October 29, 2026
Mr. Gallagher introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
To require an assessment with respect to the technical capacity of the Department of State to address the use of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to facilitate trafficking in persons.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Countering Online Trafficking Act
.
Sec. 2. Assessment of technical capacity to combat technology-facilitated trafficking in persons
(a) In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Ambassador-at-Large of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, in consultation with the head of any other appropriate bureau or office of the Department of State, shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate an assessment of the following:
(1)
The extent to which the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons has timely access to personnel with specialized technical expertise necessary to carry out the responsibilities of such office with respect to the use of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies used to facilitate trafficking in persons, particularly trafficking involving children, including any significant gaps in such access.
(2)
If significant gaps are identified under paragraph (1), the actions the Ambassador-at-Large intends to take, using existing authorities and resources, to address such gaps, including through existing personnel, training, coordination between bureaus, temporary details, or other appropriate measures, and the anticipated timeline for implementing such actions.
(b) Form
The assessment required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.