U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, who serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered opening remarks during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism hearing titled “Lost and Exploited: Confronting Child Trafficking and the Failure to Protect America’s Most Vulnerable.” The hearing focused on the exploitation of children through human trafficking and online crimes.
Durbin stated, “Today’s hearing highlights a core truth: children who are trafficked and exploited are often invisible until it’s too late. In my 25 years serving on the Judiciary Committee, protecting children from trafficking and exploitation has been a bipartisan priority—and a personal priority.”
He recalled previous efforts by Congress to address these issues, referencing hearings he chaired nearly two decades ago. “When I chaired the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law almost 20 years ago, I held multiple hearings on human and child trafficking, as well as a hearing on protecting child soldiers—a form of child trafficking. Under the leadership of both Chairman Grassley and you, Chairman Hawley, the Senate Judiciary Committee and this Subcommittee have held hearings where we have heard from survivors and experts about how predators exploit legal loopholes and technological gaps.”
Durbin emphasized that while hearings are important for raising awareness, legislative action is necessary. He said, “These hearings are important. But, as I have long believed, we need legislation, not lamentation. That’s why, following my hearings, Congress passed the Human Trafficking Accountability Act and the Child Soldiers Accountability Act.”
He called for new laws to address modern challenges related to technology-enabled exploitation. “And now in the age of online impunity, we need to enact new laws that protect child trafficking victims and survivors and hold perpetrators—and the tech companies that are enablers—accountable. And we must stop the Trump Administration’s senseless diversion of government resources from investigating these crimes, protecting victims, and prosecuting perpetrators to support the President’s cruel mass deportation campaign.”
Durbin pointed out recent bipartisan cooperation in advancing relevant legislation. “There is hope that we can act on a bipartisan basis to do something. Just last week, the Committee advanced the bipartisan James T. Woods Act, which I lead with Chairman Grassley... This bill would revamp key sentencing laws, target violent online criminal networks, prohibit sextortion, and direct the Sentencing Commission to update the CSAM sentencing guidelines.”
He also mentioned efforts alongside Chairman Hawley: “Chairman Hawley and I also have reintroduced the bipartisan STOP CSAM Act... Our bill would finally open the courthouse doors to survivors of child exploitation allowing them to sue companies that promoted or facilitated their exploitation or that host or store CSAM.”
Highlighting concerns about internet safety for minors he said: “Too many parents take a deep breath every time their child logs onto a phone tablet or video game console. They know the internet has become a hunting ground for predators. Congress should pass our bills in their defense today.”
Durbin shared an example from those attending: “As we further consider how best to address these threats I want to recognize a young man in the audience... Jose was kicked out of his house... forced to perform sex acts on adults in an illegal massage parlor.” Durbin described how Jose testified against his trafficker helping uncover other victims.
He added: “And we would be remiss in this moment not to recognize the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirator’s horrific abuses. Those victims also deserve justice...” He closed by saying: “Children who are trafficked ... do not have deep pockets but they have us ... it’s up to us to do everything in our power to protect them.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee is responsible for reviewing legislation affecting constitutional protections as well as public safety across America through its legislative duties official website. The committee oversees federal law enforcement activities evaluates judicial nominations influences civil rights matters nationwide official website.
The committee is led by a chairperson includes members from both major parties holds authority over legal matters nationally official website.
Video audio footage of Durbin's statement was made available following his remarks.
