Thank you, Madame Chairperson.

In keeping with our concentration on trafficking in women and discussion of Human Dimension issues over the last several months, I would like to inform the Council that the President on October 28 signed into law the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of the Year 2000.

This piece of legislation was introduced by Congressman Chris Smith, whose Commission provides oversight for our delegation here. In addition, Congressman Smith heads the US delegation to the OSCE parliamentary assembly. Under the legislation, any person who traffics in human beings or who reaps profits from that will face up to 20 years in prison, or life imprisonment if the trafficking results in the death of anyone, or if it involves the kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to kill. It also includes many victim protection measures including funding for NGOs working domestically, as well as abroad, to assist trafficking victims in safe integration, reintegration or resettlement and it also provides some changes to US immigration law to allow us better to assist victims of trafficking.

Thank you.