Chairman Risch Applauds State Department’s Annual Trafficking in Persons Report

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of State released its 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report:

“I applaud the State Department’s release of the 2020 Trafficking in Persons report today. Human trafficking is a serious, global issue that affects an estimated 25 million people.

“Unfortunately, this report highlights that there is still much work to be done to ensure we put an end to this systemic problem. Countries like China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and many others are examples of environments that allow traffickers to exploit women and children.

“However, we must also commend countries making significant improvements in prevention, protection and prosecution, like Singapore, Bangladesh, South Africa, Costa Rica, and several others. Our partnership with these nations helps to rid the world of this systemic problem and aids in the security of the United States.

“I applaud the State Department for its hard work on this vital diplomatic tool and look forward to continuing to work with our diplomats at home and abroad, as well as my colleagues in Congress, on this very important issue.”

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