{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=b6c2b436-068b-4cf0-bc59-694477476318", "Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act Another Senate Bipartisan Achievement", "2015-12-02", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding Senate accomplishments:\r\nThe past few days, Ive noted some of the achievements of a new Congress thats back to work on the side of the American people.\nWeve passed bills no one ever thought Washington could touch. Weve made reforms that had previously languished for years without result.\nEven more remarkably, weve often done so on a bipartisan basis.\nConsider just the bills Ive mentioned already.\nA landmark, bipartisan education bill that would take decision-making power away from distant federal bureaucrats in order to empower parents and teachers instead.\nThe pundits said wed never pass it. We did, 81 to 17.\nA breakthrough, bipartisan highway bill that would finally provide state and local governments the kind of certainty they need to focus on longer-term road and bridge projects.\nAfter years of short-term extensions, this long-term highway bill passed the new Senate 65 to 34.\nA milestone, bipartisan cybersecurity bill that would protect the personal information of the people we represent by defeating cyberattacks through the sharing of information.\nThe issue languished in previous Congresses, but this Senate passed it with 74 votes.\nToday, Id like to mention another important bill this new Congress has passed.\nIts hard for many Americans to believe that human trafficking  modern-day slavery  could happen where they live.\nBut it does.\nRight here in the United States. All 50 of them. In Kentucky alone, the commonwealth has been able to identify more than 100 victims since it began keeping relevant records in 2013. And this kind of abuse often begins around the age of 13 or 14.\nThe victims of modern slavery deserve a voice. They deserve justice. And after years of inaction, a new Congress was determined to give them both.\nOf course there was an unforeseen impediment, to put it mildly, to getting this bill done. But success was possible because the new majority kept its focus on facts, on substance, and on good policy for the people who always remained our focus throughout the debate  the victims of modern slavery.\nThe bill we ultimately passed with strong bipartisan support, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, represents a vital ray of hope for the countless victims of modern slavery who need our help. Victims groups and advocates told us that this human-rights legislation would provide unprecedented support to domestic victims of trafficking.\r\nThey urged Congress to pass it.\nWe did.\r\nThe President signed it into law too.\nIt just proves that with unwavering compassion and unbowed determination  something Senator Cornyn knows a thing or two about  justice can prevail. Im grateful to him and so many other Senators for working so hard to ensure it ultimately did.\r\nThe Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act is another important step forward for our country. Its another example of what we can achieve in a new Congress thats back to work for the American people.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=b6c2b436-068b-4cf0-bc59-694477476318"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.0672890823334455, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}