Homeland Preparedness News: Measure targets drug, human trafficking

Dec 13, 2019
Immigration & Border Security
In the News

HOMELAND PREPAREDNESS NEWS, DOUGLAS CLARK

Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) are touting legislation designed to ensure the intelligence community prioritizes resources to combat Northern Triangle and Mexico drug trafficking, human trafficking, and human smuggling.

The representatives previously introduced the Trafficking and Smuggling Intelligence Act, which recently advanced the House as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“Human traffickers and smugglers are exacerbating the crisis at our southern border and putting innocent lives at risk,” Hurd said. “Understanding and disabling these smuggling and trafficking networks should be a national intelligence priority. I am proud of the work my friend Rep. Spanberger and I put into this bipartisan effort to dismantle these dangerous smuggling networks, mitigate the border crisis, and keep Americans safe. I’ll continue to work across the aisle over the next year to find bipartisan solutions to this crisis.”

Legislation provisions include requiring the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to provide Congress with analytical assessments of the activities of drug trafficking organizations, human traffickers, and human smugglers in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, and requiring the DNI’s assessments address how the activities of these organizations affect the security and economic situation in these countries and contribute to migration to the U.S.-Mexico border.

“To strengthen the security of our borders and points of entry, part of our strategy must include addressing the root causes of increased migration and violent conflict in Central America,” Spanberger said. “The volatility in our backyard should be a major concern as we look to protect American families and communities, and our legislation is a step toward building a tough, smart response to the reprehensible activities of cartels and traffickers in the Northern Triangle countries and Mexico.”

Recent Posts


Oct 11, 2024
Social Security, Medicare, & Retirement

NEW: Spanberger Pens Op-Ed Urging Colleagues to Vote to Pass Her Bipartisan Bill to Eliminate WEP & GPO

The Bipartisan “Social Security Fairness Act” Would Eliminate Two Provisions of the “Social Security Act” That Unfairly Reduce Benefits for Millions of Americans Who Have Devoted Much of Their Careers to Public Service Thanks to the Congresswoman’s Effort to Force a Vote on the Legislation, the “Social Security Fairness Act” Will Come to the U.S. […]



Oct 10, 2024
Energy & Environment

Spanberger Urges Speaker Johnson to Call U.S. House Back to Capitol Hill to Pass Emergency Appropriations Funding Following Hurricanes Helene & Milton

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger is urging U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson to call Members of Congress back to Capitol Hill to pass supplemental appropriations funds to support Virginia’s communities and communities across the Southeastern United State in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. In a letter to Speaker Johnson, Spanberger and […]



Oct 10, 2024
Good Governance

NEW: Spanberger Ranked #1 Most Collaborative Member of Congress from Virginia, #3 in the Country

An “A” Bridge Grade is Given to Members of Congress Who Exemplify Governing Behaviors that Bridge Our Country Rather than Divide It WOODBRIDGE, Va. — U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger this week was ranked as the most collaborative Member of Congress from Virginia — and the third most collaborative lawmaker on Capitol Hill. Bridge Grades score […]