Bill Summary
The "Ensuring Accountability and Dignity in Government Contracting Act of 2025" aims to enhance protections against human trafficking within government contracting processes. Key provisions of the bill include:
1. **Compliance Plan Requirements**: It mandates that recipients of government contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements must certify their compliance with anti-trafficking laws at the time of certification and upon request. Additionally, if a recipient discovers any trafficking-related activities during the agreement's term, they must promptly report these incidents to the relevant authorities.
2. **Investigation Protocols**: The bill establishes that if a trafficking incident is reported, the Inspector General must investigate the circumstances and the actions taken to remedy the situation. If a recipient takes appropriate corrective actions, the Inspector General is required to inform agency leadership about the resolution.
3. **Reporting and Training Assessments**: The Director of the Office of Management and Budget is tasked with reporting within 18 months on the feasibility of several measures, including assessing contractor compliance with anti-trafficking plans for higher-risk categories and regions, streamlining reporting processes for federal trafficking laws, and ensuring contracting personnel receive training on anti-trafficking responsibilities.
Overall, the legislation seeks to strengthen accountability and oversight in government contracting to prevent human trafficking and protect the dignity of individuals involved.
Possible Impacts
The "Ensuring Accountability and Dignity in Government Contracting Act of 2025" aims to strengthen the measures against human trafficking within the context of government contracting. Here are three examples of how this legislation could affect people:
1. **Increased Protection for Workers**:
The act mandates compliance plans and incident reporting requirements for government contractors. This means that workers in industries reliant on government contracts, such as construction or manufacturing, may experience greater protection against exploitation and trafficking. If these workers or their representatives report any suspected trafficking activities, prompt investigations will be initiated, potentially leading to a safer work environment.
2. **Greater Accountability for Contractors**:
By imposing stricter requirements for reporting and investigating trafficking incidents, the legislation holds government contractors more accountable for the actions of their subcontractors and agents. This could lead to a shift in how companies operate, ensuring they prioritize ethical practices and transparency. Consequently, individuals working under these contracts might see improved labor conditions and a reduction in the risk of trafficking-related abuses.
3. **Enhanced Training and Awareness**:
The act requires federal agencies to ensure that contracting personnel receive training on anti-trafficking policies and their responsibilities. This training could lead to increased awareness and sensitivity regarding trafficking issues among federal employees, which in turn could foster a culture of vigilance and responsibility. As a result, individuals who might otherwise fall victim to trafficking could receive better support and intervention from knowledgeable agency personnel.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 426 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 426
To provide for modifications to ending trafficking in government
contracting, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 5, 2025
Mr. Lankford (for himself, Ms. Klobuchar, and Ms. Hassan) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for modifications to ending trafficking in government
contracting, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ensuring Accountability and Dignity
in Government Contracting Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. MODIFICATIONS TO ENDING TRAFFICKING IN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING.
(a) Compliance Plan and Certification Requirement.--Section 1703 of
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (22 U.S.C.
7104a) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c), by striking ``upon request'' and
inserting ``at the time each certification required under
subsection (a) is made and upon request''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(e) Incident Reporting.--If, after a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement is provided or entered into, the duly designated
representative of the recipient determines that the recipient,
subcontractor or subgrantee, or agent of the recipient or of a
subcontractor or subgrantee has engaged in any of the activities
described in section 106(g) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act
of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7104(g)) during the term of the grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement, the representative shall promptly submit to the
relevant contracting or grant officer a report that describes the
circumstances relating to such activities and the remedial actions
taken to address such activities.''.
(b) Monitoring and Investigation of Trafficking in Persons.--
Section 1704 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2013 (22 U.S.C. 7104b) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(2), by inserting after the first
sentence the following: ``In the event that a duly designated
representative of the recipient submits a report described in
section 1703(e), the Inspector General shall conduct an
investigation of the activities and remedial actions described
in the report.'';
(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following:
``If the rationale for not completing an investigation includes
that a recipient acknowledged the activity occurred and has,
according to the Inspector General, taken appropriate
corrective action to remediate it, the Inspector General shall
notify the head of the executive agency that awarded the
contract, grant, or cooperative agreement and the relevant
agency suspension and debarment official.''; and
(3) in subsection (c)(1)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)--
(i) by striking ``, as amended by section
1702,'' and inserting ``or failed to take
appropriate corrective action to address such
activities,''; and
(ii) by inserting ``, suspend payments
under the grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement until the recipient has taken
appropriate remedial action,'' after
``debarment official'';
(B) by striking subparagraph (C); and
(C) by redesignating subparagraphs (D), (E), and
(F) as subparagraphs (C), (D), and (E), respectively.
SEC. 3. OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET REPORT.
Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall submit
to Congress a report on the feasibility of--
(1) amending section 1703 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (22 U.S.C. 7104a), as
amended by section 2(a) of this Act, to require contracting
officials, including those at the Department of Homeland
Security, the Department of Defense, the Department of State,
and the United States Agency for International Development, to
assess compliance of contractor anti-trafficking plans for
product and service categories and geographic locations that
Federal agencies identify as higher risk for human trafficking;
(2) streamlining agency reporting required by Federal
trafficking victims protection laws to promote efficiency while
meeting congressional information needs; and
(3) requiring Federal agencies, such as the Department of
Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the Department of
State, and the United States Agency for International
Development, to track and report whether contracting personnel
have taken anti-trafficking acquisition training explaining
their responsibilities to combat human trafficking.
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