Here is the issue:

The coercion and abduction of young women and girls for purposes of prostitution is a violation of fundamental human rights that occurs around the world.  It has been estimated that more than a million women and young girls are forced into this brutal trade each year. Although this practice occurs in many countries, there are several notorious for permitting sex-trafficking, such as Thailand and Burma.  Young women -- often from rural, poverty stricken areas -- are sold by their parents or kidnapped and sent to larger cities to be kept in slave-like conditions in huge and highly profitable brothels.

To help bring pressure on those nations which allow sex-trafficking to flourish, members of Congress are sponsoring a resolution decrying the practice and asking the federal government to undertake a number of initiatives to stop certain practices.  The resolution would require that the State Department investigate and combat trafficking.  It also to urges the State Department work with the Thai government to help them strictly enforce their anti-trafficking law and to stop the police collusion that appears to help perpetuate the evil trade.
 
The Anti-Trafficking Resolution is sponsored in the House by Rep. Louise Slaughter ( D-NY) (House Concurrent Resolution 114) as well as in the Senate by Sens. Paul Wellstone (DMN) and Dianne Feinstein (S.Con.Res. 82).  The Senate resolution has made some progress; it was voted unanimously out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last July.  The Republican and Democratic cloakrooms in the Senate also have agreed to clear it for unanimous consent passage by the Senate. But pressure needs to be brought on Senate leadership to move the measure to a floor vote. We must encourage Senator Lott to take up the resolution immediately.  Additionally, the House resolution is still stuck in the House Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), chair.

Unless the Senate or House moves on the matter, this issue may not be addresses until the new Congress comes in next year.  Such delay will only further extend the period of time in which women who suffer the human rights abuses associated with trafficking continue to go without assistance or recognition.

How you can help:

Please call your Republican senators as soon as possible and urge them to ask Senator Lott to take action on S. Con. Res. 82.  A vote needs to be scheduled in the Senate in the few remaining days before adjournment.  House activity might be spurred by calls to your representative. Have him or her contact Rep. Chris Smith and urge him to report out H.Con. R. 114 for a floor vote before the House adjourns.

Further information on the issue is available by connecting with Rep. Slaughter's website at http://www.house.gov/slaughter/leg-record/hcon114.htm

You can reach the Congressional switchboard by calling (202)224-3121 and ask them to connect you with your senator's or representatives office.  Or visit the website http://www.visi.com/juan/congress.

You may also want to call the White House and urge President Clinton to direct that the State Department undertake the actions which are specified in the resolutions.  The White House main number is (202) 456-1414.

Thank you for your efforts.