Blackburn, Cortez Masto Introduce Legislation to Crack Down on Human Trafficking in Transportation Industry

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced the Trafficker Restrictions for Aviation, Federal Freight, and Interstate Carriers (TRAFFIC) Act, which would strengthen federal efforts to combat human trafficking by ensuring that individuals convicted of human trafficking crimes are permanently prohibited from holding any professional transportation license issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS):

"Human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing illicit industries, and anyone convicted of these despicable offenses should be permanently barred from holding a federally issued transportation license," said Senator Blackburn. "Our bipartisan TRAFFIC Act would strengthen federal law to better prevent and combat human trafficking and expand protections for vulnerable individuals."

"I have been fighting against human trafficking since my time as Nevada's Attorney General," said Senator Cortez Masto. "Transportation workers should be focused on safety and security. People who have been convicted of human trafficking should never be allowed to fly commercial planes or conduct passenger trains - it's just common sense."

BACKGROUND

• DOT's Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking's 2024 report estimates that the exploitation of victims of commercial sex and forced labor across all modes of transportation generates $150 billion in illicit profits annually.

• Human trafficking is not confined solely to commercial motor vehicles, and the law must be updated to expand lifetime bans of transportation credentials to all modes of transportation.

THE TRAFFIC ACT

• The TRAFFIC Act would close existing gaps in federal law to include lifetime bans for all federally regulated transportation credentials.

• The TRAFFIC Act would reinforce protections for vulnerable individuals, strengthen interagency coordination within DOT, and ensure that America's transportation workforce upholds the highest ethical and safety standards.

ENDORSEMENTS

The TRAFFIC Act is endorsed by the Association of American Railroads and the American Trucking Association:

"The American Trucking Associations is proud to be a leader in the fight against the scourge of human trafficking. Nearly a decade ago, we endorsed a law banning anyone convicted of this horrific crime from operating a commercial motor vehicle. Now it is time for the rail, aviation, and maritime industries to be a part of the solution. We applaud Senators Blackburn and Cortez Masto for introducing this bipartisan bill that would close loopholes for licensed positions across our transportation network in order to crack down on predators and protect vulnerable individuals," said American Trucking Association SVP of Legislative Affairs, Henry Hanscom.

RELATED

• Blackburn Urges DHS to Combat Migrant Child Trafficking by Utilizing Critical Resources She Secured in the One Big Beautiful Bill

• Blackburn, Klobuchar Introduce Bill to Help Rescue More Victims of Human Trafficking

• Blackburn, Ossoff Introduce Bill to Help Rescue Children from Violence by Recording Child Protective Services Interviews

Click here for bill text.