Senate

McConnell sets up vote on trafficking bill

by Jordain Carney - 04/14/15 10:34 PM ET

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) late Tuesday evening set up a procedural vote on a stalled bill to curb human trafficking.

The Kentucky Republican filed cloture on an amendment from Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) that would shuffle where a victims fund, established by the legislation, would get its money.

{mosads}Under Senate rules, a procedural vote on the amendment is expected Thursday, setting up the latest attempt by lawmakers to move forward on the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.

Cornyn said earlier Tuesday his amendment would send funding for the victims trafficking fund through the congressional appropriations process.

“We would basically handle all of the funds that go into this compensation fund through the regular appropriations process, and we will use these same Hyde Amendment language that was negotiated between Nancy Pelosi and Speaker Boehner in the ‘doc fix’ bill,” he said.

Under the Texas Republican’s amendment, money in the victims fund would have to be transferred directly from the General Treasury Fund. Money from criminal fines will be then deposited into the General Treasury to offset the withdrawal.

Cornyn added Tuesday, “All money in the domestic trafficking victims fund must be derived from the general treasury, the routine and ordinary source for all federal funding.”

He said that means the abortion restrictions would only be placed on money from the general treasury, and not from criminal fines.

Thursday’s procedural vote will mark the latest attempt by Republican leadership to move forward on the anti-trafficking legislation, which was stalled for two weeks because of a fight over abortion.

Democrats argue the legislation as written would extend the Hyde Amendment, which restricts the use of federal funding for abortions, by applying it to the legislations’ victims fund that currently gets its money from criminal fines.

Cornyn said with his amendment, he is “hopeful that we can be met at least half way” by Democrats.

But, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said earlier Tuesday that Democrats have offered Republicans “nine proposals at this point, and they have rejected every single one of them.”

Tags Boehner John Cornyn Mitch McConnell Patty Murray