs of domestic victims, has been significantly under funded impeding the ability of programs and services to be offered to domestic victims,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors urges that Title II of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act be fully funded so that critical programs can be offered to domestic victims of human trafficking; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors urges funding be included in the FY 2008 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to fund the biennial survey of the unlawful commercial sex industry so that cities and towns can have the data they need to successfully combat human trafficking; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors applauds the efforts of the Department of Health and Human Services' Rescue and Restore Campaign which promotes public awareness about trafficking and the protections available for trafficking victims and urges that this program be expanded; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that every effort be made to raise the awareness of the horror and inhumanity of human trafficking and the harm done by sex traffickers to victims, families and the community.